iDevices Smart Home Essentials Kit bundles tech support, HomeKit hardware

AppleInsider

iDevices has grown its HomeKit-compatible home automation line with a kit comprising three light bulb adapters, seven electrical plugs, and added concierge service for priority support access.

Included in the kit are three iDevices Sockets, allowing users to screw in a standard light bulb into an equipped lamp to allow for remote control from anywhere through the iDevices app.

Five of the seven plugs included are indoor Switches for general appliances and other uses indoors. The remaining two are weather-proofed two-socket Outdoor Switches, used for holiday lights, spotlights, water features, and similar uses.

With the purchase of the Smart Home Essentials kit, users get priority access to the iDevices Concierge Service comprised of iDevices product experts. The company's service will also provide personalized tips, tutorials, and "exclusive promotions" to purchasers.

All of the iDevices products included in the bundle are compatible with the new iOS 10 Home app. Home works not just on iPhones but also on iPads, plus the Apple Watch running watchOS 3.

The iDevices Smart Home Essentials kit with 10 home automation devices plus priority support is available for $499 at the company's website or from Amazon. Sold separately, Socket retails for $80 each, indoor Switches sell for $50 each, and the Outdoor Switch sells for $80 per unit.

roake

I wonder how much of an expansion of this technology we are going to see over the next year or so?  Apple has now placed greater emphasis on HomeKit with the release of iOS 10.

spice-boy

Can someone please explain to me how turning an lamp on and off has to done via wifi now? I know about turning lights on when out to discourage burglars, etc... but there have been simple inexpensive plug in timers some with alternating hours on the market for years, cheap and effective. 

frumious

As long as prices stay in that kind of range, I don't suspect they'll get a lot of takers. Hopefully, opening up the Homekit market more widely will get a bigger pile of competitors and drive the cost down. iPhone control would be nice, but my house is filled with far too many economical X-10 wall switches and plug controllers that a refit would be a pretty substantial investment. And even my antique buggy whip Radio Shack X-10 timer/controller still works like a champ. Plus, my Honeywell alarm system interfaces with them. Maybe folks who start from scratch will be more willing to ease into it, but even dedicated Mac boys like me have a threshold.

ihatescreennames

spice-boy said:

Can someone please explain to me how turning an lamp on and off has to done via wifi now? I know about turning lights on when out to discourage burglars, etc... but there have been simple inexpensive plug in timers some with alternating hours on the market for years, cheap and effective. 

I see where you are coming from. I like this sort of thing and have a few different types of HomeKit stuff in my house. One of the features that I like that cannot be replicated with an simple timer is having certain lights come on (some at different brightnesses) when I come home after sunset. It's nice to pull into the garage, take my sleeping daughter out of the backseat and carry her in without having to think about turning on the breezeway light, a living room light so I can see going up the stairs and her bedroom light at 10 percent. 

Then, when I'm ready for bed I can say "Hey Siri, good night" and all my lights turn off. I don't have to go back downstairs and turn them off individually. I barely even need to think about it. And, as a backup, I have a group timer set so everything turns off at 10:30 if I forget to issue the command myself. 

That being said, everything isn't perfect. I have an iDevices Switch I use to remotely turn on my stereo (in a closet, connected to an Airport Express). I have to unplug the Switch about once a month because it somehow is no longer "seen" by any of my devices. A simple but annoying fix. I will continue to stay away from iDevices products until I hear about better reliability. 

edited September 2016

tundraboy

spice-boy said:

Can someone please explain to me how turning an lamp on and off has to done via wifi now? I know about turning lights on when out to discourage burglars, etc... but there have been simple inexpensive plug in timers some with alternating hours on the market for years, cheap and effective. 

I normally use light timers.  I just replaced five incandescent/fluorescent bulbs at home with Philips Hue LED bulbs.  I've pre-programmed the bulbs and I can switch on a vacation program that has staggered on-off settings for each bulb with a couple of finger flicks on my iphone.   On top of that, I can do this remotely as long as I have internet access.  The program can turn the lights on at sunset (as determined by the weather service charts I presume) rather than a set time.  This is very useful since I live in the snow belt, and sunset varies throughout the year.

Light timer replacement by itself though wasn't enough to motivate my Homekit migration.  Smart in-wall light switch to replace existing switches are coming soon and with that I can program exterior lights as well.  I also plan to install a camera so I can check home views while I'm away and eventually, I expect home security systems to be Homekit enabled.

Apple is very close to making easy-to-install home automation a reality.

There are other systems already out there but why did I wait for Apple?  Security and privacy.  Philips Hue has its own method for remotely controlling the lights but you (meaning your device's unique identifying info) have to go through their server.  Homekit goes through iCloud and it doesn't upload that info, they're kept local to your devices.  Also, I just trust Apple's ability to fend off security attacks.

edited September 2016

fallenjt

spice-boy said:

Can someone please explain to me how turning an lamp on and off has to done via wifi now? I know about turning lights on when out to discourage burglars, etc... but there have been simple inexpensive plug in timers some with alternating hours on the market for years, cheap and effective. 

Remote Control of whatever is plugged into the smartplug. Let's say : turn on/off your device from the other side of the world.

nolamacguy

spice-boy said:

Can someone please explain to me how turning an lamp on and off has to done via wifi now? I know about turning lights on when out to discourage burglars, etc... but there have been simple inexpensive plug in timers some with alternating hours on the market for years, cheap and effective. 

first, I've always hated those wall timers. they were always a pain in the ass and you never knew if they were going to work.

but that isn't what smart lights are about, really. it's about creating scenes and moods, and setting them to schedules and other triggers. once you have a system like this in place (Hue, etc), they become a great addition to your home and offer daily value.

edited September 2016

paxman

spice-boy said:

Can someone please explain to me how turning an lamp on and off has to done via wifi now? I know about turning lights on when out to discourage burglars, etc... but there have been simple inexpensive plug in timers some with alternating hours on the market for years, cheap and effective. 

I can't. All I see is a frustrating bag of hurt. I have a front door lock that I unlock with my phone and it works flawlessly... about 20% of the time. I spend a lot of time standing outside my front door! I have a den for the kids downstairs and there I have the Hue lights - they love it. For the rest of the house I prefer to go digital - as in finger. The only thing I could see as remotely useful would be a basic irrigation system - a valve that I can attach to my hose and which would allow me to remotely turn my sprinkler on and off. I have had a IOS controlled plugin socket for about a year so technically I could switch something on and off from my phone. The only problem is the thing is still in its box. I just can't figure out a good use for it.

spice-boy

ihatescreennames said:

spice-boy said:

Can someone please explain to me how turning an lamp on and off has to done via wifi now? I know about turning lights on when out to discourage burglars, etc... but there have been simple inexpensive plug in timers some with alternating hours on the market for years, cheap and effective. 

I see where you are coming from. I like this sort of thing and have a few different types of HomeKit stuff in my house. One of the features that I like that cannot be replicated with an simple timer is having certain lights come on (some at different brightnesses) when I come home after sunset. It's nice to pull into the garage, take my sleeping daughter out of the backseat and carry her in without having to think about turning on the breezeway light, a living room light so I can see going up the stairs and her bedroom light at 10 percent. 

Then, when I'm ready for bed I can say "Hey Siri, good night" and all my lights turn off. I don't have to go back downstairs and turn them off individually. I barely even need to think about it. And, as a backup, I have a group timer set so everything turns off at 10:30 if I forget to issue the command myself. 

That being said, everything isn't perfect. I have an iDevices Switch I use to remotely turn on my stereo (in a closet, connected to an Airport Express). I have to unplug the Switch about once a month because it somehow is no longer "seen" by any of my devices. A simple but annoying fix. I will continue to stay away from iDevices products until I hear about better reliability. 

thanks for the info

maestro64

Their costs are out of whack, really $80 (it is discounted to $60) to turn a light blub on and off. Okay it has it on LED light ring so what. You can get a insteon wall adapter with dimming feature for less. Some time these bulb adapters does not work in all lamps it depend on your lamp shade hoop.

Buyer beware with these guys.