Wednesday 29 April 2015

IFTTT connects your home to the web

Just visit IFTTT.com using your iOS device or by using an internet browser to start creating and sharing Recipes with IFTTT.
IFTTT is an amazing new service that puts the internet to work for you. IFTTT lets you create 'Recipes' that connect apps, websites, and devices together to perform all kinds of custom tasks for you.

WeMo Switch
WeMo Switch is one of the basic home automation solutions available today.  It’s a smart plug that allows appliances to be controlled with a mobile device.  Using IFTTT, users can create their own recipes to manage it, or they can choose to use one of the recipes shared by other IFTTT users, such as using the Weather Channel to automatically control the WeMo Switch.
To use this weather-driven recipe, activate both the Weather Channel and the WeMo Switch Channel, then use the recipe created by IFTTT that would turn on the switch at sunset.  Users can plug in their lamp on the WeMo Switch and use this recipe so that lights automatically turn on when the sun sets.  

IFTTT If This Then That

IFTTT is an essential, easy-to-use tool that lets you automate your tech life.
IFTTT is truly one of the best free tools for any user. Hopefully this collection of money and time-saving recipes held something for you.
There are uses for it in home security and automation. The first step is checking to see if your system has a channel. The list is limited right now but growing. Even big players like ADT are taking notice of IFTTT. Currently there are channels for Nest, Philips Hue, Life360, SmartThings, WeMo, Quirky, Wink, Android, and iPhone. While home automation companies have started to open the door for developers to create products that play together, IFTTT takes it a step further by letting you connect stupid with smart things in an extremely easy to use 1+1=2 formula. 
The SmartThings team has created a whole list of popular recipes for those not feeling creative. There is a list of Triggers and a list of possible Alerts. Think switched on, off, open, closed, locked, unlocked, activate siren, motion, presence, temperature, humidity, moisture, or brightness as ingredients you can cook with. There are hundreds of possibilities. These ingredients can be used to make your life safer and easier if you want them to. Here are some recipes made by others that I found innovative:
  • Use FourSquare to unlock your door with a #hashtag.
  • Call your phone is motion is detected.
  • Email you if it is freezing!
  • Log events to your Google Drive.