UBE Wi-Fi Dimmer

The UBE Dimmer is the first Wi-Fi enabled light dimmer that really gets it!

I was looking around for home automation light controllers trying to find something that was wi-fi capable. Not a lot has changed since X10 first came about. There are new technologies but they're all based on the same principles. Fairly proprietary systems that need proprietary controllers or services.

Then I ran across this UBE Dimmer that is a true wi-fi appliance. It has a 32-bit ARM CPU and it runs Google's Android operating system with a full TCP-IP stack! If all those acronyms and terms are meaningless to you it means that the light switch is running a tiny computer in it that is as sophisticated as a smart phone.

There will be apps for iPhone and Android that allow you to control individual lights, rooms, even set scenes for different occassions. From the video I saw they claim they'll have a public API that will allow anyone that knows how to write computer software to write their own custom software. You can even control your lights when you're away from home. Not having a way to directly access my http://southernmatron.blogspot.com /2012/12/should-your-thermostat-be-cloud.html" target="_blank">wi-fi thermostat is the biggest gripe I have with it so this is very exciting!

The dimmers also keep track of electricity usage. They can even tell you when a bulb needs to be replaced.

And it's not going to cost a fortune! You can pre-order the wi-fi dimmers from IndieGoGo where they're trying to raise more money for the project. They've already received some funding and won a million dollar prize but they need more support.

There's a value dimmer that costs $49 that has a standard rocker switch and a premium dimmer that has a touch pad interface that will cost $69 but the first 500 people will get it for $59. There's free shipping too. This is about the price of current remote control dimmers are going for now and they don't have nearly the same features and capabilities.

In addition to the UBE Smart Dimmer there will also be a Smart Outlet and Smart Plug.

Check them out at myube.co