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Microsoft starts letting Windows 10 users control smart home devices from their PC

Microsoft starts letting Windows 10 users control smart home devices from their PC

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Windows 10 users are going to be able to treat their PCs more like smart home hubs. Windows Central reports today that Microsoft has added a "connected home" section to Cortana. From this new menu, users can sign into smart home services, thereby giving Cortana control. It's currently compatible with Wink, Insteon, Nest, SmartThings, and Hue. Windows Central notes that it's seen the connected home menu on both Windows 10 desktop and mobile, so it's likely rolling out now.

The Verge's Tom Warren reported earlier this year that Microsoft was working on a new HomeHub feature that would create a family environment on the PC with shared access to calendars and apps. The idea was also to enable Windows 10 to serve as a smart home hub for connected devices. 

While Microsoft toils away on those features, it's also preparing for the release of Harman Kardon's Cortana-powered Invoke speaker, which will be the first speaker to include the assistant. We don't know when exactly it'll go on sale, but an early Microsoft Store listing went live yesterday with the speaker priced at $199. Microsoft's clearly getting serious about competing with Google, Amazon, Apple, and even Samsung for control of the smart home.