Color Your Smart Home with Wink and Alexa

Drum roll please. Today we’re very excited to introduce a new feature that amplifies what you can do with Wink + Amazon Alexa!

For two years now you’ve been able to dim or turn your smart lighting products on or off with a simple voice command. Now, you can take it a step further by asking Alexa to change the color or temperature of Wink-compatible colored and tunable white bulbs, including the Sylvania Smart Tunable White, Sylvania Smart RGBW and Phillips Hue lighting products.

Say any one of over one hundred commands such as “Alexa, set Living Room to Warm White” or “Alexa, make bedroom light warmer” and she’ll take care of the rest. Here are a few of our other favorites to help spark your creativity:

“Alexa, set kitchen to beige.”
“Alexa, make the living room warmer.”
“Alexa, more color.” 
“Alexa, set man cave to dodger blue.”
“Alexa, less yellow.” 
“Alexa, make the bathroom seashell.”
“Alexa, set dining room to candlelight.”

Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook as we’ll be posting the full list of commands there soon!
 

Alexa Can Now Control Wink Lighting Shortcuts

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Hey Alexa fans! Starting today, you can now control Shortcuts that include only Wink-compatible lighting products (light bulbs and switches) with a simple voice command.

Say you have a bunch of lights in the living room that you want to turn off, dim, or change the color of as you’re sitting down for a movie

  1. Set up a “Movie Time” Shortcut in the Wink app, and adjust your lighting products to the desired settings
  2. Go into the Alexa app and select “Discover devices”
  3. Your Shortcut will be discovered, and from there, you’re set!

Simply say "Alexa, turn on Movie Time" and your living room turns into your very own home theater. Go through the above steps to create a “Movie Time Over” Shortcut to change the lights back with Alexa when the movie is over by saying "Alexa, turn on Movie Time Over."

Just keep in mind that if you change the name of your Shortcut in the Wink app, you’ll need to select “Discover devices” in the Alexa app again.

Shortcuts that include non-lighting products will not be discovered by Alexa, but stay tuned, as we’re continuing to work on expanding Alexa support!

 

Creating a DIY Security System with Wink

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One of the main benefits of having a smart home is that you can use it to amplify your home’s security in new and meaningful ways. It doesn’t require expensive, professional installation or the monthly fees common to many third party security providers. With a few products and a baseline knowledge of the different features available in the Wink app, you can quickly and easily create your very own DIY security system. In this post, we’ll outline a few common security use cases, along with the products and setup instructions to get started.

1: AUTOMATE LIGHTS SO IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE IS HOME AFTER DARK

If you’re someone who regularly works late (or has a very active after work social life), it’s likely you’re pulling into the driveway or walking into the apartment after it gets dark. With Wink, it’s easy to create the illusion that someone is always home.

Within the Wink app you can create Schedules that prompt single (or multiple) lights to turn on and off at predetermined times. You can also sync a Schedule with Sunset, so that regardless of changing daylight hours throughout the year, Wink will always turn on a porchlight or living room lamp at dusk.

What you’ll need:

  • One smart light bulb (or multiple, depending on the size of your home)
  • One Wink HUB (if required to connect your light bulb with the Wink app) 

How to get started:

  • Check out our blog post on how to setup a Schedule for in-depth instructions here.

2: CONTROL WHO IS ENTERING AND LEAVING YOUR HOME

Our homes can be a zoo of activity with people constantly coming and going. While you can hand out keys to friends and family, a few smart products and the Wink app can make it much easier to not only see from afar who is at the front door, but when they’ve arrived and left. 

The Ring Video Doorbell and a smart Schlage lock (multiple models available) enables this. Within the Wink app, you can create a Robot that notifies you whenever Ring is triggered or when motion is detected (the sensitivity of the motion detector can be changed based on environmental factors near your front door). From there, you can see who is at the front door and if you have a Schlage lock installed, either unlock the door remotely to let the dog sitter, or ignore the pesky salesman and go back to your day.

What’s more, with a Schlage lock you can create separate user codes for the individuals you want to grant access to your home. Once the codes are established, Robots can be created to notify you when a particular user code is used. The activity feed of the Wink app will show you who and when someone comes or goes, so you can breathe easier. 

What you’ll need:

How to get started:

  • Create a Robot to send you an email and push notifications when Ring is triggered or detects motion. For step by step instructions on setting up a Robot, check out our blog post here. 
  • Create another Robot for when your Dog Sitter’s user code is entered. 

3: SURPRISE AND WARD OFF Possible INTRUDERS

In the unlikely and unfortunate instance that someone enters your home that you don’t want there, automating a few sensors and smart lights might just surprise them into running away. 

GoControl’s security suite comes with door and window sensors you can affix anywhere, and monitor their status accordingly through the Wink app. The motion sensor identifies movement up to 50 feet away, while the loud siren and flashing light warns intruders if the alarm is tripped.  

Say you’re going on vacation for a few weeks. Within the Wink app, you can set up a Robot that triggers your smart light bulbs to automatically illuminate if the motion sensor detects movement or the front door sensor is triggered. Take it the extra mile by having the siren go off as well. You’ll get alerts automatically on your phone so you can jump into action and investigate.

What you’ll need:

How to get started:

  • Create a Robot for when a door opens, turn on the lights and trigger the siren. 
  • Create one Shortcut that enables the Robot and one that Disables the Robot. You can find step by step instructions for using Robots and Shortcuts together here. 
  • Create a Widget for each Shortcut. Instructions for creating a widget can be found on the bottom of the Shortcut blog post here. 

Local Control Now Available for Wink-Compatible Lighting Products

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UPDATE 6/15/16: We’ve been working hard to expand local control to additional product categories and with our latest HUB update, are thrilled to announce all Wink-compatible locks can now be controlled locally. As with lighting, this makes your locks not only more reliable, but faster than ever while maintaining the same high level of security you expect from Wink. 

When you turn a product on or off within the Wink app you want it to happen immediately. Understandable. It’s something our engineering team works hard at to make possible everyday. 

Today we’re excited to announce a new feature for all Wink users that takes those efforts to the next level - local control of your Wink-compatible, HUB-required light bulbs and switches.

This makes control of your lights in the Wink app MUCH faster and more reliable. Local control of Wink lighting products reduces latency by at least 50% to less than half a second. It also enables you to control your lights if the Internet goes down while you’re home. 

Here’s why:

Typically, when you control a product through the Wink app, your phone sends a signal to your Internet router, which then communicates with our server in the cloud, which then comes back through your router to the Wink HUB, and then finally to that product.

Local control removes the cloud layer from the equation, so that your phone can talk directly to the Wink HUB on your home network.

No need to opt-in, local control for your lights will just happen automatically so long as your phone is connected to your home’s Wi-Fi network. Simply update your Wink HUB with the latest version and you’re good to go.

Our local lighting control was designed with an emphasis on security and data integrity. For example, your activity feed will remain current and accurate even if you are controlling lights locally. We've built a strong foundation for local features within the Wink HUB and can’t wait to extend it to additional product categories and in-app functions.

Stay tuned!

5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Smart Lights

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We’ve seen that many Wink users start out on their smart home journey by installing a few smart light bulbs. With that in mind, we wanted to share five things you can try to get even more out of your bulbs (and make your life easier along the way):

Turn them off when you’re not home:

We’ve all had that “did I turn off the lights?” moment after we’ve left the house. Smart lights eliminate the guesswork. You can quickly check their status within the Wink app and turn them on or off accordingly to save energy and money.

Automatically dim lights at night for better sleep:

We live in an age where bright lights, television, computers and phone screens keep us up late into the night. By scheduling your smart lights (check out OSRAM LIGHTIFY) to slowly dim at night, you can simulate the natural rhythm of the sun to help your body gradually adjust to sleeping. Just a few taps in the Wink app enables your lighting to move from a bright white during the day to a softer yellow at night.

Have your lighting match your mood:

With tunable bulbs, like those from Philips HUE, you can customize the color of your home's lighting to enhance your environment. A full spectrum of color ensures your light is in line with what you're doing at home, whether that's cool blue for morning coffee in the kitchen or a vibrant yellow while reading on the couch.

Save time by using widgets on your phone:

Turning your Wink-compatible lights on and off can be done even faster when you create a Shortcut - consider a Goodnight Shortcut that turns everything off when you’re ready for bed - and enable widgets on your phone. From there, simply swipe down the notification center on your iPhone, or go to the home screen on your Android phone.

Connect lights with your other smart products:

Smart homes can be most beneficial when all of your products are working together. If you have multiple devices, consider setting up a Robot so that one action automatically triggers a series of others. For example, you could have your bedroom lights turn on if smoke is detected to help you wake up and leave the house safely.

New Products Now Compatible With Wink

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Wink gives you choice and flexibility when selecting smart products for your home by working with the best smart products and leading brands.  Today, we're excited to introduce two new products that are now compatible with the Wink platform. To connect them with your Wink account, simply tap “Add new product” within the Wink app and follow the instructions!

Here’s a bit more about each:

OSRAM LIGHTIFY LED Tunable A19 White Bulb - Wink HUB required

This smart bulb lets you customize the color temperature of your home’s lighting to enhance your environment. How? It has an adjustable temperature range, so you can switch between warm and cool shades of white. You could have bright light for when you’re hard at work or a much softer light for a cozier feel when you’re watching TV. 

With Wink, you can also connect it with other smart devices in your home so that certain events (opening the front door, for example) will trigger it to turn on or off. 

 

Emerson Sensi™ Wi-Fi Programmable Thermostat - Wink HUB not required

This smart thermostat gives you the ability to control your home’s temperature anytime, anywhere through the Wink app. You can set schedules, monitor the temperature, and even turn on your air conditioner when you leave work so your home is nice and comfy when you arrive. 

Or, if you want your thermostat to kick into gear along with other smart products, you can integrate it into a Wink Shortcut. A “Bedtime” Shortcut, for example, could dim your lights, lower the blinds and adjust your thermostat with just one tap.

 

Interested in picking these up? Both products, in addition to a variety of other Wink-compatible devices, can be found on the new Wink endcap in The Home Depot stores nationwide this summer!

 

Wink+Amazon Echo: Just ask to control smart products around your home

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UPDATE 10/26/15: Amazon Echo + Wink now supports dimming! Just ask Alexa to dim your lights by saying “Alexa, set living room light to 50%.”  Choose from over 40 lighting products from the most trusted lighting brands including Cree, EcoSmart, GE, Leviton, Lutron, OSRAM, Philips, and TCP

UPDATE 8/14/15: We've added more Wink-compatible lighting products to the Amazon Echo certified product list so you can chose the light that's right for you.  You can now control Cree, OSRAM LIGHTIFY, and TCP LEDs with Echo+Wink.  More products and features coming soon!

Amazon lovers, you’re really going to like this one... Wink is now compatible with Amazon Echo!  If you’re not familiar, Echo is a product completely designed around your voice. It’s always ready; as you say the wake word—“Alexa” or “Amazon” (most people select “Alexa”)—it springs to life. Alexa is the cloud-based voice service that powers Echo--you can ask for information, play music, get the weather, and much more.

Starting today, Echo can also control a number of Wink-compatible lighting products from GE, Leviton, and Lutron. Here’s how to get started:

  1. Connect compatible products in your Wink app and set individual names for each lighting product (bedroom lamp, kitchen light, etc.). 
  2. Then, link your Wink account to Echo within the Echo mobile app (Settings > Connected Home > Device Links > Wink).
  3. From there, say “Alexa, discover new devices.” This can take up to 20 seconds.

After that, you’re all set up. You can then turn your smart products on or off in the blink of an eye with a simple voice command to Alexa. For example, you could say “Alexa, turn on the living room lamp ” or “Alexa, turn off the kitchen light.” 

This integration gives Wink users like you yet another touchpoint through which you can easily control your smart home. And we’re just getting started! We’re excited to work with Amazon to add additional functionalities and many more Wink-compatible products down the road.

Want to learn more about Amazon Echo? Click here for more info and to purchase one today!