With all of the new gadgets we have in our homes, whether for turning our heating on at a certain time or adjusting the lighting for that perfect ambience, it’s a wonder we’re able to keep track of what does what. NEEO is a smart home device that provides automation for all of your home gadgets and devices so you can control everything, and I mean everything, from one remote.
NEEO works with two parts: the brain and the remote. All your devices connect to the brain and are controlled with either the remote or the app from your iOS or Android smartphone (or tablet).
It’s clear that the engineers at NEEO have automation at the top of their list while designing the actual device. Made of a brain and a remote, it’s sleek but not too futuristic yet provides all the functionality in as few buttons as possible.
The brain is made of solid aluminum and acrylic glass to give it a modern and inconspicuous look. It is wireless and can connect via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee and has 360 degree infrared for your IR devices. It’s nylon braided cable fits in with its modern look while its database of 30,000 devices caters to everything you have in your life.
The remote, which isn’t necessary to run the system (you could just use the app), is made from a single piece of aluminum and gorilla glass. It has a screen to provide you with touch control with 291 ppi (which is more than iPad’s retina display). It’s smart enough to know which user is holding it (and predict what you’d like to control) and can be sent an SOS from the app when you’re not smart enough to find it. Its rechargeable battery and low power hardware means you get months of use per charge.
The app was designed to be simple yet powerful. It looks identical to the screen on the remote so you have a seamless user experience. Set up is a breeze, too. You simply select “devices” on the app or remote, add your favourite device, and assign it to a room.
The clever part of NEEO is that you can create automated processes for just about anything. As the creators explain: turning on the telly, setting the lights, turning on your DVD player, adjusting volume, and pressing play can all be done with one button on your NEEO remote. Imagine everything you can do with all that spare time! NEEO integrates with all sorts of products and systems such as Sonos, Apple TV, Roku, Philips Hue, Cablevision, Time Warner, Comcast, and even Dish and DirecTV.
NEEO had one of the largest campaigns on Kickstarter I have ever seen. Starting with a modest goal of $50,000, the team at NEEO are taking home a whopping $1.5 million. With all the extra money they’re looking to get the users more involved with IFTTT (If This Then That) abilities to program your devices to action based on time of day, who is home, or even who is holding the NEEO remote. Additionally, they’re providing users with a public REST API and custom HTTP commands so you can automate even more.
The future of NEEO is very clear; it’s a seemingly perfect device for our gadget-filled lives. If the crowdfunding results are any indication, NEEO will be very successful.
NEEO will be shipping this summer after they perfect production and development. You can pre-order the brain and remote for $299 (£200).
