Transforming Your House Into A Smarthome Just Got Really, Really Easy

Transitioning from a “dumb-home” to a “smart-home” can be intimidating—complicated setups, zero communication between the other products, it’s all a potential nightmare. But that’s what the folks at Wink are hoping to change with the HUB, its new universal smarthome tether that allows you to control a whole slew of differently branded smart devices on one simple interface. 

About the size of a wireless router, the HUB—which just hit Home Depot shelves—serves as a bridge to connect a bunch of typically unrelated smarthome products like Dropcam systems, Kwikset smart locks, Honeywell thermostats, Kidde smoke detectors, and Chamberlain garage door openers among many others. The devices can be controlled from the comfort of one easy-to-understand app.
Additionally, you’ll be able to add others, such as Quirky’s Aros air conditioner, Refuel propane tank monitor, and a few other select products direct from the Wink app without having to install them, as they’re already equipped with the necessary tech to communicate wirelessly with one another.

The app itself comes with some particularly handy features, too, allowing you to set up proximity-specific functions that will, for example, boot up your A/C as you leave the office, or unlock the door and turn on an outside light as you pull into the driveway.

And you can also program multi-function presets; e.g., turning off all the lights and lowering the blinds in one swift command. Laziness: activated.


Joe McGauley is a senior editor at Supercompressor and can’t wait for the day when he can turn light switches on and off with his brain.