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CES 2015: iDevices Announces HomeKit-Enabled 'Switch' Smart Plug
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Sorry - I was in a hurry and I really didn't explain myself well. The Avi-on really appeals to me as someone who has almost exclusively lived in old homes. It means I can have the convince of a switch at both ends of a large/cluttered room instead of stumbling through in the dark from one side to the other. Is it cheap? No, not really, but I could connect all the lights in my house with Avi-on for about the cost of having an electrician come in and actually hardwire switches in one or two rooms. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Wemo can add a switch...right? So I'm sure it's a bit of a niche market - but it's actually really cool to me.
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The main difference I was pointing out is the ability to add switches, and for some people (including me), it's a pretty big deal.
As for the battery - it's a 3 year battery which is pretty good and I imagine by the time you need a replacement the battery life will be even better. Personally, I'd rather buy a new one in 3 years than have an ugly cord...I suppose a rechargable battery would be great...but it isn't a deal breaker for me.
I totally agree if you're not trying to add a switch there really isn't an advantage with the Avi-on system...I mistakenly assumed people NEED to add switches to their house (to save their toes).
I'm probably a nerdy futurist then
. I didn't really care about home automation until I bought a home last month. Then a lot of automation stuff already out there became practical. Me and my girl trying to figure out if we left the garage door open. I stuck a sensor on the door and a Z Wave relay on the opener so if we did, I'd know and could close it from my smartphone. I get Amazon packages delivered but I don't want anyone jacking my boxes. I put a Dropcam facing near the door and triggered it to take photos and alert my phone if the motion detector is triggered. Lot of times I end up leaving the thermostat on so a smart thermostat is on my list next. Planning to get some Hue lights and a smart deadbolt eventually too.
Yeah I guess if you're trying to add a 3 way switch without wiring, that makes sense
"Hey Siri, turn of the lights in my room."
OK. Here are some results from the Web about "Where are the mites on the Moon." Have a look!
Could you something like turn lights on and off randomly while you're away so that it seems like someone is at home. It seems like you could set a reminder to flip some switches at certain times and it would be pretty effective.
Yeah you should be able to do all of that via the app, assuming it's up to par with other hub apps.
You can do even cooler stuff by linking multiple smart devices together and using IFTTT or other logic.
I have my Galaxy S5 and my girl's iPhone recognized as presence sensors. When either of us get home and the phones get in range of my wifi network, the light turns on. When both of us leave and it's after 8:30 AM on M-F, the lights turn off.
"Hey Siri, turn of the lights in my room."
Still faster to just hit the switch next to the door. I think I'd only use on rare things like that sketchy HDCP remover box behind the TV that sometimes needs to be power cycled to work or that always-on subwoofer that wastes electricity.
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"Smart" manual lighting control isn't that useful. What's useful is a lighting system you can program and have controlled by a computer. The current state of the art is Lutron's extremely overpriced 80s-style technology that does this. Security cameras, pool control, and other home tech are in the same boat. It's all garbage. If Apple can pull HomeKit together, it'll be a revolution.
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I don't have any of those conveniences except for a dumb watch that can tell me the time. I never even thought about it. Why the heck would you want to start your car from far away? Actually, I had a universal remote, but it lost its settings when the batteries died, and I never got around to reprogramming it.
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Yup, better than:
Get your iPhone out of your pocket.
Unlock iPhone.
Look for HomeKit app.
Open Homekit.
Search for the switch.
Switch on/off.
You mean, when you are in bed using the iOS device which already happen to be ON, by simply just giving a command to Siri takes more time then getting up from the bed and finding the switch (on whatever part of the room that may be located )?
You know, it's a typical style around here it seems, to dismiss anything new! Some even race to be the first with negative comments.
That kind of looks awesome. Just wish it didn't cost about $50 to get started. Remote controlled lights are a pretty good security feature since you could randomly turn them on to throw off people who might be looking for timed lights.
How many people are going to make this comment without noticing the part of the article that says you can create custom commands/recipes for Siri?
Example: "Siri, turn on the bedroom lights and shut down the family room." Or, "Siri, turn on the coffee."
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Almost always gets it right. And when she doesn't it's usually because I mumbled.
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Had a remote starter on my truck and my wife's car back in the late 90s and early 2000s when we didn't have a garage. Instead of going outside on a 15 degree day when there was 2 inches of snow on the windshield I would push two buttons from within the warm house, wait ten minutes and go outside to a warm vehicle with a defrosted and clean windshield.
Have you ever gotten into a car that's been sitting in a parking lot in Texas on an August afternoon?
"Hey Siri, turn of the lights in my room."
Then get a smack from the wife for waking her up. Hang on, that might not be a problem, people buying this probably won't have wives
I already have quite a few hue lights. When the Hue taps came out I immediately bought them, and find it way more useful than actually using my smartphone to control the lights. If I am away I use the app, but when you are home the "taps"/ a normal switch is more convenient.
with all this smart stuff interfacing with smartphones, interference will only go up from here.
However, there is an easy way to fix all of this.. Shut off the electricity..
You'll be in the dark and non-usable, but at least you won't have to worry anymore about anything
It's all becoming a crowded space.
What makes things allot easier, becomes a problem later. in this case a big problem is we all rely on it.. which we will..
Then u have the idea, that nothing talks to every other manufacture.....
Hey look... its exactly like Apple I dunno what the world is worried about here. Its nice to be green.
However, there is an easy way to fix all of this.. Shut off the electricity..
You'll be in the dark and non-usable, but at least you won't have to worry anymore about anything
It's all becoming a crowded space.
What makes things allot easier, becomes a problem later. in this case a big problem is we all rely on it.. which we will..
Then u have the idea, that nothing talks to every other manufacture.....
Hey look... its exactly like Apple
I dunno what the world is worried about here. Its nice to be green.
Price is only a minor issue with all these new "smart" sockets and outlets. The big problem is that they are being released harem-scarem and no one really knows what they are suppose to do with them.
None of the "smart home" product companies has really made a case for them by demonstrating how the price is justified by the increase in convenience they provide. I'm an early adopter and even I can't figure out how they don't just make already simple tasks more complicated or rely on scenarios that happen once in a blue moon.
None of the "smart home" product companies has really made a case for them by demonstrating how the price is justified by the increase in convenience they provide. I'm an early adopter and even I can't figure out how they don't just make already simple tasks more complicated or rely on scenarios that happen once in a blue moon.
Unless you're in bed, or your hands are full, or the switch is on the other side of the room, you could just say it into your iWatch. I think there's solid functionality here, especially when combined with indoor location services.
Then get a smack from the wife for waking her up. Hang on, that might not be a problem, people buying this probably won't have wives
"Thanks, Siri."
"Your satisfaction is all I need."
Dump the wife, there's the perfect woman ^^ ###
Siri: Sorry, I do not know how to burn oven lights go vroom. Would you like me to search the internet for that?
HAHAHAHAHAHA!! That's hilarious! (And, sadly, fairly accurate...
)What makes you think something that has over 1K reviews with 4.5 stars is going to break in 6 months or be inadequate?
Can wait until they have this on the Apple Watch.
It's also very convenient if you have someone physically challenged in your family, where its an actual burden move to, and then reach up to turn on/off several floor lamps in the room, or if the lamp happens to be on another floor.
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It's also very convenient if you have someone physically challenged in your family, where its an actual burden move to, and then reach up to turn on/off several floor lamps in the room, or if the lamp happens to be on another floor.
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Almost all the lights in my house are cans in the ceiling, not plug-in lamps. that's why I use Hue.
For the coffee maker, once power is removed, since most of them run on digital clocks when you remove power and turn it on at 6AM it will be blinking "12:00am" and will have lost the On setting anyway. Won't work.
Most newer electronics need to be constantly supplied with power because that keeps the time going and the settings stored. On/off is controlled by a toggle bit stored in memory, not a mechanical switch.
Controlling only AC power on/off has very limited use with today's devices.
Another solution in search of a problem, much like most of the smart home stuff announced at CES this year.....
For your lights you could install a GE/Jasco switch. Only catch is you need to have a neutral wire in your branch circuit and a Z Wave system.
But yeah I get your point a smart outlet has limited use. It's basically just a plug and play way to automate a wall switch.
Phone theft
so basically if somebody steals your phone, now they can break into your house. sweet.
so basically if somebody steals your phone, now they can break into your house. sweet.
Touch ID is awesome. And if you're super paranoid, Touch ID + a 4 digit pin is probably much harder than just kicking in your door anyway.