Tag Archives: smart plug
How I smart-homed my tiny studio apartment
I work in New York. I live on my own. Ergo, I live in a tiny apartment. I also rent my studio, meaning I can't make major changes to my place. This, to a tech reporter covering the rise of the smart home, is like being a diabetic kid in a candy store...
Philips’ Hue range may soon include a smart plug
Philips Hue might be one of the biggest names in smart home technology, but one product it has not yet managed to bring to market is a smart plug. That could be set to change, according to a report that details Hue products that could be announced th...
What Smart-plug Does Bruce Lee Use?
Zuli! Shamelessly bad humor aside, the Zuli does one simple thing that we’ve secretly hoped for since time immemorial. Allowing you to switch on/off appliances with your phone. The good thing about Zuli is that even if your appliance doesn’t have mobile-integration, the Zuli takes care of that. “It’s just a more comfortable way to live your life”, say the makers of the smart-plug. The Zuli allows you to control simple appliances with added functionality through your phone. For example, something as mundane as a lamp, when plugged into Zuli, can be operated, and even dimmed and brightened through the app… and that’s even if the lamp itself doesn’t have a dimmer!
The Zuli, when used at multiple points in your house, allows your home to have the Zuli Presence. It can detect whether you’re in the room or not, allowing it to power on appliances without even needing you to access the app. It pairs with your Nest thermostat too, allowing you to just step into a room and get comfortable instantly! That IS the ultimate fantasy of mankind, isn’t it?!
Oh, did I mention that Zuli can be configured to switch off the lights, fans and appliances when you leave the house? But I’m guessing you’re already sold on the product, aren’t you!
Designer: Tom Gurka
Buy It Here: $46.99 $59.99
Turn Stuff on and off Remotely with Elphi and Your Smartphone
This morning, I left work and ran back home ten minutes later when I realized that I might have forgotten to turn off the heater. (Turns out I already did.) If you have the tendency to get become forgetful when it comes to your appliances and other devices that are powered by electricity but never seem to forget your smartphone, then you might want to look into the Elphi.
Elphi is a “smart plug” that works with iPhones and Android-powered smartphones. The plug can be used to monitor and control all of the things you plug into your wall sockets. To use it, all you need to do is install the accompanying app on your phone and a Wi-Fi connection.
Just fire up the app to turn lights on and off and to receive updates and push notifications of the power statuses of your appliances. You can even share Elphi plugs with friends and allow them to monitor or control items plugged in.
A minimum pledge of $89(USD) will get you one Elphi plug plus free shipping to the USA! Make a pledge of $169 and get two of these plugs. Check out their Kickstarter page for more information.