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Control your AC plugs with Elphi

I met the creators of Elphi at IndieDevLab and was shocked to discover their awesome product was woefully underfunded on Kickstarter. Sure, a remote control power plug sounds a little boring, but if you've ever driven off on vacation and thought you left the hairdryer plugged in you know what peace of mind this could bring. We'll have a video with the creators up in a week or so, but since they only have a couple of weeks left in their Kickstarter campaign, I wanted to talk about Elphi before their deadline passes.

Elphi is a very nicely designed AC plug that plugs into the wall, allowing you to plug an AC-powered device into it. Then, using your existing WiFi and their Elphi cloud service while you're away from home, you can turn stuff on or off. Sounds simple, right? The neat part is that you can use geofencing and timers -- great for waking up and heating up your coffee machine, or turning on the lights as you arrive home. You can also share devices, allowing friends or family to control whatever you like.

Frankly I'm surprised the Elphi hasn't been given more money. Yeah, it's a little like X-10, but it aims to be a less geeky angle for those wanting to try home automation. It's an elegant solution to a simple problem most of us face. It takes technology and makes it work in the background, while enhancing your life overall. If you're inclined to agree, be sure to reserve yours and here's hoping they get fully funded.