NEW YORK — GE and Quirky have unveiled seven new connected home products — including a smart HVAC controller designed to replace thermostats — that are available now on the new Wink.com. At the website, consumers can purchase more than 100 Wink-compatible partner products from 15 brands.
Quirky and GE joined forces last April in a partnership to develop a line of co-branded connected home products. The partnership is said to combine Quirky’s community and platform with GE’s scale and technology. In July of this year, Quirky spun off Wink, a company to bring consumers connected products for the home.
“Last year, we announced to the world that together with our partners at GE, we would enter the connected home market,” said Ben Kaufman, founder and CEO of Quirky. “In just 18 months, we have introduced an entire ecosystem of products, a powerful app that interacts with hundreds of connected devices from leading brands, and a comprehensive campaign to educate the world on what it means to live in the connected home.”
The companies said this announcement greatly expands the existing line of Quirky+GE products while the launch of Wink.com provides consumers with a simpler way to access smart home products.
“In today’s connected world, GE and Quirky see an exceptional opportunity to make the connected home a reality for everyone — accessible, affordable, and focused on the foundational elements of how a home works. This includes lighting, energy management, and safety,” said Beth Comstock, CMO of GE. “We have seen tremendous success working with Quirky and its community of inventors to find new ideas and bring them to market at remarkable speed.”
The new Quirky+GE connected home products, controlled by the Wink app, and available at Wink.com, include:
Norm — A smart HVAC controller designed to replace conventional thermostats. Norm works as a network of sensors that make it easy to monitor and adjust the home’s temperature anywhere, anytime. It is said to offer intelligence, convenience, and efficiency.
Overflow — An affordable sensor that alerts your mobile device when it detects water leakage. Its extended cable can reach around tight corners, allowing you to install Overflow in any potential trouble spot, such as under a water heater.
Outlink — A smart in-wall outlet that lets you control power and monitor energy usage from anywhere. Outlink has one standard outlet and one smart outlet, which you can turn on and off remotely. The smart outlet also keeps track of your energy consumption.
For more information, visit www.wink.com.
Publication date: 11/24/2014
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