There were a ton of announcements at CES 2019, among them the news out of Canada that Ontario-based Swidget has announced the availability of its modular power outlet that will accept interchangeable smart inserts to control a variety of smart home stuff.
Without the aforementioned insert, the Swidget is basically a standard wall outlet. But once a smart home enthusiast snaps in an insert, their gadget can control a bunch of smart home devices, either through the dedicated Swidget App (there’s always an app) or through a smart home hub running on typical smart home platforms like Z-Wave or ZigBee.
“With more than 50 percent of homes in the U.S. expected to be smart equipped by 2022, we don’t intend Swidget to be just another household accessory, but rather a device that makes smart homes simpler. Not only is it easy to install and use, it has the ability to adapt to changing lifestyles and evolving technologies whenever the user needs it to,” said Lowell Misener, co-founder of Swidget in a release. “Swidget provides a solution for those that want to begin their smart home journey or expand their current system without adding unnecessary clutter.”
Swidget’s outlet and inserts will be available at Swidget.com or on Amazon this quarter. Single Swidget outlets sell at an MSRP of $40, while insert prices start at $6 and vary depending on connectivity and functionality. The first available inserts enable functions like USB charging, night lights, emergency lights, and Wi Fi or Z-Wave control of devices. A simple pinch pops out individual inserts, 11 of which are available at launch.
Other expected inserts are anticipated to facilitate a wide variety of applications, from motion sensors and real-time video camera, to built-in digital assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant, to way-out-there tools like aromatherapy. The company showed off its current and potential functions during demonstrations at CES this month, promising that future inserts make the Swidget endlessly adaptable and, potentially, “future-proof.”
The company will be releasing the products to backers first, then to the general public. While the primary benefit is freeing up a user’s outlet space, the inserts also prevent the need for bulky additions that could mar the aesthetics of a clean, simple smart home.
Few things ruin a quiet evening faster than a robot vacuum roaring through the living room. Most of us end up pausing the cleaning run, which defeats the whole purpose of owning one. Matic thinks it has the answer with its new Serene robot vacuum, and the big selling point is how little noise it makes.
The Matic Serene runs at 52 decibels even when cleaning at full power. To put that in perspective, Matic compares it to the hum of your refrigerator. It is available now for $1,695, which is $200 more than the original Matic’s current price.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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