Skip to main content

Don't get bogged down by smart home devices, just push a button and swipe

Did you really sign on to be your family’s smart home device manager? Equipping your home with a suite of smart home devices can make your home smarter.  But unless it’s easy for all family members to activate the basic device actions, you could find yourself expected to run everything — which wasn’t the original idea.

Tantiv4 has a solution to simplify and combine smart home device settings and control. FetchItGo is a remote control panel that uses If This Then That (IFTTT) recipes to manage smart home devices. There are 16 buttons on the FetchItGo. Using a smartphone app you can configure each button with an IFTTT recipe, which is a script of control steps compatible with most major smart home brands such as Nest, Hue, Lifx, Spotify, Logitech, and others. FetchItGo is currently in a Kickstarter campaign.

You can write your own labels with an included dry erase marker on the remote panel and attach it to a wall or a central appliance such as a refrigerator. Once you’ve programmed one of the buttons, all you or anyone else in your family has to do is press the button and swipe a panel just below the buttons to confirm or “trigger” the request.

Recommended Videos

So if, for example, you want to turn on the outside lights, start the coffee maker, set the temperature to a preset level, or start a Spotify playlist, just press the proper button, swipe, and that is it. You can also configure buttons to add items to grocery lists you can send via SMS or Whatsapp, remind people to take medication, find your phone, or any of a myriad number of tasks and devices supported by simple-to-set-up IFTTT recipes.

The FetchItGo package includes the 16-button remote panel, a gateway device, an Ethernet cable, a power cable and adapter, and a dry erase marker. The gateway plugs into an internet router via a wire connection. When the gateway gets a signal from the remote, it signals the appropriate smart home devices to carry out the configured actions.

Even though you can use your smartphone to set up the FetchItGo buttons, once configured your phone doesn’t need to be in range. As much as you may enjoy voice commands with Alexa or Google Voice, using FetchItGo is silent and there is no concern about being misunderstood. FetchItGo is scheduled for delivery in the summer, with special pricing available on the Kickstarter page through Saturday.

Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown Contributing Editor   As a Contributing Editor to the Auto teams at Digital Trends and TheManual.com, Bruce…
Smart toothbrushes are expensive. Quip’s model is proof why you don’t need them
you dont need spend fortune smart toothbrush quip brush

Brushing your teeth is a deeply ingrained part of the daily routine for most people. You wake up, stretch, get out of bed, and brush your teeth. It’s the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night. When something is as ubiquitous as that, can a smart toothbrush really make much more of a difference than a normal toothbrush?

Well, yes and no. A smart toothbrush can certainly enhance the brushing experience and give you a deeper, more dentist-like cleaning, but you don’t need to spend a fortune on one. As time goes on and smart toothbrushes become more advanced and complex, their price goes up. I spent some time using Quip's new Smart Brush, and it has forever changed my mind. Here’s why you don’t need to break the bank on a smart toothbrush.
Still a better clean than manual brushing
There's no denying the effectiveness of electric toothbrushes when it comes to getting rid of plaque -- they're better than manual brushes. Period. Two of the more popular brands on the market, Oral-B and Sonicare, have shown consumers the advantages of toothbrushes that leverage vibrating brush heads -- and Quip's interpretation is no different. Actually, Quip has been a name in the electric toothbrush scene for a while, but the recent launch of its smart toothbrush shows big improvements to the design.

Read more
Get this Anker power station while it has a $1,800 discount
The Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus Portable Power Station in the kitchen.

Prolonged power outages are one of the most stressful incidents your family can experience. If you're looking at portable power station deals for a solution, we highly recommend going for the Anker Solix F3800 Plus, especially now that it's on sale from Anker itself with a massive $1,800 discount on its original price of $4,799. At its lowered price of $2,999, it's still a significant investment, but we think it's a reasonable amount for the comfort and safety of your family when there's no electricity.

BUY AT AMAZON

Read more
Blink Video Doorbell vs. Ring Battery Doorbell: which is best for your front door?
Blink Video Doorbell installed

The Blink Video Doorbell just hit the market, and at just $60, it’s a frugal option for shoppers interested in bringing smarts to their front door. Featuring a two-year battery life, person detection, and an improved field-of-view, it’s a well-rounded device given its low price tag. However, the Ring Battery Doorbell is a perennial favorite — it’s not quite as new, but it’s loaded with premium features that have made it a common sight on porches across the planet. But is it the best option for your home? Here’s a look at the Blink Video Doorbell and the Ring Battery Doorbell to help you decide which to purchase.
Design

The Ring Battery Doorbell is built with its iconic black and silver design. The top portion of the rectangular device is black, and it houses the camera unit. The larger lower half is silver, and it’s where you’ll find the doorbell button with its cool blue glow. It’s a great-looking device, and it looks remarkably similar to all the other video doorbells in the Ring lineup. Alternatively, you can pick up a Venetian Bronze model that’s a bit darker.

Read more