The Belkin WeMo range of smart home switches is a standard feature in the EFTM home and studio, so when Belkin announces upgrades to the software that controls the whole system you’ve got my attention and other Belkin WeMo users will like what they’ve done
Updates include three key features, the Away Mode, Long press and more detailed sunset based control settings.
The customisable timers on the WeMo app are great for setting lights to come on and off at times you choose. And of course from anywhere in the world you can switch lights on and off so while you’re away you could do your best to let people who might be watching your home think you were actually home. But, in reality you’d forget to do it now and then, or the scheduled settings would be so predictable it was obviously set to a timer.
The new WeMo Away mode ensures that your lights are turned on and off to “simulate occupancy”.
Your WeMo light switch, hard-wired into the wall allows you to do pretty much two things. Firstly, turn the light on. Secondly, Turn the light off.
What if you could configure the switch to do something different, something awesome. The new Long Press configuration pairs with other connected devices through the IFTTT website to do whatever you want.
A Long Press might turn on another light in the house. It might send an email to someone to let them know you’re leaving home. Sure that sounds a bit lame, but when you put your mind to the concept of IFTTT and the connected devices we are surrounded with – who knows, it might just make you a coffee just by pressing your light switch for 2 seconds instead of just tapping it.
Through the scheduling system built into the App you’ve been able to choose for your lights and switches to come on and off at certain times, and also turn on or off at sunrise or sunset.
The problem is – while sunset is timed to occur at a certain time in different areas, different homes get dark at different time. Perhaps you’re closer to the mountains or live behind a unit block. Who knows. The new customisation of Sunset and Sunrise timings allow you to add extra time or take time off the predefined sunrise or sunset times – think of it like how we add time to the start and end of recordings on our PVR’s.
Availability
WeMo version 1.5.1 for iOS and version 1.1.3 for Android are available for free download at the App Store and Google Play Store, respectively.
Trev is a Technology Commentator, Dad, Speaker and Rev Head.
He produces and hosts two popular podcasts, EFTM and Two Blokes Talking Tech. He also appears on over 50 radio stations across Australia weekly, and is the resident Tech Expert on Channel 9’s Today Show each day and appears regularly on A Current Affair.
Father of three, he is often found down in his Man Cave.
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