Milo is a new Z-Wave smart home hub centered around a touchscreen & Google Assistant

Read more

We’re less than a month into the new year, but it’s starting to look like the smart home in 2018 will be defined by all-in-one hubs. Leading up to and during CES, we’ve already seen several companies looking to try their hands at the centralized gateway concept. Milo is one such hub, that packs Z-Wave Plus and Zigbee device compatibility alongside Google Assistant integration.

Milo is touted as the first smart speaker and home hub that’s centered around Google Assistant. As such, it embodies a similar form-factor to just about all of the other digital assistant-packed speakers we’ve seen this past week.

But it’s on top of the device’s cylindrical casing that things change, as a circular touchscreen provides on-screen controls alongside the power to command it through voice. This gives Milo an overall look quite similar to Apple’s HomePod.

Aside from its 3 far-field microphones and integrated dual-driver speaker, Milo’s main draw is that it also packs Z-Wave Plus and Zigbee radios.

This combination alongside Wi-Fi and Bluetooth gives the smart home hub one of the most robust lists of compatible devices we’ve seen. And the fact that it’s based around a familiar interface for controlling connected devices is just about the biggest benefit Milo has over its competition.

Of course all of these features come with a higher price tag than your typical smart hub or speaker. But surprisingly, Hogar’s newest hub will be launching with a more affordable $149 price tag. It is said to be shipping sometime during the first quarter of the year.

While Google Assistant voice control is a huge benefit, it also bolsters Milo’s connection to third-party services. This makes Hogar’s latest hub much more appealing than say Toshiba’s latest all-in-one device.

All things considered, with its low price point and feature-packed capabilities, Milo looks to be a compelling option for smart home owners.

[9to5-press-release]

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — CES 2018 Sands Booth #41717The Milo Smart Home Speaker (Milo) by Hogar Controls is the first-ever combination smart speaker and home hub to include support for Z-Wave Plus and adds multi-platform access for Zigbee, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices. Milo’s integrated smart hub feature also works with the Google Assistant, so you can ask questions, control devices throughout your home, stream music and more.

A sleek and sexy design with on-board one-touch scene control and a smart home mobile app, Milo is an all-in-one solution for connecting you with what matters in your world. Milo leverages the popular Z-Wave ecosystem for control of smart home devices including lights, shades, locks, thermostats, garage door openers, and more; Milo also works with the Google Assistant, so it can stream music, news, weather, and so much more. Milo can be both a hands-free speaker or one-touch controller of your favorite scenes.

Smart speakers have exploded in growth over the past few years and led to a new wave of consumers discovering the power and convenience of a smart home. Consumers want easy access to their technology, using a combination of physical control, mobile app monitoring and voice commands to interact with their smart devices. Milo represents a complete shift in the design of smart home technology; before Milo, users would need to buy a smart home hub, a smart speaker and external controller devices to create the same level of convenience in the home. Milo solves this by being an all-in-one device with Z-Wave Plus hub functionality that works with the Google Assistant for voice control and streaming, and on-board one-touch scene control built into the glass top.

With premium audio technology, compact industrial design and an integrated smart home hub, Milo is a complete voice-powered entertainment and smart home solution, right out of the box.

Features (short version)

  • Smart speaker with built-in Z-Wave Hub featuring onboard touch controller and works with the Google Assistant
  • Connectivity: Z-Wave Plus, Zigbee, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
    • Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
    • Z-Wave Plus – featuring latest Z-Wave Security S2 framework and ability to connect hundreds of devices
    • Zigbee 1.2Ha – connect with popular Zigbee devices
    • Bluetooth 4.0 – audio streaming
  • Integrated 3 microphone array for superior far field hands-free use voice recognition
  • Integrated amplified high excursion speaker with 2″ driver + dual 2″ passive radiators to deliver clear highs and deep bass
  • Controls hundreds of smart home devices through cloud to cloud integration within a home
  • Glass top with back lit one-touch scene control buttons and volume slider
  • Mic mute and unmute, configuration button
  • Wakeup, sleep LED indicators
  • Lux Sensors on top of device for triggering different scenes
  • Rolled with fabric, with aluminum brim and black touch glass – available in light gray and black, other colors to come
    • DC 12V Powered
    • Compact 3.94″ height x 3.35″ width
    • Light weight – less than 450g/1lb
  • Includes all-in-one mobile app for control of locks, lights, sensors, thermostats, music and more

Milo by Hogar Controls will be available in Q1 2018 for US MSRP $149 with a one-year warranty.

For more information on Hogar Controls, visit https://hogarcontrols.com/.

Hogar Controls®
Founded in 2015, Hogar Controls is a global design-first smart home and building automation company delivering powerful solutions for residential, hospitality and commercial markets. In 2018, Hogar Controls launched in the U.S. with the Milo Smart Home Speaker – the first-ever combination smart home speaker and home hub to include both Google Assistant voice functionality as well as support for Z-Wave Plus devices. Hogar’s full line of sleek, modern smart products offer homeowners, retailers and professional integrators stylish solutions that afford user-friendly control and a wide ecosystem of product choice to allow individuals to connect what matters most. Visit https://hogarcontrols.com/ for the full line.

[/9to5-press-release]

FTC: 9to5Toys is reader supported, we may earn income on affiliate links


Subscribe to the 9to5Toys YouTube Channel for all of the latest videos, reviews, and more!

Load more...
Show More Comments