a review by Tom Piper
HomeKit technology now provides advanced security with end-to-end encryption and authentication between a variety of related devices and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. At CES 2016 I reconnected with Elgato who has a nice range of such excellent devices.
Eve Energy from Elgato is an electrical switch and power meter that helps me to live smarter by knowing more about my home power consumption. It allows me to switch my devices on or off using Siri or with a simple tap, and instantly see how much energy my devices are using. I use my iPhone 6s plus to see my energy consumption at a glance.
Setup is so easy ... after opening the box, the simple instructions describe how the Elgato Eve app should first be downloaded from the Apple App Store, then plug the Eve Energy unit in a wall socket. Using the new Eve app, just select Add Accessory which will “see” the new unit, after which I was able to customize the titling for future reference. Eve connects directly to any iDevice using Bluetooth 4.0 Smart technology, without complicated WiFi setup or the need for a hub, gateway or bridge.
Once operational, I can use Siri on my iPhone (or iPad, or iPod touch) to control the devices connected to Eve Energy with just my voice. I was able to give custom names to my devices, combine them into groups, and create scenes to control multiple home settings in just one step (if I had multiple units). There is also a button on the unit to manually turn a device on/off. Even better, I can now control Eve Energy when I’m away away from home. Since I already have an Apple TV, my iPhone now can remotely turn devices on and off, launch my favorite scene, or check the status of my home at a glance.
Not only is it nice to be able to see my energy consumption at a glance, but I can also view beautiful graphs by day, month or year. This allows me to gain insights that help me improve my comfort, and make my home a smarter place. It is a great companion to my Eve Room (see more below) and Avea mood lamp.
Eve requires an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 9.1 or later. HomeKit requires an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 8.1 or later. Controlling HomeKit-enabled accessories away from home requires an Apple TV (3rd generation or later) with Apple TV software 7.0 or later and an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 8.1 or later (iPad 2 is not supported).
This unit is a great buy at only $49.95, available at elgato.com/eve-energy. Eve Energy is part of a growing family of products including Eve Room (wireless indoor air quality, temperature and humidity sensor, $79.95), Eve Door & Window (wireless contact sensor, $39.95), and Eve Thermo (thermostatic radiator valve, not currently available in US). I’ve used Elgato products for decades, and find them economical, reliable and very useful.
Comments