Want to control everything in your house via voice? Install these power outlets

By Patrick Hearn Published December 12, 2019

ConnectSense — Image used with permission by copyright holder

When you think of a smart plug, you likely think of a device that plugs into an existing outlet and connects to Wi-Fi. The ConnectSense Smart In-Wall Outlet is a bit different, as the name might imply. It sits directly in the wall and replaces an existing outlet, which means some wiring work is required. The installation is not as simple as it is with other smart plugs (and it isn’t a great choice for renters as a result), but the benefit is that it can act as a smart plug for tight spaces, such as behind the couch.

The ConnectSense Smart In-Wall Outlet measures the amount of energy used by any device plugged into it, which gives you a great idea for how much power a specific appliance might use. You can check out real-time voltage readings on the ConnectSense app. It’s a great way to spot any appliance that’s drawing phantom power, and can help cut down on utility costs.

On the technical side of things, the ConnectSense Smart In-Wall Outlet works with all three major smart assistants. The majority of smart outlets only work with Google Home or Amazon Alexa, so HomeKit users will be pleased to see Siri included this time around. The ConnectSense works on the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band and is available in two different models: 15 amps and 20 amps, priced at $80 and $100 respectively. Both are available for purchase from Amazon. One thing to note is that this smart plug does require a neutral wire to operate, so if you do not have one in the outlet you want to replace you will either need to install one or find a different outlet.

Smart outlets are no different than smart plugs in operation. You can set schedules, control the flow of power from your phone, monitor energy usage, and much more. They are great solutions for turning “dumb” appliances smart, such as lamps or electric space heaters. Smart outlets and plugs are also perfect options for appliances that might be dangerous if left turned on, such as an iron or oven. With the ability to turn off power remotely, you will never have to wonder if you left the stove on while you’re out and about.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…

Computing

These new chips could be good news for Copilot+ PCs

The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus

The first Copilot+ laptops are already out, powered by Qualcomm's impressive new Snapdragon X chip. The first batch of reviews were delayed, and early impressions have observed the hits and misses of the current chips. But a new leak tells us that Qualcomm might have another ace up its sleeve, and there may be hope for these Arm-based Copilot+ PCs yet. What's new? There might be more models of the chip than what we've been privy to so far.

So far, we've seen reviews of the Asus Vivobook S 15, but that's just one of several chips that fall under the Snapdragon X Elite umbrella. According to files for the Adreno GPU driver, there may be not just six, but 10 different models of the Snapdragon X -- and three of those are Plus chips, which we've previously only seen one of.

Computing

Hacker claims to have hit Apple days after hacking AMD

Data breaches happen all the time, but when the giants get hit, it's impossible not to wonder what kind of critical data may become exposed. Earlier this week, notorious cybercriminal Intelbroker reported that they managed to hack AMD. Now, they followed up with claims about hacking Apple, and went as far as to share some internal source code on a hacking forum.

As Apple has yet to comment, all we have to go off is the forum post, first shared by HackManac on X (formerly Twitter). In the post, Intelbroker states that Apple suffered a data breach that led to the exposure of the source code for some of its internal tools. The tools include AppleConnect-SSO, Apple-HWE-Confluence-Advanced. There's been no mention of any customer data being leaked, which is good news, but there could still be some impact on Apple if this proves to be true.

Computing

OLED laptops are about to get brighter, thinner, and more expensive

LG's new Tandem OLED panel is entering mass production, which is good news for upcoming AI laptops. Today, LG announced that it's the first manufacturer to produce the Tandem OLED panel in a 13-inch variant, and the displays are said to be much thinner and lighter while delivering better performance. The catch? This screen upgrade, which is already available in the latest Dell XPS 13 Copilot+ PC, is going to cost you a pretty penny.

Tandem OLED is a display panel design that has mostly been used in cars up until now, and LG is breaking new ground by producing it for laptops. However, it's not the first time we've seen this design applied to consumer electronics, as Apple's M4 iPad Pros utilize Tandem OLED displays.