Smart home
Polycab Hohm Mirai Smart IR Blaster Review
Priced at around Rs. 1,200 in India, the Polycab Hohm Mirai Smart IR Blaster is a compact, uncomplicated device that can be used to add smart controls to not-so-smart IR-based appliances such as air conditioners, televisions and set-top boxes, fans, and audio equipment, among others. How does this device work, and is it effective at making your home appliances smart? Find out in this review.
The Polycab Hohm Mirai is compatible with just 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
What is the Polycab Hohm Mirai Smart IR Blaster?
The Polycab Hohm Mirai Smart IR Blaster is a rather simple, unassuming device to look at. It’s a small black box with the ‘Hohm’ logo on the top, an indicator light at the front above the IR emitter, and two Micro-USB ports — one at the back and one at the bottom — either of which can be used to power the device. There is also a hook on the underside to wall-mount the device, if needed.
Included in the sales package of the Polycab Hohm Mirai is a USB Type-A to micro-USB cable, and a power adapter to connect to a wall socket. Once powered up, the device will need to be positioned such that the IR emitter points at the receiver of the appliances that need to be controlled. There is no power switch, but there is a pinhole for the hard-reset button, and a 3.5mm socket at the back. The latter can presumably be used with a compatible IR emitter accessory to extend the range and angle of the IR beam, but the accessory for this isn’t included in the box.
The Hohm app (available on iOS and Android) is used to set up and control the Polycab Hohm Mirai Smart IR Blaster. The process to install the Mirai Smart IR Blaster was fairly simple, and I was able to connect it to my Wi-Fi router quickly and without any trouble by simply following the steps on the screen. The device is only compatible with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, and it maintained a stable connection with the router during my review.
The app lets you control any linked appliances, as well as add new ones and configure the Hohm Mirai Smart IR Blaster
How does the Polycab Hohm Mirai Smart IR Blaster work?
Once setup was completed, the app showed ‘Smart IR’ as a device in the app; if you have any other Hohm-compatible devices, they’ll appear here as well. The Mirai Smart IR Blaster itself can control multiple IR devices, which can be set up within its device listing. The list of supported devices includes televisions, set-top boxes, air conditioners, fans, lights, projectors, audio and DVD players, heaters, and purifiers across a huge list of global brands.
In the rare scenario where your IR device isn’t on the list, there is also a process to ‘teach’ the Polycab Hohm Mirai Smart IR Blaster the specific IR signal for your devices, using the DIY or ‘Learn Match’ methods in the app. I tested the Hohm Mirai Smart IR Blaster with an Atomberg remote-controlled ceiling fan and Carrier air conditioner in my home, both of which were part of the list of supported devices and could be set up easily using preloaded profiles.
For the Atomberg fan, I had to manually set up additional buttons on the remote by ‘training’ the Polycab Hohm Mirai Smart IR Blaster; this involved pointing the Atomberg fan’s remote at the Hohm device and pressing the buttons to give it instructions on how to interact with the ceiling fan.
The Polycab Hohm Mirai Smart IR Blaster can be wall-mounted or placed on a table
Once done, the button interface in the app for the Atomberg fan was a bit messy and had a bunch of unnecessary buttons, but I was able to control all the desired functions as needed. The air conditioner’s button interface was a lot cleaner, and had all key functions available without any further intervention on my part. Usefully, the Hohm Mirai IR Blaster was able to control both devices from a single convenient angle in between the two appliances, so its infrared range is quite wide and the beam is suitably powerful.
You can also link the Polycab Hohm Mirai Smart IR Blaster to Alexa or Google Assistant, and operate the device and any configured appliances with voice commands either through your smartphone or smart speakers. This worked reasonably well on both voice assistants to turn on or off the devices, but more complicated functions such as adjusting the fan speed were not supported through voice commands, and could only be controlled using the app.
It’s also possible to create automation routines through the Hohm app, based on factors such as weather conditions, your location (such as when you leave your home), and timed schedules, among other things. It took a bit of effort to create certain routines, but once done this feature worked as expected, and some of these routines were even supported by Alexa and Google Assistant for voice controls.
Verdict
The Polycab Hohm Mirai Smart IR Blaster is the perfect answer for anyone who has had to deal with the frustration of getting up and finding the remote for a device or appliance in their home. It’s easy to set up, supports a wide variety of IR-controlled devices, can be controlled via popular virtual assistants, and works reliably. Although the app interface isn’t perfect, there’s always a way around, which is easy enough to find. The Hohm Mirai successfully does exactly what it’s designed for — make non-smart appliances smart.
At Rs. 1,200 or so, it’s inexpensive, and very flexible since it can control multiple devices in the same room and enables voice controls or automation routines too. However, the most important point here is its reliability, and the Polycab Hohm Mirai Smart IR Blaster checks this box to earn my recommendation.
Rating: 9/10
Pros:
- Easy to set up and use
- Works with Alexa and Google Assistant
- Supports lots of IR-based appliances
- Can be used with multiple devices in the same room
- Reliable, does what it’s supposed to do
Cons:
- Somewhat awkward UI with some appliances
Moto Tag price
Moto Tag is priced at $29 (roughly Rs. 2,423) while a pack of four will be available for $99 (roughly Rs. 8,273) in the US starting on August 2, according to The Verge. The company is yet to update its website with the price of the tracker, and it is currently unclear whether it will be introduced in other markets, including India.
Moto Tag specifications, features
The newly announced Moto Tag offers support for Google’s Find My Device network, which was recently launched by the search giant. Motorola claims that the tracker will provide precise location-tracking capabilities when paired with a UWB-supported smartphone such as the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or the Google Pixel 8.
The device also features a dedicated multi-function button, which Motorola says can ping the smartphone to locate it. Furthermore, it can also be used as a remote capture button when taking photos on any Android smartphone. It also supports Google Fast Pair to simplify the setup process. With the standalone Moto Tag app, users can also change the name of the tag, adjust the alert volume, and check battery life.
The company says its Bluetooth tracker protects the user’s privacy by offering end-to-end encryption of their location. This means only the owner of the Moto Tag as well as those its location is shared with, can locate it.
Motorola says the device supports automatic unknown tracker alerts on both Android and iOS platforms, meaning users will be alerted if an unknown party attempts to track their location. Additionally, they can also run a manual scan to check for unwanted trackers following them.
Moto Tag is claimed to be compatible with third-party accessories and can be attached to valuables. For durability, it is IP67-rated, allowing it to withstand immersion in water for up to 1 metre for up to 30 minutes. It is equipped with a CR2032 battery which is said to last a year on a single charge.
Wakefit Zense Regul8, Track8 price and availability
Regul8, under the Wakefit Zense range, can be purchased at the price of Rs. 44,999. The mattress is available in Queen (78×60 inch) and King (78×72 inch) sizes. Track8, the sleep tracking sheet, is priced at Rs. 10,499. Both devices can currently be pre-booked on the official website for Rs. 499 each, or Rs. 899 combined.
Wakefit Zense Regul8 features
According to the company, the Regul8 mattress features a water-based system to control the temperature of the mattress surface. The mattress’ temperature can be set between 15-degree and 40-degree Celsius using the companion app. Regul8 has a dual-zone temperature controller, which allows the user to set different temperatures for each side of the bed.
Regul8 also comes with integrated temperature sensors that can monitor the temperature of the mattress surface and make real-time adjustments to keep it consistent throughout the night. It also features five different presets — Neutral, Cold, Warm, Ice, and Fire — to easily set the desired temperature. Wakefit claims that the Regul8 mattress consumes 60 percent less energy than a 1.5-ton AC.
Wakefit Zense Tack8 features
Track8 is a sleep solution under the Wakefit Zense range, which can track users’ sleeping patterns and other metrics without any contact. The device, which is a thin rectangular sheet of fabric with two sheet sensors, is placed under the mattress. It has dual-zone sensors, one for each side of the bed, and can track two users at the same time. The device directly sends the collected data to the companion app, which then processes the information to present a detailed sleep report.
The company claims the device uses AI and machine learning algorithms to capture data around sleep stages, respiratory rate, movement, sleep and wake up time, on and off bed time, and snoring. Once analysed, it also offers an aggregated sleep score.
tvOS 18 Updates
At its developer conference, Apple announced InSight – a feature which displays real-time information about the currently playing content, such as the characters, cast and the music playing. To get further information, users can select a specific actor and bring up their background and filmography page, the iPhone maker revealed.
Moreover, tvOS 18 is also said to offer the ability to add the currently playing music to the user’s Apple Music library. The Cupertino-based tech giant also announced that the InSight information can now be accessed on the iPhone while using it as an Apple TV remote.
Stan Ng, Vice President of Apple Watch, Audio, Health, and Home Product Marketing, said, “This fall, tvOS 18 and our services take entertainment in the home to the next level by bringing timely information to fans about their favourite characters and scenes.”
With tvOS, the Enhanced Dialogue feature is claimed to have become smarter, leveraging machine learning (ML) and computational audio to provide better vocal clarity. This feature can now be taken advantage of when playing supported content through the TV’s in-built speakers, Bluetooth-connected audio devices and AirPods, Apple said.
Subtitles are also said to receive improvements, with Apple claiming they now automatically appear in places where the audio does not match the device language. In addition to new screensavers such as films, TV shows, portraits and even Snoopy, Apple is also introducing support for a wider 21:9 aspect ratio for video playback on projectors.
Apple also announced updates to the Home interface, with users now able to share control when playing music through HomePod and HomePod mini using SharePlay and Apple Music. Furthermore, Live Captions will be coming to the US and Canada to read what others say during FaceTime calls when using the iPhone as a Continuity Camera on Apple TV.
The iPhone maker claims to have also introduced a new look for the Apple Fitness+ app to “help users make the most of its robust library, stay motivated, and keep consistent with their fitness routine.”
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