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How to get started with home automation through Z-Wave
For many of us, smart homes seem like a far off concept from a science fiction novel set hundreds of years in the future. Imagine things like appliances that learn our schedules, lights that turn off after we leave a room, locks that can be remotely triggered to let yourself (or others) into your house and more. You know what though? The future is here. Engadget reader Dignan17 shows us what it takes to get started with home automation using Z-Wave compatible devices.
IFTTT Recipes: Using Siri to turn on the Christmas lights
IFTTT Recipes is a new recurring column featuring recipes developed using IFTTT.com and their favorite IFTTT channels. Come see what TUAW bloggers cook up in the IFTTT labs! In this latest installment of IFTTT Recipes, I'll show you how to use Siri to turn on your Christmas lights -- and amaze the little ones at the same time. To perform this magic trick, you'll need a free IFTTT account, a Belkin WeMo Switch (US$49.95 from the Apple Store), the ability to send SMS text messages and a Siri-capable iPhone. First, log into IFTTT and enable the SMS channel. When you do this, IFTTT will set you up with a special SMS phone number. If you send a text message to that number from your iPhone, that can trigger an action. Next, set up a contact on your iPhone. To add fun to the effect, I set up a contact for Santa Claus, entering in his mobile number as the SMS phone number from IFTTT. Now make sure that your WeMo switch is plugged in and ready to go, and that you've enabled the WeMo channel on IFTTT. The WeMo switch is designed to handle a maximum of 15 Amps at 110 Volts. My vague recollection of a university electrical circuits class reminds me that P=I*V, where P=power, I=current and V=Voltage, so you'll want to make sure that all of your bulbs (indoor or out) don't require more than 1.65 kilowatts of power. Otherwise, you may need to set up multiple WeMo switches... In IFTTT, it's time to set up a recipe. I've blurred out the phone numbers, but you'll see it's as easy as this: if IFTTT's SMS account receives an SMS from your chosen iPhone, then it will turn on the WeMo Switch. In this case, my device's name is Living Room Lamp, but it's actually hooked up to the Christmas tree. Finally, gather kith and kin around you while drinking wassail and singing carols, and invoke Siri. Say "Send a message to Santa Claus saying turn on the Christmas lights", acknowledge that Siri understood the message, and let the recipe work its magic. Within about 10 to 15 seconds, the tree or your outside lights will pop on.
IFTTT Recipes: Cool me off!
IFTTT Recipes is a new recurring column featuring recipes developed using IFTTT.com and their favorite IFTTT channels. Come see what TUAW bloggers cook up in the IFTTT labs! We don't have air conditioning in our house, but the low humidity in Colorado usually means that a fan is sufficient to stay comfortable. I thought it would be fun to have IFTTT turn on a fan near my desk whenever the temperature outside goes above 90°F. The IFTTT channels I used were Weather and WeMo Switch. One of the weather triggers is "Current Temperature Rises Above," so I set it up to fire when the current temperature at my location rises above 90°F. For the action, I set up the WeMo switch (see my review of WeMo here) channel to turn on when it received the trigger from Weather. The fan is a simple little desk fan that sits near my desk, so I plugged it into the WeMo. Sure enough, on those days when it gets hot outside, the fan automatically turns on. To ensure that the fan doesn't run longer than necessary, I've also created another recipe that turns the fan off when the outside temperature gets lower than 85°F. It's working really well! However, since the Weather channel uses outside temperature at a weather station near my home, the temperature reading isn't always accurate. I sent off an email to the makers of the Netatmo personal weather station to see if they'd consider creating a Netatmo channel on IFTTT -- that would be perfect, since I could use the Netatmo inside temperature reading to trigger the fan. It's an Internet-based thermostat!
Belkin WeMo Switch and Motion home automation system for iOS hands-on (video)
Proper home automation systems can cost upwards of $10,000, and while budget alternatives can't touch the level of integration you'll enjoy with a behemoth rig, all but the most sophisticated of homeowners can squeak by with a simple timer setup -- or the modern equivalent. Belkin's WeMo duo utilizes two types of plug-in modules paired with an iOS 5+ app, which you'll use to set macros, control lights and schedule on/off times. A Switch module can turn on and off a lamp, fan, coffee maker, television or heating appliance from a connected iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. You can also set a seemingly unlimited number of detailed schedules for each device, all from the comfort of your WiFi-equipped touchscreen handheld. You can integrate the optional Motion device with a set of macros as well, configuring your lights to turn on once you step through the foyer, or your coffee maker to launch a brew as you walk through your bedroom door. We wired up a lamp in a New York City apartment to give WeMo a go, and things generally worked as advertised. Setup is fairly straightforward -- simply plug in a module, select its corresponding SSID broadcast from iOS then launch the free app to force the device onto your home WiFi network. You'll need to repeat the process to add each gadget or sensor, but once you do, you'll be able to config and control any connected gadget from anywhere on the network, or beyond. The system theoretically supports remote access without any additional setup (modules are registered to the app) but we weren't able to power up the lamp while on 3G during multiple attempts. That detail aside, we'd be happy to welcome WeMo into our home, though the absent Android app throws in a speed bump for sure. You have two options for adding WeMo -- there's a Switch + Motion kit available for $100, which includes a power control and motion sensor, or you can opt for the Switch solo for $50. Then, simply add as many outlet controllers as you wish, at 50 bucks a pop. You can see that first combo in action in our hands-on video after the break.
Belkin's WeMo home automation gear up for pre-order, iOS current control for under $100
Been quietly pining for Belkin's couch potato home automation solutions? Well, the wait is (almost) over, as the company has finally put its WeMo Switch and Motion products up for pre-order. You can reserve yours through Belkin or Amazon, with the Switch costing $49.99 and the Motion / Switch bundle setting you back a neat $99.99. Apple likes it enough to add the gear to its home-friendly repertoire in-store on the 26th, while other retailers, Verizon included, will be stocking them shortly afterwards. Rig the Switch up to your WiFi at home and you can control the flow of juice from its outlet via the WeMo iOS app (sorry, no Android love). Add in the motion detector and you can set rules for power control based on proximity triggers. Interestingly, Belkin also reports IFTTT integration, meaning the devices can be used for a lot more than the simple on / off remote commands and scheduling we originally thought. For those with iDevices, the free WeMo app is available now, not that it's particularly useful just yet. Need Mo? Check out the official PR and a promotional vid after the break.
