Makes this $ 10-15 dollars and I would buy 10 right now. Having said that, a lot of this type of devices are running thru Bluetooth not WiFi (still not worth $40)
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iHome's HomeKit-Compatible 'iSP5 SmartPlug' Now Officially Available
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To be honest, that's reasonable considering Z-Wave Wall Switches by GE are the same price on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/GE12722-Z-Wave-Wireless-Lighting-Control/dp/B0035YRCR2
It's more about the home automation then anything. For example if I disable my security system in my home my hall light turns on and my thermostat automatically adjusts because it knows I'm home. Or having a bedtime scene where it's time to go to bed your run that command and it turns off all your lights
Also the connivence of running schdules on your lights is nice too
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I owned an iHome Airplay speaker for about 2 days. It couldn't hold a connection at all. Music cut out constantly. I'm not sure that would keep me from purchasing another product from them just yet, but I can definitely see where you're coming from.
I was looking up the specs on this thing but it looks like it wont monitor power consumption -- which is actually a big draw (ha ha ha get it?) for me outside of the automation aspects.
Yeah.....and the wemo you mine as well just send me the 50 bucks.....if you have never set one up before....kick yourself in the nuts and try to assemble a nuclear reactor. It makes about that much sense to use the wemo. Actually, if you are bored go read the reviews on the Apple Store. This price point on this switch is awesome.
Yeah it's like them internets and the phones with the Google....I mean not being able to answer a question (potentially ever) was pretty awesome.
Sarcasm aside, I agree with the person who posted about turning on their a/c. My appartment has a huge unit I use to try to cool the whole thing, which does not work. But it's good at cooling the first two rooms where I spend most of my time. However, it's expensive and I am not paying to have it on for 8 hours before I get home from work (I have a very hot job so no I am not just going to be patient and wait for it too cool down if I don't have too). Love using a wifi switch an hour before I leave to get it started.
I had the same cutting out issues. My mistake was trusting that they would support their product appropriately, and release updates that would fix their issues. But they never did, and their support was frustratingly inept. Never again.
Yes, and we get a lot of cool devices you can't have because you're still stuck with 240 Volts and 50 Hz.
Hopefully this will get cheaper and cheaper. Until then I'll keep using my remote controlled outlets for the lights I have that are not on timers. No iPhone needed, takes less than a second to turn on all of the lights in our bedroom and bathroom. Also don't have to worry about Siri being on break ("I'm sorry but I'm not taking any requests right now.") or misunderstanding my requests ("Call Derek" "I'm sorry, you don't have any Eric's in your phonebook.").
So is the smart functionality equivalent to pulling the cord out of the power socket...I could think of so many appliances that can get fried if you keep doing that
Yeah, this just seems completely wrong-headed for the majority of applications.
First, each one of these is a client on your wifi network. That is incredibly wasteful of both wifi router address space and energy. Wifi clients take up a decent amount of electricity just staying connected. Fortunately, this has an electricity source it is always attached to, but if your aim in wiring these in is to save energy by making sure lights get turned off more reliably when you leave the room you are taking a pretty significant step backwards.
Second, who has appliances which nicely toggle based on being plugged in anymore? I mean, your TV isn't going to turn on/off with the switch, most standing fans sold have electronic controllers so don't come on / turn off with the power, more efficient ceiling fans and lights are hardwired in, etc. I'm looking around my house and we have two lamps near our bed that would operate based on this, but that's pretty much it. The other plug-in instant-on electronics are all appliances and power tools!
I don't know, I suppose there is a niche for this, but it is being billed as a way to get your non-connected electronics in on HomeKit. That might be the case if you are still dealing with non-connected electronics from the 1960s, but anything built since the 1990s is not likely to be very happy having its wall power abruptly turned on and off, and is also not likely to do anything useful when that wall power is turned on again.
That said, I'd love a better implementation. A system which allows for efficient hardwiring of all the already-hardwired devices (perhaps communicating over power lines like those old competitors to WiFi) so each individual device just sips power would be much better than this WiFi-connected approach. But devices are going to need to be built to this new standard, not retrofitted.
To my point above: these are exactly the type of things which will not be retrofitted with this adapter. You'll have the option of paying $50 more (premium ever decreasing) to get a model of thermostat or garage door opener which itself connects, but neither your HVAC or garage door opener are going to magically start doing your bidding if you insert one of these power kill switches between them and the wall (in fact your HVAC will become remarkably less efficient as any recent HVAC system requires a soft off to maintain power efficiency).
Usually said child has a toy with small parts to insert instead of fingers directly, but I do remember my little brother inserted his finger in an electrical socket growing up (in the 1980s that would have been, well before the every-outlet-must-be-covered-if-you-love-your-children craze hit). The main problem is that the electrical contacts are very close to the opening in the outlet, unlike the deeper sockets standard in other parts of the world.
