Significantly expanding the capabilities of the Almond+ and Almond 2015 routers, Securifi has rolled out new functionality today via a firmware update that adds smart home user control to the two Wi-Fi devices. Typically, someone interested in home automation would have to purchase a secondary smart home hub, usually between $50 and $100, and rely on a home’s Wi-Fi network to run automation commands. Conversely, all home automation commands run locally on the Almond+ and Almond 2015, thus there’s no requirement of an Internet connection.
Running home automation commands locally through the router also means response time is reduced compared to systems that require cloud-based technology. If you have invested in ZigBee and Z-Wave sensor technology, both will work immediately with the Almond+ router. The less expensive Almond 2015 only supports ZigBee at this time.
All home automation rules can be set via the desktop interface or with Securifi’s free iOS and Android mobile applications. The user interface can be used to create fairly complex automation scenarios, depending on preference. For instance, when the a sensor is triggered inside your mailbox as the mail is being delivered, it could trigger a LED in the home to turn on, switch to a pre-determined color and ring the doorbell to alert the homeowner.
Another example could utilize a temperature sensor to trigger the irrigation system on the lawn when the temperature rises above a specific threshold. With the stacking rules build into Securifi’s user interface, that same temperature trigger could also crank up the home’s cooling system via a connected thermostat as well as close Z-Wave connected Somfy shades that are covering your windows.
Existing customers that own either of the two routers can now access the OTA firmware update to add the smart home capabilities to their router. For a limited time, the Almond+ will be priced at $199 on Amazon and the Almond 2015 will be priced at $99. The Almond 2015 replaces the original Almond, specifically to increase the Wi-Fi range of the base model by 30 percent. The main differences between the Almond+ and Almond 2015 include dual-band 802.11ac support, a larger touchscreen and Gigabit LAN support.
