Let's talk home automation doo-dads. What do you really need WiFi enabled?

i'd like to preface this with the background that i bought my first x-10 starter kit in 1996. it was ...well..not ready for prime time. can't believe the hours i spent boring over the x-10 spec and imagining how amazing that was.

also preface #2 that my house with built in 1999 with a punchdown box in the pantry. now it serves as an ugly legacy reminder of something never used with god-awful ugly wall plates in every room.

ok, so without further ado here's my thoughts:

Chamberlain myQ 2 THUMBS WAY WAY UP!
$99ish garage door opener. this plugs into your garage door motor and enables you to close your garage door from your phone if you forget..and eliminates the stupidity of trying to program HOMELINK in your vehicle. combine that with the kids needing to get into the house when you're not home, the fact you just plug it in and it gets an IP address and CAD agrees at this price point, its a no-brainer.

ETA the myQ has more features and a better chance of being relevant in 5 years and i'm editing out the 'bluetooth only' solutions. Also since i'm playing with the wink hub, its nice it works with that.

ETA2 setup was a BREEZE and it works fantastic. nice touch with the LED light and beeping if you close garage remotely so anyone in the garage is warned its about to close.

+1 CAD UPVOTE

WiFi Deadbolt
SCHLAGE IS THE BOMB.

I paid $129 on ebay for a very nice schlage z wave touchscreen in rubbed bronze and don't regret it! schlage customer service is fantastic!

ANOTHER update on this schlage lock. It's quickly become my favorite automation product! This lock is a very very nice piece of hardware. I can't recommend it enough. Well worth the money even at $199.


+1 CAD UPVOTE 2 thumbs way up

Home Depot Wink HUB + 2 bulbs $31!!!
99 cent WINKhub and 2 GE bulbs. i refuse to bad mouth a product I just bought for $1

:| CAD UPVOTE at 99 cents 2014 deal!!!!

$70 Honeywell WiFi touchscreen Thermostat
$60 - $100 Honeywell thermostat (depending on refurb or new) (will NEST drop in price soon?). another place WiFi might come in handy..particularly if you don't have it programmed properly and forget you left the AC going when you're on an airplane across the country. $200 is ridiculous. i think the price point needs to settle around $75-$100 then its worth it.

ETA - at $70 and a full blown app for both android and apple i'm sold! bought 2 in fact and it integrates with wink for even more fun!

ETA2 - seller is at $90 right now..still a deal..but even better when at $70 a few weeks ago.

CAD UPVOTE

$69 Foscam HD IP Camera
IP Cameras. At the current price of $69 on amazon for an HD camera that twirls around, nightvision, can set alarms and generate emailed photos or video clips based on movement or sound, accesible from a web browser or phone, etc...everyone should have at least one in their house even if you don't have a baby you need to monitor.

con - no integration with wink...yet.

+1 CAD UPVOTE

WiFi smoke detector/CO2 detector just found out Kidde sells a well reviewed one for $49 at home depot that connects to wink. Just changed my opinion.

Will report back after installation.

+1 CAD UPVOTE

Bluetooth electric toothbrush kids aren't brushing long enough? PRAISE THE LORD you can send them an frowny text the next day from work after checking the toothbrush app.
-1 CAD DOWNVOTE

CORE HOME NETWORK Everyone needs a solid router as the backbone to a legit home network. currently i'm in love with ASUS due to the fact there's several legit firmware flavors you can flash on it. also one or more smartphones, a laptop and/or PC, a Roku/appletv/chromecast stick, maybe a tablet..and a NAS device of some sort with fail-over hardware.


In short, an N or even AC chip inside a doodad shouldn't add more than $5 to the cost of that device, so I have a strong distaste in my mouth for these companies milking consumers (i'm looking at you..$300 NEST thermostat) when they all do the same thing: (wifi enabled? CHECK..can turn a switch ON or OF..CHECK) regardless of the form factor they exist in.

what other tech stuff have you gotten interested in?