Yeah, good comparison with LEDs. I remember getting burned (not literally, thankfully) by some early smart thermostats—great idea, but they were glitchy and needed constant resets. But now they're rock solid. Smart windows probably just need the same kind of refinement period. Honestly, it's kinda exciting to watch these technologies evolve... patience usually pays off with home upgrades like this.
Yeah, totally agree on the patience thing. I jumped on the smart blinds train early, and man, those things drove me nuts at first... randomly opening at 3 AM was not my idea of fun. But after a few firmware updates, they're awesome now. Smart windows probably just need a bit more time to iron out the kinks.
Totally with you on the firmware updates—early adoption can be rough. A couple things to keep in mind with smart windows:
- View tends to have smoother software integration, especially if you're already deep into a smart home ecosystem.
- SageGlass has better tinting granularity, which can really help fine-tune energy efficiency.
- Both still have occasional connectivity hiccups, so expect some troubleshooting.
Honestly, I'd wait another year or two if you're not in a rush... tech maturity makes a huge difference.
Had a client go with SageGlass in their sunroom last fall—loved the tint control, but yeah, the app dropped connection a couple times. Needed a manual override more than once. Integration with their other smart stuff wasn’t seamless either, but nothing deal-breaking. If you’re not in a rush, waiting’s not a bad call… these systems are still smoothing out the rough edges.
Had a similar experience with SageGlass—loved the idea of tapping my phone to set the tint, but the app flaked out more than I’d hoped. Manual override saved the day, but it felt a bit like driving a Tesla and having to crank your own windows.
Totally agree. My smart lights and shades all play nice together, but SageGlass felt like the new kid at the party. If you’re not in a rush, waiting might save some headaches. Tech’s cool, but it’s not quite “set it and forget it” yet.Integration with their other smart stuff wasn’t seamless either, but nothing deal-breaking.
Manual override saved the day, but it felt a bit like driving a Tesla and having to crank your own windows.
That’s exactly the vibe I got too. I’m all for tech upgrades, but when the “smart” part needs babysitting, it loses some appeal. I tried integrating SageGlass with my Home Assistant setup—let’s just say it wasn’t plug-and-play. The novelty is cool, but honestly, my automated shades are more reliable right now. Maybe in a year or two these smart windows will catch up.
That’s been my experience too—sometimes the “smart” stuff just isn’t as set-and-forget as you’d hope. I tried View in my sunroom last fall, and while the energy savings are real, the integration was clunky. I ended up relying on the manual override more than I expected, especially when the automation glitched during a heatwave. Still, I’m hanging in there because the potential’s huge, but for now, my old-school blackout curtains are still the MVP on hot days.
Yeah, I totally get what you mean about the “smart” stuff not always being as smooth as it sounds. I haven’t tried SageGlass, but my neighbor put in View last summer and had similar complaints—lots of promise, but the tech’s just a little… finicky? He was all hyped for the auto-tinting, but half the time he’d be standing there with his phone, trying to get the app to cooperate while the sun baked his living room. Honestly, it was kind of funny to watch from across the street.
I’ve been tempted myself, mostly because my house gets crazy hot in the afternoons (west-facing windows are no joke), but I’m not sure I’m ready to ditch my blackout curtains just yet. The idea of windows that adjust themselves sounds awesome until you realize you’re still running around manually fixing stuff when it glitches. And with how much these things cost, I kinda expect them to work without babysitting.
One thing I will say—energy bills did drop for my neighbor, so I guess there’s that. But he also said the install was a pain and took way longer than promised. I’m holding off for now. Might just stick with my cheap old curtains and a box fan for another summer... at least they never need a software update.
Honestly, you’re not wrong to be cautious. I’ve watched a few friends get sucked into the “smart home” promise and end up troubleshooting more than enjoying the upgrades. The idea of windows that think for you is cool, but if you’re still sweating it out while the app spins, what’s the point? I do think the energy savings are real—my cousin’s bills dropped too after she put in SageGlass—but she had similar headaches with setup and random glitches. For now, I’m with you: blackout curtains are simple, cheap, and never crash. Maybe in a few years the tech will catch up to the hype.
I get the frustration with glitchy tech—been there with my thermostat, honestly. But I’ve found smart windows are a bit different than most “smart home” stuff. My neighbor put in View last winter, and while the app was buggy at first, after a firmware update things smoothed out. What surprised me was how much more comfortable her living room felt in the afternoons. Less glare, way less heat, and she didn’t have to mess with curtains at all. I still like my blackout shades for sleeping, but I’m starting to see the appeal of not having to think about it. Curtains are simple, sure, but they don’t adjust themselves when the sun shifts. Just depends what you’re after, I guess.