Dorset Magazine vs HouseMate Home Control
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Dorset Magazine
Explore the best of Dorset with this magazine app. Discover local walks, food, properties, and events. Enjoy a luxurious reading experience with enhanced and e-editions, plus offline access to a vast archive.
- Enhanced and e-edition reading styles
- Extensive archive of back issues
- New search functionality
- Offline reading capability
- Monthly content updates
- Save over 25% on subscriptions
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Each month, everyone who loves Dorset will find something to indulge in. We bring you everything from the best places to walk and irresistible food & drink, to the finest Dorset properties and a wealth of inspirational ideas for your home and garden. We will take you on a journey through picturesque Dorset towns and villages, highlighting amazing places to visit and upcoming local events. All of this wrapped up in a beautiful and luxurious reading experience. Reasons to love the Dorset magazine app… • Choose Your Reading Style – Enjoy our great new enhanced editions or sit back, relax and flip through our luxury e-editions. • Huge Archive of Back Issues – Subscribe and receive full access to an extensive archive, containing a treasure of stunning content. • New Search Functionality – Quickly and easily search for articles that interest you. • Offline Reading – Download editions to enjoy reading anytime, anywhere. Save over 25% when you subscribe - Subscribe now for just £2.99 a month! If you have an existing digital subscription you can simply log in and enjoy our newly designed app. Dorset is a monthly magazine, so 12 exquisite editions are produced each year. Dorset magazine is perfect for you if you live in Swanage, Corfe Castle, Lulworth, Abbotsbury, Charmouth, Beaminster or simply have a love of this fantastic county. All subscriptions are auto-renewing. Payment for this subscription will be charged to your iTunes account upon purchase. The subscription will auto-renew within 24 hours of the current subscription expiring, at the same rate as the initial purchase. Auto-renewing subscriptions can be managed via Account Settings allowing them to be turned off. No cancellations of the current subscription are allowed during the active subscription period. Privacy Policy - https://www.newsquest.co.uk/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use - https://www.newsquest.co.uk/terms-conditions/
HouseMate Home Control
This app, paired with specific hardware, allows users to control various home devices and their iOS device through a unified interface. It supports infrared, HomeKit, and other technologies for comprehensive environmental control.
- Unified environmental control interface
- Infrared device operation
- HomeKit accessory control
- Switch and joystick compatibility
- Nurse call pager integration
- EasyWave and Z-wave device support
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Imagine being able to control everything from one device: Turn on your room lights and close the curtains. Change channels on your TV and turn up the heating. Answer a phone call and send some texts. Browse the Internet, play some music or watch YouTube. HouseMate hardware in combination with an iOS device enables you to do this and much more. HOW DOES IT WORK? HouseMate is a combined hardware/app solution that enables a switch user to fully control their iOS device and use it to operate other equipment in their home or work environment using a combination of InfraRed, HomeKit, IFTTT and other technologies. TELL ME ABOUT THE HARDWARE The hardware is controlled using the built-in switch or by connecting an external switch or joystick. It can also be interfaced to R-Net and DX wheelchair control systems. It is powered by a rechargeable Li-Ion battery and contains a powerful omni- directional InfraRed transmitter and a Bluetooth radio module. The hardware communicates the switch presses to the iOS device. With Switch Control enabled the user can use scanning to control their device. If the user launches the HouseMate App a grid of environmental control options is presented. If the user chooses an option then the HouseMate App will either run a HomeKit scene, control a HomeKit accessory or instruct the HouseMate hardware to transmit a pre-recorded InfraRed signal. HouseMate can be fitted with a radio frequency Nurse call pager. This alarm can be activated at anytime by pressing the switch for a defined period of time. Importantly this feature is independent of the iOS device and Bluetooth connection. A further possibility is the control of EasyWave or Z-wave devices. On request HouseMate can be fitted with an internal EasyWave or Z-wave transmitter. TELL ME ABOUT THE APP The HouseMate app that has been specially designed for switch access and can be downloaded free from iTunes. It will run on any iOS device running 8.4 or higher. The app presents a grid of environmental control functions using icons and text. When the user chooses an icon the app either executes a HomeKit function or instructs the hardware to transmit a signal. The HouseMate app communicates with the HouseMate hardware using Bluetooth Smart. Rather than having to switch between different apps the HouseMate app enables you to have all your environmental control functions in one easy-to-use, graphically based interface. WHAT ARE THE KEY FEATURES? Hardware features: -Control of any device that can be operated by InfraRed signals including light switches, power sockets, bed controls and door openers. -Powerful InfraRed learn/transmit hardware. Single codes, toggle codes, macros and safety codes can be recorded. -Pre-recorded database of common InfraRed signals including GEWA, Possum, Siemens KNX, FellerBeamIt, UPC and SKY. -Control of EasyWave devices with optional built-in EasyWave transmitter. -Control of Z-wave devices with optional built-in Z-wave transmitter. -Single switch, two switch and joystick inputs. Interface cables for R-Net and DX wheelchair control systems. -Long-life rechargeable Li-Ion battery with mini USB charger. -Audible low battery warning, Bluetooth connection, InfraRed transmit and charging status LEDs. Software features: -Comprehensive, graphic based, environmental control. -Large database of icons as well as the ability to choose images from the camera roll. -Designed to be used in conjunction with the scanning features of iOS Switch Control. -Can be used to run HomeKit scenes and control HomeKit accessories. -Control over third party apps using iOS Switch Control. -Can be used in conjunction with IFTTT based services. -HouseMate can be downloaded free from iTunes with automatic updating as new versions become available. -Can be installed on iPads or iPhones running iOS 8.4 or higher.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: HouseMate Home Control at 100% against Dorset Magazine's 0%. HouseMate Home Control also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Dorset Magazine sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. HouseMate Home Control asks for nothing beyond the download.
HouseMate Home Control holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Dorset Magazine's written reviews are positive against 100% of HouseMate Home Control's.
Dorset Magazine ships an update every 5 months, HouseMate Home Control every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Dorset Magazine | HouseMate Home Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 9.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 126 MB | 37 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Newsquest | Brian Dillon |
Customer experience
Dorset Magazine
HouseMate Home Control
In-app purchases
Dorset Magazine
- Dorset Magazine$3.991 Month
- Dorset Magazine$8.993 Months
- Dorset Magazine$26.991 Year
- Dorset August 2013$2.99
- Dorset December 2013$2.99
- Dorset Magazine Digital, Issue 70$2.99
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- Dorset Magazine, Issue 175$2.99
- Dorset Magazine, Issue 176$2.99
- Dorset Magazine, Issue 177$2.99
- Dorset Magazine, Issue 178$2.99
HouseMate Home Control
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Dorset Magazine free?
Is HouseMate Home Control free?
Which has better reviews, Dorset Magazine or HouseMate Home Control?
Do Dorset Magazine or HouseMate Home Control have ads?
Which is updated more often, Dorset Magazine or HouseMate Home Control?
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