At MWC, TP-Hyperlink confirmed me its new Matter-compatible good dwelling hub, the Tapo H500 Sensible HomeBase. And there’s simply one thing about it that jogged my memory of the Google Pixel Pill — particularly its charging dock. Simply take a look at it.
In a basic manner, the Tapo H500 serves the identical function because the Pixel Pill: It’s a central place so that you can management your good dwelling. However that’s the place the similarities finish, actually. All the pieces in regards to the HomeBase is completely different. For one, you deliver the pill. You possibly can put your iPad, your Galaxy Tab, and even skip the entire pill half and shut down the pill latch. To regulate related gadgets, I needed to open the TP-Hyperlink Tapo app put in on the iPad within the demo space.
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
There’s no wi-fi or pin-based charging right here, however the HomeBase has a USB-C port for charging on the again. Simply seize a USB-C cable and you’ll plug in your pill.
You should use any pill with the HomeBase H500. You lose out on the seamless comfort of the Pixel Pill, however you achieve in versatility.
Between this and the guide app opening, you’re not getting any of the seamless comfort of the Pixel Pill’s dock. However you’re exchanging that for further versatility as a result of you should use any pill and improve it with out altering the hub.
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
I hear you asking, although, what does the precise hub do? Its first function is to be the central connection level of TP-Hyperlink’s Tapo safety cameras and sensors. It has 16GB of built-in storage for storing and processing (facial, object, and bundle detection) your entire safety footage. It additionally helps ONVIF. And it might probably connect with 64 different good dwelling gadgets over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Matter, or Thread.
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
The Homebase H500 additionally homes a 110dB adjustable siren for intruder alerts and might take calls must you wish to check out what’s occurring round your property.
TP-Hyperlink additionally has a higher-end model, the H900, which comes with a pill and must be rather more of a Pixel Pill competitor. It supplies a digital picture body, alarm clock, calendar, notes, and a few leisure options, nevertheless it wasn’t proven on the sales space, so I couldn’t check it out. Nor might I see which working system TP-Hyperlink was operating behind all of these features.
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
There’s no phrase on when the 2 Homebase fashions will likely be obtainable, and we don’t know any pricing particulars both. But when this sits someplace within the $100 vary, I believe it’d be an attention-grabbing proposition for good dwelling aficionados.
