Home Assistant 2025.2: Iterating on backups
Lot of backup features including using Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive as backup locations! Voice can now broadcast messages and control your thermostat. And much more!
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This release is less of a priority to me.
I don't use AI stuff or Voice stuff in my setup and most of the additions, fixes and improvements are related to those two.
More backup options is cool, although I only use local backups anyway.
I have no idea how anyone lives without Voice Control, particularly for lights.
I can’t stand voice assistants. I have ZigBee switches all over the house for lights, or I control things directly from my phone. Works really well for me!
I have Z-Wave switches but being able to make a voice command like "Nabu, setup to watch TV in the living room." is faster and easier than pulling out my phone, unlocking it, opening the HA app, and then triggering the "Watch TV in the Living Room" automation and that's assuming my phone is actually with me. I often roam the house without my phone, relying on my Smart Watch to alert me to text messages and phone calls.
Here's another one. I'm taking laundry downstairs but the stairs lights are off and so are the basement lights. My hands are full carrying a basket of laundry so flipping the switches or using my phone to do it means that I have to set the basket down. Instead I say "Nabu, turn on the stairs and basement lights." and the lights turn on for me. When I'm done and back upstairs I can either wait for the motion timer to turn them off or simply say "Nabu, turn off of the stairs and basement lights." EZ-PZ and so convenient.
Different strokes for different folks and all that, I'm not judging how other people live, but I really don't understand why people choose to do without voice control when they have an HA setup and the ability to run it all local.
Automations...
That's the answer commonly given but I don't understand how automation can handle the ad hoc nature of life. Here's some examples, maybe you could explain how this works for you?
Fair enough. Though you can automatically set a lighting scene once the Neflix app launches on the TV. And with the motion sensors and the light in the kitchen, you'd need to be patient and just let them time out. You either want it to be automated, or do it manually. Everything in between is just more complicated. But I see where you're going. Automations need to be fine tuned, factor in edge cases. And it's a chore to get them right. Plus I can also imagine lots of scenarios where life is just more dynamic and automations aren't really the correct tool.
Watching TV and I'd like the lights dimmed or turned off.
Easily automated with a power monitoring smart plug.
Finished putting laundry away and laid down to go to bed.
I'm not sure I understand...
Someone left the kitchen and the light is still on. I want it turned off without having to get up from the couch and I don't want to wait for the motion timer to expire.
Better motion sensing (mmWave)
Someone is coming over, say Pizza delivery, and I want the exterior lights to go back to full bright before they arrive.
Sure you got me there, I pull out my phone and turn on the porch light, takes 5 seconds instead of 2 🤷 realistically when that happens, I was already on my phone... I was just ordering pizza...
The easiest is probably a motion/presence sensor. When there is no movement, turn off the lights. When there is movement, turn the lights on, if it's dark.
I live without HA voice control because the wake word detection for my language doesn't work reliably yet