Is it really useful?
No, is it useful in this case? Do you have a question? Items like this power strip are smart plugs made by Amazon that Amazon has officially started selling. It will be a device that allows you to remotely control the power of connected devices using Amazon's voice assistant "Alexa".
At the start of the sale, the discount coupon worked and it appeared at a price of 990 yen (there is no coupon at the moment), so I didn't plan to use it, but I just picked it up. Tehe.
To be honest, it's not for everyone. It was a device that made me think.
Amazon Genuine Smart Plug
What is this? : You can turn the power on and off from Alexa by plugging it into an electrical outlet
Price (tax included): 1980 yen (990 yen with a coupon discount during the first sale)
Like: Fast response time. The fun of building home appliance control like a pythagora device
What I don't like: Many people don't need it. perhaps.
Amazon smart plug1,980 yen
What you can do is turn the power on and off
First of all, it is important to note that the power is turned on and off, so it should automatically start working after power is applied. can only be used. For example, a system device that does not turn on unless the power button is pressed after powering on is useless. The same is true for PCs.
Also, please be aware that the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law prohibits remote control of certain electrical appliances, including electric heaters, such as electric stoves and stoves, by voice, etc. Keep in mind that heating appliances are not allowed.
So, smart plugs are pretty restrictive devices.
Nowadays, many home appliances stop working just by being plugged into an outlet, so the things that can be used are limited. What kind of scene does this live in in such a modern age? I searched for.
You can take over home appliances. Just like a "parasite"
First, I tried connecting to a circulator.
To connect, simply bite the smart plug between the plug and the outlet. Until then, home appliances that had been powered directly from outlets will now be powered by the Amazon Smart Plug. Like a "parasite", it is taken over by another will.
...I tried to exaggerate, but in the end, you will be able to control the power on/off.
Saying "Alexa, turn on the circulator (you can change the name)" will turn on the power from the smart plug to the circulator. Iris Ohyama's circulator uses a dial to control the air volume, and if it is energized, it will operate at the preset air volume, so in a sense it is for smart plugs.
In this way, the circulator began to move smoothly without any discomfort. What was just a circulator until then was reborn as a smart circulator.
In addition to voice control, you can also turn it on and off from the Alexa app button. You can also check the current status, so you can operate from a remote location.
I really liked this circulator because it had strong airflow and was quiet, but the lack of a remote control was a real weakness. Circulators are basically placed on the floor. Since it can be controlled by Alexa, it is even more convenient than the model with the remote control.
In terms of the feeling of the plug itself, it is characterized by a quick response.
I've never used a third-party smart plug, so I can't compare it, but with a type that uses infrared light instead of a remote control (I use Nature Remo at home), I rarely say a command before It may take some time to execute.
Sometimes I had to call "Alexa, turn on the TV" several times to get it to work, which was frustrating. You can immediately switch on/off according to the voice of ". Voice commands have never been so boring. It is truly genuine.
As for cooperation with Alexa, if you select "Register with Amazon account (easy setup)" at the time of purchase, you will receive the product already linked to your account. It was easy to add by simply plugging it into an outlet and proceeding with registration from the Alexa app.
The ease of approach around here is also unique to Amazon genuine. Given these advantages, there is no reason to choose a non-Amazon plug for Alexa control. This is absolutely the best solution.
It's surprisingly convenient to be able to control the timer and automatically by using "fixed actions"
Isn't there a timer with a dial? The power goes off when the time comes.
In my mind, it's a devilish timer that's programmed to die one hour after it's connected to the Famicom adapter, but if you use the "fixed action" skillfully, you'll be able to use Alexa in time just like that. You can control on/off from the app.
For example... To make one hour a day for the game that plagued me, you could use the smart plug to power the Famicom Mini and set up the following fixed actions.
Of course, the application is not limited to the Famicom. It is convenient when you want to turn on a home appliance for a short period of time, such as when you want to turn on a circulator or ventilation fan for only 20 minutes for ventilation. Turning it on and off with a timer is plain, but it's one of the nice features.
In addition, if there are home appliances already controlled by Alexa, you can control them collectively with fixed actions. In my case, I use Nature Remo to control infrared remote control devices such as lights and TVs from Alexa, but thanks to the addition of smart plugs, Sharp's humidifying air purifier, which does not have a remote control, now supports voice control. . You did it.
"Alexa, good morning" turns on the lights, TV, and air purifier, and "Alexa, good night" turns them all off.
It saved me the trouble of pressing the button on the air purifier, but I found that if the power was turned off for a long time, it would not start automatically after turning on the power, and I was able to make it happen. is up to "switch off when you go to bed". Wow, this plug is difficult...
Still, when I think that I have come a little closer to the perfection of a smart home that is "living without being controlled by myself" at a small cost, I am one step ahead.
May play a role in power peak shift? It makes me imagine a creative life
I haven't put it into practice yet, and it's a delusional level, and it's a very stingy story, but I charge my smartphone, mobile battery, and laptop only at night when electricity is cheap. can't you? I'm looking for it.
My house has a plan where electricity is cheap during the middle of the night and expensive during the day, so I use the built-in battery of the device or a mobile battery to save power consumption (portable power supply It seems better not to connect a device with a capacity exceeding 300W, such as, etc.), and charge it during the middle of the night when the electricity rate is cheap. When thinking about doing such a cycle, I think that a smart plug that can control time with this fixed action is advantageous.
By charging only during the middle of the night, you will be able to store electricity at a cheaper time and consume it at a higher time without being conscious of it. With this, you don't have to go out of your way to wait for the unit price of electricity to change every night. How about?
Of course, as I said at the beginning, this is delusional level.
It may not be realistic considering the capacity of the battery, and it is usually a case of introducing a home storage battery. However, I wonder if I can live an eco-friendly life with the environment and equipment I have. It's become fun to fantasize. It's the same with automatic control with fixed actions, but perhaps the goodness of this smart plug package is that it makes you imagine a life where you can think, "Maybe I can do that?"
When I told my mother at home, she unplugged the cordless vacuum cleaner's adapter during the day, and after the electricity bill became cheaper every night, she plugged it in and went to bed. And she was shocked to hear the fact that she is already practicing. Even just charging the vacuum cleaner, the idea of being stingy and stingy without sparing time is truly my mother. Respect to you. The sale is over, but I vowed to buy one for my mother.
Not necessary, but "fun" for some people
Thus, Amazon's smart plug is a device that you can explore a little interesting use. However, this must be done by all means! Do you have many scenes? When asked... Well, unfortunately the answer is no.
As I said at the beginning, there aren't many home appliances that can be controlled by turning the power on and off, and I don't think it's the type of device that can be stupidly arranged out of necessity. I'm satisfied with playing through it.
However, it is also true that this "playing through" is quite fulfilling.
I can't get enough of the tingling feeling of dominance when I put it in the power supply and forcibly take control, the exhilaration when I'm building a Pitagora device with a fixed action, and I'm a genius when I move splendidly. ? The sense of accomplishment is quite something.
What you get as a result is a little bit of happiness, like you get 100% change. increase. However, I don't really choose people... That's my honest impression.
Many people can live without it. There are almost no occasions when you feel you need it.
But if you're the type to excavate the Kiteretsu Encyclopedia and go, "Okay, let's make Korosuke!" The discount coupon has ended and now it is 1980 yen, but it is a device that can be enjoyed for more than 2 Noguchis. I personally think so.
Amazon smart plug1,980 yen
July 30, 2020 21:45 Correction: Fixed the behavior of the air purifier.
Source: Amazon.co.jp