Providing Classroom Resources on New & Emerging Technologies
TechnologyToday.us
Copyright © 1996 - 2017 Dr. Alan J. Pierce
You are welcome to print material from this website for use in your classroom.
A Hot Off the Press Product Review
Review - Switchmate Smart Lighting
Switchmate manufactures inexpensive smart wall switches and electrical outlets that install in seconds. Their products are an inexpensive way of creating the illusion that you are at home when you are out for the evening or away on vacation.
To install the Switchmate Smart Power Outlet you just plug it into the outlet you want to control. To complete its setup you need to download the Switchmate app from the Apple or Android store. This same app can be used to control all the devices that you purchase from Switchmate. To link the smart power outlet to the app you just press one of the buttons on the outlet’s side and then follow the apps simple directions. This power outlet can be controlled to turn on or off whatever is plugged into the outlet over the internet. During the linking process, of the app to the power outlet, you will be asked to link it to your WiFi router.
You have individual control of the upper and lower sockets on the smart outlet so you are asked to give each of them a different name during setup. Using your smartphone with the app you can control the outlet to turn it on or off at specific times to create the illusion you are home. The outlet also has a night light and 2 USB built in charging ports. If you are standing at the outlet you can also turn on or off their power without your smartphone using the buttons on the right side of the outlet.
Best Features:
Instant installation, remote monitoring and control, built in night light, two timers that you can set for each socket. Best of all it is an inexpensive way of creating the illusion that you are at home when you are out for the evening or away on vacation.
Worst Features:
It does not have a built in surge suppressor, to set or change the timer settings you must be in Bluetooth range which means the only remote feature is turning the individual sockets on or off.
Switchmate’s Bright Smart wall switch combines 21st century voice activation, a motion sensor, and smart app with a 20th century tiny motorized actuator to create a smart wall plate switch. The Switchmate Bright attaches to your existing wall plate magnetically which means no tools of any kind are needed to install it. When activated it mechanically raises or lowers the throw switch on the plate to turn on or turn off whatever is controlled by the switch plate it is attached to.
The Switchmate app is downloaded from the Apple or Android store. Once it is on your smartphone you just need to follow the easy directions to link the app with your Bright Smart wall switch. The app lets you set 2 timers and the motion detector while you are in Bluetooth range of the Bright Smart. However it does not give you the ability to control the device over the internet.
Best Features:
Instant installation, runs on AA easy to replace batteries, motion detector that will turn on the switch, and two timers that you can set to turn power on and off two times to create the illusion that you are at home when you are out for the evening or away on vacation.
Worst Features:
This device does not have remote monitoring or control.
Switchmate Smart
Power Outlet
(MSRP $ 49.99)
Switchmate Bright Smart
Light Switch
(MSRP $49.99 each)
Smart Outlet & what you can control with the app
Smart Light Switches & what you can control with the app