I traveled a lot for my business before the toilet paper virus, it's nice that so many don't need an app, But for me an app is damn useful I often have to do things from an app when i'm not around. So the people that find apps useless as you say that's fine but some of us need a real app not another damn webpage opening up, an that's all the damn dashboards are, are webpages.
I'm curious. What kinds of things? Device configuration, or device control?
1 Like
Much of the ST app is web pages too. Most people don't realize it because they did a good job of hiding it, but it was mostly just HTML pages. I guess though I have to wonder, why does it matter so much to you if it's an HTML page behind the scenes or API calls that render native controls? Either way it's doing the same thing.
Your talking about the URL link that creates a app like link on you device. I'm talking about the actual app that has been out for months/ year now?
2 Likes
Why? Does hitting a button on a dashboard to turn on/off a light do something different than hitting a button on a "proper app"?
No...
But regardless. If you absolutely need an app, and dashboards won't due for some reason, then Hubitat isn't the hub for you.
5 Likes
That's why I will more then likely be moving my system back over to homeseer, The lack of an app is important. It just amazes me the lack of understanding in this matter just because I can work my way around HE doesn't mean my wife or kids can they want something easy not trying to figure out a webpage. The dashboards never work for me they never sink up to my devices they never have a light is on it says it's off I know any platform can do that but HE is the first I've dealt with that hasn't had a dedicated app.
1 Like
There IS an app:
Apple App Store Link - Hubitat on the App Store
Google Play Store Link - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hubitat.app&hl=en_US
I really am confused why you think it's not an app?
3 Likes
Ok. You've come here. You've looked around. You've decided that you don't like Hubitat. Nobody is going to dissuade you from this decision.
That's fine. Hubitat is not for everyone.
Please stop insulting those of us who have decided that Hubitat works for us.
Thanks.
6 Likes
Understood. If the dashboards don't work for you, and you can't get them to work reliably, then that's probably a good decision.
For the record, the dashboards not working for you as designed (for whatever reason) is different than them not being able to do the same thing as an app. We got distracted arguing the wrong thing... When the dashboard is working as designed, as it does for most, the dashboard can do anything an "app" can do.
But I understand the frustration, and wish you luck!
1 Like
I pretty much only used the Wink app for setup and to figure out if the Wink Hub was disconnected .. saw that little red 
many times!!!
1 Like
I am not sure anyone will be able to explain it to you, but here goes. By the way, I was a Wink transplant about a year ago exactly. I am intimately familiar with both systems and apps.
There is almost no difference between the Wink app, and the Hubitat app which is available on the Android and I-tunes stores. You can turn things on and off in real time. You can get notifications. You can see a light change states, it changes colors and everything when on vs off. There is geofencing. This part is literally identical to Wink in functionality, and at least partially in appearance. Hubitat DOES have an app.
You can ALSO access a web page to do this device control. That is a choice you did not have with Wink. It looks just like the mobile app pages, and in fact it is nicer in a way because you can restrict people to only that page of devices to control. Functionally it is identical to an app. You click on it, the page opens, and you turn on the lights.
With Hubitat you cannot administer through the app itself. And by administer, I mean do things like write rules, add new devices, and so on. This is the backend stuff that the users (like the wife or kids) don't need to see or do. This part has nothing to do with turning things on and off on a daily basis.
The main difference is that with Wink, you can administer the hub via their app. And that is your only choice, you cannot do things on a computer or webpage. For good or for bad.
With Hubitat you can open a webpage either on a computer, or your mobile device to do this administration, as long as you are on the local network, either wireless or wired. It is much easier to do this administration on a 20" monitor vs an app. It is much more secure to only be able to administer the hub on a local network.
And I agree with many of the others, you don't really even need the app, a web page, or in most cases a voice assistant if you set up the hub with automations. I had probably 50 or fewer devices when I left Wink a year ago. Now I have closer to 200. I don't hardly even touch a switch anymore. I rarely even use Alexa, except to add grocery items or ask silly questions.
12 Likes
Exactly the same for me. I came from Wink over a year ago. I set up dashboards at first, but then I learned Rule Manager and automated all but a handful of functions that we want manual control of. For those things, I use Alexa integration and have a dashboard as a backup.
2 Likes
Ok cybrmage first thing you can't show a post where I have insulted anyone, So please keep that stupid stuff to yourself. I have made my point on this subject it's folks like you that believe everyone has to think your way. I can state my opinion as you stated yours get out of your feelings. Your acting like a 5 year old who cant get there way and now your taking your toys and are going home. There is a reason why I feel the way I feel your name has developer to the side if you do develop for HE spend my time making the platform better then acting like a little boy about things. So to make this clear I have tried the dashboards they do not work FOR ME or my wife who is not a nasa rocket scientist and shouldnt have to be, for her an app is needed if you can understand what i am trying to say then that's your problem. It's folks like you tht make posting on any site just a bad experience, i'm done with this good night all.
Tiny clarification... "Developer" next to a name indicates we develop ON the platform (creating Community apps and drivers) and have NO affiliation with Hubitat. The employees of Hubitat you will see around here are:
- bravenel
- Mike.Maxwell
- Chuck.Schwer
- BobbyD
- Pete
- and GregT
The full list of Staff is:
https://community.hubitat.com/g/hubitat
3 Likes
Strange, I counted several insults in your current post.
you sound fun at parties
2 Likes
Totally !
1 Like
Honestly I can’t tell if any of us are actually communicating about this issue anymore or just arguing past each other.
But just to try to clarify one more time.
- Hubitat has an app for iOS and android devices available for download in their respective app stores
- When the user taps on the app from their device home screen, the app opens to a list of dashboards
- The user taps on the dashboard of interest and can then control devices or view their statuses
- This works both locally and through the cloud
It’s a pretty simple experience for the user. What’s not quite so simple is that all of the above assumes that you as the hub admin created the dashboards you and your wife want to access through the mobile app. And you must create a guest user in your hub’s admin interface ahead of time as well, if you intend to use the app’s geofence/mobile presence feature.
If your wife only uses a single dashboard and has no need for the mobile presence feature that the iOS/android apps offer, then there is an even simpler way to access her dashboard of interest.
- Navigate to the dashboard from the web browser on her device
- Tap “add to home screen” (on an iOS device, android has something similar)
- Now there is an icon on the home screen that when tapped, brings up a full-screen window version of the dashboard
Does that help? What about that experience is insufficiently “app-like” for less technically inclined users like your wife?
Or do you object to having to setup the dashboards manually ahead of time? The look of the dashboards?
5 Likes
I think blackmail is a loaded term for what is probably more desperation. Their ongoing hardware sales probably aren't enough to subsidize the services expenses, and if you're not selling hardware, the only way to get money coming in the door is either investment or charging for services.
I had at peak maybe a half dozen devices attached to Wink and until a couple days ago was down to one that actually still worked. I bought a Hubitat months ago but their extended service outage followed by this subscription thing finally got me off my ass to get that one device working with Hubitat.
Its sad, because it was a really simple hub to use with good coverage.
I stuck the Hue dimmer switch right on top of my wink relay 2 minutes after getting that email. I'll rip the relay out of the wall next weekend.
This model worked well for Napster.. they should make 10's of dollar bills over the next few years.
