Another way to never have to get up again
If you’re too lazy to get up and change the TV channel, you should never be expected to actually get up and turn on the lights. Am I right?
Which is where the genius of the Austin-based Plum company comes into play. Named one of AustinInno’s 16 Austin Tech Companies to Watch in 2016, here at American Genius, we couldn’t agree more.
Flying off the shelves
Plum’s smart light switches, or “Lightpads,” are so popular they can hardly stay in stock, and are reasonably priced at $99 each.
The Plum Lightpad and its corresponding smartphone app allow you to change the lighting in any room in your home from the comfort of your couch, your La-Z-Boy, or whatever else you love to lounge in.
With a slide of the finger
Tapping or sliding your finger up and down on the actual Lightpad or on your smartphone will turn lights on and off or brighten and dim the lights in your home.
You can even customize the “glow color” of your Lightpad to match your color scheme to your personal preference.
Another helpful benefit of the Lightpad is that its constant glow serves as an adult nightlight – no more fumbling around in the dark for the light switch. You’ll always know exactly where it is.
In addition, the Plum Lightpad app also allows you to control multiple lights at the same time. This way you can turn several lights on or off at the same time. On the side of safety; you can control your lights while you’re out of town to keep the burglars away.
But for many in Austin, the best feature is being able to keep an eye on home energy usage in real time! No more waiting until the bill comes to find out your kids have been leaving every light on in the house all day, every day, all month, all summer.
Installation and use
Installation is simple. After you download the app, it’s very easy to set up the Lightpad itself. Start off by turning off the electrical power to the light switch, then remove it by unscrewing the plate and disconnecting the rear wires.
The next step is to attach the Lightpad by connecting the correct corresponding wires and screwing the new unit into place. Attach your faceplate and turn the electrical line back on. Follow the instructions from the Plum app in order to get connected, and it’s really that easy.
The Plum Lightpad is already doing extremely well, but this Austin-based product and company are definitely one to keep an eye on in 2016.
