Elgato brings Apple HomeKit-enabled Eve Energy smartplug to US [u]

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited February 2016
Elgato on Tuesday announced that one of its HomeKit accessories, the Eve Energy smartplug, is now finally available stateside, following an earlier debut in Europe. [Updated]




Devices plugged into the Eve Energy can be turned on or off using Siri voice commands, or else the Elgato Eve app for iPhones and iPads. The app also lets uers monitor energy consumption, including through daily, monthly, and annual graphs.

The product can be combined into broader HomeKit "scenes" with other devices, though Elgato notes that since it uses Bluetooth Smart instead of Wi-Fi, it can't be triggered automatically that way. The company is expecting to offer a free update enabling automatic triggers once Apple adds support in a future version of iOS.

The Eve Energy is also limited to a single passthrough outlet, but is powered by the wall socket.

Elgato is selling the U.S. version of the Eve Energy for $49.95. Buyers must have a device with iOS 9.1 or later that also supports Bluetooth 4.0 Smart. For control away from home, people must have a third- or fourth-generation Apple TV.

Update: A previous version of the article indicated that the product runs on batteries, but Elgato has corrected its information to say the Eve Energy runs off wall power.
mac fan

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,033member
    This thing is plugged into a power outlet and still you need to put batteries in every few months? Sounds like they need to go back to the drawing board. 
    jwbl33cornchippmztomkarlfastasleeptdknoxroxsocks
  • Reply 2 of 11
    realisticrealistic Posts: 1,154member
    williamh said:
    This thing is plugged into a power outlet and still you need to put batteries in every few months? Sounds like they need to go back to the drawing board. 
    I agree, having to replace a battery every 3 months or so makes no sense.
    tomkarltdknox
  • Reply 3 of 11
    RobertSpauldingRobertSpaulding Posts: 10member
    If it works as great as airplay, then the entire house will be in the dark about half the time.
  • Reply 4 of 11
    pmzpmz Posts: 3,433member
    What? Needs batteries. No WiFi. And its just another cumbersome outlet adapter. Oh and its $50. Pass.

    The ultimate product that can't be far off from one the leading guys is: ACTUAL OUTLETS to replace existing Outlets, that support Home Kit.
  • Reply 5 of 11
    awilliams87awilliams87 Posts: 264member
    jsmythe00 said:
    And at $50? When it gets to $20 I'll be more interested. Companies think just because they latch on to apple and their higher spending consumers, we will blindly spend on their devices. 

    not happening
    Seems like all of the homekit enabled products starts at no less than $50. Every smart device seems to literally cost 10x more than their dumb counterparts.
    edited February 2016
  • Reply 6 of 11
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,958member
    Virtually all the overhead lighting in my house is low-voltage tiny R spots. So much for screwing in a smart light to be controlled wirelessly by anything. Seems like those of us who upgraded from old screw-in bulbs are left out in the cold. 
  • Reply 7 of 11
    cornchipcornchip Posts: 1,950member
    Send me an alert when someone's got one that you just wire into the wall like a regular fucking outlet and you can control both outlets separately. Hey maybe even toss in a USB 3 plugin while you're at it. For not an insane amount of money because I want like five.
    edited February 2016
  • Reply 8 of 11
    misamisa Posts: 827member
    I have the Air Quality device. It's bluetooth and requires batteries as well. For what it does, that's fine.

    But I have to question the point of bluetooth and batteries of a device that is plugged into a power source to begin with. Surely these people have seen "USB charger-in-outlet wall" no? It seems it would have been a no-brainer here to put a standard 120V "switchable" outlet along side two high power USB ports and use the same power supply circuitry to power the radio. I in fact have a power strip that I plug 4 wall warts into that also came with 2 USB outlets (one of them that the iPad can be charged from)

    The thinking here is that you want to use these for anti-theft/security devices (plug in lamps, television, etc) as well as turning on/off things remotely. If I was returning from shopping I'd have the device turn on the fan/air conditioning.


  • Reply 9 of 11
    beowulfschmidtbeowulfschmidt Posts: 2,132member
    williamh said:
    This thing is plugged into a power outlet and still you need to put batteries in every few months? Sounds like they need to go back to the drawing board. 

    That was my exact thought.  Perhaps they were thinking that you wouldn't be able to turn the lights off and on remotely if the power was out..... /s
  • Reply 10 of 11
    mac fanmac fan Posts: 87member
    AppleInsider said:
    Update: A previous version of the article indicated that the product runs on batteries, but Elgato has corrected its information to say the Eve Energy runs off wall power.

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