iHome today has unveiled a handful of new accessories at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The well-known accessory maker has unveiled a new version of its popular SmartPlug, a handful of Bluetooth accessories, and a pair of new docking stations.
Smart plugs aren’t exactly new. Belkin has its WeMo platform of connected home devices including its Wi-Fi-enabled ‘Insight Switch’, an iPhone app-controlled outlet, and others have similar competing products. But iHome’s new SmartPlug is one of the first arriving for Apple’s recently launched Siri-controlled HomeKit platform. I’ve been testing out the product in recent weeks to see exactly what HomeKit adds to the experience and to get a real world taste of Apple’s home automation platform in general for the first time with an actual product. Now that it’s officially available for purchase, here’s what you need to know…
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Announced at CES in January, the iSP5 SmartPlug ($40) — iHome’s first smart home accessory, and first Apple HomeKit accessory — is now officially available for purchase. The SmartPlug installs easily in an existing wall outlet, enabling users to enjoy iOS-based remote control of a connected lamp, fan, air conditioner or other electronic device. Two SmartPlugs can be stacked atop one another on a standard wall plate, and multiple SmartPlugs can be grouped as “scenes” for simultaneous iOS control within a home. Interestingly, the new accessory’s compatibility isn’t limited to iOS and HomeKit…
Every year, top-ranked Apple speaker maker iHome comes to CES with an impressive array of new products — including something to show off Apple’s latest technology — and it isn’t disappointing at the 2015 CES. In an advance briefing before the show officially opened, iHome revealed its first Apple HomeKit product, SmartPlug ($40), as well as some daring new speaker and headphone designs…
…like the first speaker we’ve seen hidden inside a beautiful drinking flask. It’s called SoundFlask, and comes in coat pocket- ($50) and home bar-sized ($100) versions. Even the smaller version sounds really good given its size, and the flask cap twists to adjust the volume. All that’s missing is the ability to actually hold fluids. Read on for more.