I turned an old Android phone into a DIY smart home hub — here’s how it works

Credit: Thanh Nguyen / Android Authority Building a cost-effective, entry-level smart home is an experiment that should come with careful planning and an emphasis on simplicity. Overengineering can cause frustration, particularly when your devices suddenly turn on or off out of nowhere, leaving you confused with a screen full of buttons and no idea where to tap. I only put my setup together with an IR blaster, two Android phones (you only need one if you don’t want a DIY home hub), a smart plug,