When and how can I get started with new homekit integration on HE?
Answered by @bobbyD:
Thank you all.
As soon as 2.3.4 is released. From what was said, within a few days.
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If you don't have a HomePod Mini or Apple TV yet, watch for them to go on sale (rare but I got one last year at Costco on sale). Not required but works so much better with the Homepod Mini I put in my office. Also the only way to use it when off your local LAN. Makes a great speaker as well.
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No fair, I paid $89, I want my $10 back!
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It's your fault, I just ordered two (the two-pack is sold out, but you can still get multiples of the single pack).
Question - I think I only need one if I just want it for the Homekit integration, right? I ordered two just in case, may return one if I don't need it.
I would like a smart speaker in the bedroom but it has to be totally local to pass muster w/the wife (and me, really). Can things be set up so that we are only using them (including voice control) locally, or is voice control always going to require a cloud connection?
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You only need one, but if you have two they will both act as home hubs (for homekit) so if one goes offline the other will take over automatically.
As for local, from what I have read Siri has a limited set of things it can do on the speaker without an internet connection. The communication from the HomePod to the Hub should be all local (instead of the other big voice speakers which processes everything through the cloud). To actually translate what you said to the speaker it may have to hit a cloud server sometimes, not totally sure. If you control devices from your phone (in the Home app) while on your LAN it should all stay local in theory, because in that case you don't even need a Home hub (Homepod Mini) it can just talk directly to the bridge (Hubitat in this case). If you control devices away from home it would obviously need to cloud connect from the Homepod to reach your phone.
EDIT: If you are an iPhone user, once you start using the home app you will abandon all other dashboards. It is fast and smooth and integrated directly into the OS of the phone.
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Thanks, that's helpful. I'm actually an Android guy, but have an iPhone and iPad around the house that I don't use very much. I am getting the HomePod Mini just to play around w/the integration, and was thinking from the emphasis I heard about local that I could maybe solve the problem of having a speaker in the bedroom that was local. All I really want is voice command to turn off a switch or two...we'll see, I guess. Always fun to get new tech to play with. I do use Apple Music so will have another speaker or two I can play it on. 
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I’ve been using Homebridge Hubitat successfully for years now, and it’s a really mature app at this point. Are there any native limitations to the built-in HomeKit support that will be rolling out?
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The Homepod minis sound much better than the dots and work much better in stereo (on on each nightstand). Kind of a shame that you’re using android since the added functionality with iPhones is very polished at this point.
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Do you mean actual stereo in that they can be set to do left and right channel, or just having them near each other playing the same?
This. You can also use them as the speakers for an Apple TV (also on sale).
Yes, I know I’m a bad influence.
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I'm a die-hard shield TV guy, so no Apple TV.
The stereo feature sounds cool. Looking forward to seeing how they work.
I'm not a manual control guy, prefer everything automated. Wife love buttons so she has Picos. So phone integration isn't as useful for me. That's why I wanted local voice control in the bedroom, to turn some lights off\on at irregular times\moments when we're in there.
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Not really what I meant. For example, I raise my iPhone when I’m in the same room as one of the Apple TVs or Homepods that are playing and I see this
Also, if I’m listening to something on my phone, I can just tap it on the Homepod and it starts playing on it. I’m still somewhat amazed at how well this all works together. I’m not likely to ever buy a Mac (I’ve been building my own PCs for 25 years) but I’m pretty sold on Apple’s other hardware.
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That is nice. 
I've just never liked iPhones... And I absolutely cannot stand the cut out at the top of the screen. Just yuk. (I know, I'm getting all whiney...) 
That’s gone on the 14 pro, but you like what you like.
Getting? 
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Apple doesn’t allow certain devices to be controlled by HomeKit certified accessories, and Hubitat is going for eventual certification. Door locks and garage door openers are two notable examples.
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Even though it's inelegant you can use virtual switches for that.
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Thats why I will keep my homebridge setup as well, for those devices only allowed from non-certified bridges.
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