4 best alternatives to Wink as of 2018 - Slant

Amazon Echo

Top Pro

Supports over 900 skills which integrate with apps

The Amazon Echo has an extensive library of 'skills', simple commands that you can use to control all sorts of different apps. Ordering a pizza from Domino's or requesting an Uber ride is just a couple of words away. Amazon constantly updates Alexa's skills and developers can easily integrate them into their apps. See More

Top Con

Voice assistant isn't seamless and thorough

The conversations you can have with Echo aren't seamless, and most conversational voice commands (such as follow-ups to a previous question) won't work well with Alexa. The voice assistant will also answer simple answers and requests, such as facts. Sometimes, Alexa has troubles differentiating words which results in a clumsy answer. See More

Top Pro

Uses extensive Alexa ecosystem

The Alexa Voice Service found on the Amazon Echo is also used on the Fire TV set-top-box from Amazon, and in other products such as the portable Echo Tap and smaller Echo Dot as well. The Alexa integration in different products allows for a greater ecosystem with shared features and skills. The Alexa Remote extends to this ecosystem as well. See More

Top Con

Not compatible with Google Play Music or Apple Music

Amazon Echo does not provide support for two of the most popular online streaming music services: Google Play Music and Apple Music. However, they could be added in the future and you can also use Bluetooth to pair a device that does support Play Music or Apple Music. See More

Top Pro

Alexa constantly learns and improves

Alexa will work a lot better after a couple of weeks of use, because the assistant adapts to your speech patterns and personal preferences. Commands are also stored in the Cloud and are analysed by Amazon. That means Alexa - the voice-assistant service and ecosystem of Echo - essentially constantly gets smarter. See More

Top Pro

Good quality omnidirectional speaker

The Amazon Echo features a 360* omnidirectional speaker. Users have reported great sound quality and speaker sounds, which make the Echo a perfect fit as a music player. See More

Top Pro

Far-field voice recognition works well even in longer distances

Amazon Echo has seven microphones built-in to listen to your voice in any direction. The microphones work great and perform perfectly even with longer distances. It also works while playing music. See More

Top Pro

Offers extensive support for other smart home devices

Amazon Echo works well with other smart home devices and Internet of Things products, such as Nest, Ecobee, SmartThings, Wink, Insteon, Belking WeMo, Philips Hue, Lifx, Big Ass Fans and even IFTTT. In short, Echo is very open to use for third party devices. See More

Top Pro

Also streams music from Amazon Prime

Echo is an Amazon product and offers great integration with the rest of Amazon's services, especially Amazon Prime. The Echo family is currently the only virtual assistant that is compatible with Amazon Prime Music. You can also stream music via Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio and TuneIn. The ecosystem is fairly open, as developers can easily integrate Alexa's voice commands into their apps. See More

Top Pro

Always listens to your voice

The Amazon Echo personal assistant will always listen to your voice and will be activated whenever you say the words "Alexa", "Echo" or "Amazon" for immediate and hands-free control. See More

Specs

Speaker Channel Type:Mono

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SmartThings

Top Pro

Includes a backup battery in case power fails

If for whatever reason SmartThings loses access to tethered power it can still function for 10 hours on a battery. See More

Top Con

Custom access isn't currently supported

Custom access is supported by other smart home ecosystems, but not with SmartThings. Custom access allows for things like configurable unlock codes for smart door locks, or allow access to certain SmartHomes products to certain users. See More

Top Pro

Compatible with a wide variety of devices

A full list of supported devices can be found here. See More

Top Con

Pairing a device is more involved than it needs to be

Top Pro

Has a Marketplace for user-submitted custom code

Adding extra code is as simple as copying and pasting the user submitted code. This allows for much added functionality and customization options. See More

Top Con

Companion app can take a while to get used to

Top Pro

Offers a detailed way of setting up scenes

Top Pro

Automatic home/away mode

When all connected devices leave the house, SmartThings automatically goes into 'away mode'. Once a device comes back in range, it will toggle to 'home mode'. You will need to configure what these modes do (whether it be locking the doors, turning the lights on/off, changing the thermostat's temperature...), but it's great that this is done automatically when you arrive home or leave. See More

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D-Link Staples Connect

Top Pro

Most actions will still work without internet access

Your settings are stored locally, and as such when the internet goes down the automated tasks will still keep working - as long as they don't require any internet interaction. See More

Top Con

Spotty performance when multiple products connected

If you have lights from multiple different manufacturers, performance can take a significant hit. Some lights may turn on much quicker than other lights (Phillips Hue always seemed to be the first to react), but given enough time the changes always made it through to all the lights. Sometimes unpairing and re-pairing lights increased performance. See More

Top Pro

Very easy setup, pairing, and installation

To set it up, all you have to do is plug it in to your router (just initially), add in your Wi-Fi password, and then you're free to move it anywhere you choose. Pairing is just as straightforward. While other systems have trouble connecting new devices even after multiple attempts, the Staples Connect typically worked on the first or second try. See More

Top Con

No support for WeMo products

Belkin's WeMo ecosystem isn't supported by Staples' ecosystem. See More

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Insteon Hub Pro

Top Pro

The hub is small and can be hidden easily

While it needs a wired connection to your router, this hub is fairly small and can easily be tucked away somewhere out of sight. See More

Top Con

Slow updates

While HomeKit has been steadily evolving and adding new features, Insteon has been very slow to add these features into it's hub. Expect to wait for any new features that Apple rolls out in the future. See More

Top Pro

Mesh network allows for further ranges

HomeKit connects via bluetooth inside the home (to reach out of the home they require an Apple TV), and each connected device will pass along the information to the next device. This creates a 'mesh' network, where all the points relay the message along. This helps to extend the range of the network further than what would be possible if the hub connected to each device individually. See More

Top Con

Only iOS is supported

This hub was created specifically with HomeKit in mind, which only works with iOS devices. There is no Android, Windows, or web app support. The only way to control products connected to this hub is through an Apple device. See More

Top Pro

Fully supports Apple's HomeKit

HomeKit is Apple's smart home ecosystem and is tightly integrated with Siri. It provides scenes, which you can describe as groups of actions that all take effect with a single command. For example (once configured), sauing "Hey Siri, Goodnight" could turn all your connected lights off, lock your doors, turn your thermostat down a few degrees, and turn on your connected security camera. See More

Top Con

Limited to Insteon and HomeKit devices

While there are doezens of other standards available (WeMo, Nest, and SmartThings to name some of the bigger ones), the Insteon Hub Pro only works with their own devices as well as devices which are HomeKit compatible. This reduces your choice when it comes to buying new smart home products, where other hubs support multiple ecosystems allowing for the best selection of smart home gadgets. See More

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