[Obsolete Info] SmartTiles v5.x Alert: Installation Deadline

Continuing the discussion from SmartThings OAuth Changes:

As far as we know, existing SmartTiles v5.x installations / dashboards are unaffected by this announcement and will continue to function until further notice… (It’s a bit like those of us who still have running instances of the SmartThings V1 “Dashboard Solution Modules” that are not longer available for new installations as of when mobile App V2 was released.)

So – the window of opportunity for anyone to install “SmartTiles (Connect)” is closing by April 12th, 2016. Please spread the word through all of your available channels (show it to friends, use social media, create a YouTube video, put an ad on Craigslist, buy a full page add on CNETetc., … etc.) and point everyone to Loading...


###NB: SmartTiles (Connect) v5.x is temporarily unavailable for new installs. We expect to restore the ability to install version 5.x until v6 is ready for release.


Don’t worry about the future of SmartTiles, though. @625alex and I have already submitted the back-end “event-connector” portion of SmartTiles V6 for official review and residency in the Marketplace so that we will be ready to proactively work out any quirks on that end. The V6 SmartApp will not serve V5 dashboards, though, so there will be an indefinite period during which new users cannot install any version of SmartTiles.

We’ll keep you posted, but your questions are welcome – Except: Please don’t bother asking for when “SmartTiles V6” will be available; we won’t feed speculation on dates or new features in order to ensure we don’t have to break any implied promises or get hopes up too soon. Thanks!!!

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Thanks Terry,

Glad to be working with you guys on getting V6 out. I just sent you some questions about it :smile:

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So a few weeks then? :wink:

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Absolutely! In precisely few weeks. Not sooner nor later.

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man now you guys are going to force me to buy a cheap android tablet to stick on the wall…

Nah… We actually wish SmartTiles sufficient tablets weren’t so darn cheap 'cuz then maybe they’d have high enough margins for us to start selling hardware!

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If you come up with a solid mounting solution, then you’ll have the business.

If it looks professional and works with a cheap tablet (maybe the $50 kindle fire or something as it’s common and available everywhere), people will support you guys.

Cheap, clean, and accessible are what people want in the mounting solution.

Otherwise, you’ll just have to rely on the kindness of strangers for those donations!

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But they also need power too, right? That’s one of the bigger challenges due to requiring UL Certification.

Quite a few companies are doing in-wall or other mounting solutions, but they have to focus on iPads in order to target a market niche that is willing to pay more than a minimal margin. A few Kickstarter’s are in the works, but who knows where they will end up… Most are trying to combine hardware, software, and video… even intercom, all in an effort to add value and drive up margins. Hardware is hard.

True. That would fall into “clean” - keeping the power cable hidden.

I was willing to sacrifice “clean” with my installation for movement/portability with the 4 different wall brackets.
I’ll likely just add a few more SnapPower USB outlet covers so that I have one at each tablet location and can have a USB cable without a charger taking up an outlet spot.

This also then comes down to how much work is going to be required by the end user to install this. The more work required, the smaller your market becomes, especially if it requires in-wall installation.

It’s almost like we need a mounting arm solution that’s hollow and can have the USB power cable fed through it to keep it mostly clean.

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One option for the clean and tidy with power scenario, is to get one of the QI wireless charging foils used for after-market use on phones etc. (only applicable when the phone/tab doesnt already have wireless charging, obviously)
These have a micro-USB plug (can be purchased with either large side ‘up’ or ‘down’, so will work with any tablet) and an incredibly thin and flat cable.
This folds behind the tablet, sticking down if necessary, and is effectively invisible.

Of course, you do need a QI charging pad to sit inside your wall mount cradle, but there are a lot of these available.

This keeps the tab ‘portable’ as you just ‘unsnap’ from the wall cradle.

There are equivalents for Apple, but the connectors stick out.

If you’re not bothered about portability and just want clean, get the same micro micro-usb plug with flat cable and feed that through, instead of a sticky-out round cable.

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I would absolutely buy a nice mounting solution if it was available.

Thanks for supporting the idea, Chris, but nothing is “absolute”, right?

There are a lot of conditions that affect your (or anyone’s) purchase:

  • Price (you have an upper limit per unit).
  • Design (define “nice”).
  • Practicality (there are various solutions that only support one specific model of iPad or Nexus; it severely limits the market to a niche; but would you buy a half-dozen new iPads just to match the available nice mounting solution?).

I totally understand the complications around this.

For me, price i’d like to keep under 1k. Nice means it looks like its 1k and not $50. Practicality could include providing a tablet. There are some really nice cheap Android or even now Atom based tablets that would work for a nice “All-in-One” solution. This would eliminate a lot of variables as you would then control them.

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Unfortunately, we doubt that many consumers paying $99.00 for a Hub (or even ~$400 for a big “kit”) are in the same demographic as those willing to pay $1000 for a touch screen, even with very nice mounting.

The market is very fickle.

Do you see anything on IndieGogo or Kickstarter that “comes close”? Those sites are only one data point, but they do indicate some market research.

Touchjet Wave is going to do what he’s looking for.

I got in early enough to get the early bird at $99 and added the camera and mic upgrade for $19.

I will be testing it for SmartTiles once it arrives.

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##Updated:

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