Permutations endless for new Belkin switches

BELKIN has expanded its range of WeMo home automation switches and cameras and this week we tried a couple more out.

BELKIN has expanded its range of WeMo home automation switches and cameras. This week we tried out a couple more.

The Netcam is a WiFi-enabled network camera that streams vision to an Apple or Android device.

To install, you download the Netcam app, fire it up, provide the credentials of your home network WiFi, switch the camera to video mode, and it’s ready.

Recognition of the camera by the app didn’t work for me the first time and I couldn’t connect it to our work WiFi, which needs both a login name and password. The app only lets you supply a password. I got it going at home though.

Colour video quality by day is good and the night vision was clear in our dimly lit hallway. The app can be programmed to send an email when motion is detected, but that’s part of a cloud subscription plan.

The Netcam is for indoor use only and not a hardy tamper-proof device for serious security.

But an HD version due for release here next month gives it a useful purpose.

The new Netcam will link to the IFTTT (if this then that) home automation site.

It will then be possible to program triggered events, such as taking video if motion is detected in the day, but at night also turning on the lights.

The current Netcam is $129.95.

The other device, the Belkin Light Switch, costs $69.95 and works similarly to the WeMo switch you plug into a power board. But you’ll need to get this switch installed by an electrician on your wall.

Once they’re installed, you can switch the lights on manually or by using the switch’s WiFi-connection for smart operation.

You could use this switch to turn on your outdoor lights at nightfall, through IFTTT.

The lights could be set to switch on when your Jawbone Up detects you have woken up. The permutations are endless.

Due for release in Australia in August, Belkin’s $49.95 WiFi light bulbs are ZigBee-enabled. They form a mesh network when ZigBee devices are linked.

So a group of ZigBee light bulbs can be controlled through a single bridge to a home WiFi network.

Belkin says the bulbs should last up to 23 years, but the guarantee is for one year only.