02/12/2022
homesmartjp
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Smart plug "Amazon Smart Plug" that makes home appliances smart easily

This time, we will introduce Amazon's genuine smart plug "Amazon Smart Plug". This product, which looks like a slightly larger AC adapter, can be turned on and off in conjunction with Amazon's smart speaker "Echo" series and the Alexa app. You can easily turn ordinary home appliances into smart home appliances! The dream was inflated, but the story didn't go so well.

　We have a smart speaker "Amazon Echo Show 5". However, the only compatible smart home appliances are TVs with built-in Android OS. All you have to do is say "Alexa, turn off the TV" to turn off the power. It's convenient to not have to search for remote controls that tend to go missing, but with Alexa, I wanted to make it smarter. Meanwhile, Amazon Smart Plug appeared, so I tried to introduce it as a trial.

Amazon Smart Plug. It's a simple configuration with an outlet and a button.

Easily make smart home appliances, Smart plug

As far as reading the previous article, the setting seemed very easy, so I wasn't particularly worried, but the moment the product arrived at my house by courier, I received an email from Amazon with instructions on how to set it up. was surprised. It can only be said that the fulfillment of Amazon's follow-up is as expected. However, I feel like I'm being watched and it's a little scary...

An email that guides you how to set up from Amazon at the same time as arrival. It's kind and helpful (Big Brother is looking at you...)

　Aside from that, just plug the product into an outlet, give it a name in the Alexa app, and specify the Wi-Fi to connect to. completion. It's really easy. After that, if you use the Alexa app or call from the Echo Show in the living room, you can turn the power on and off at will.

The Smart Plug is slightly bulky, making it a bit difficult to plug in when the outlet is full.

　This time, the target of the smart plug was a mini component for TV audio output. After watching TV or playing a game, the power of the component is often left on, so I thought it would be convenient if I could turn it off just like the TV. I was able to easily turn off the power by simply inserting the smart plug into the outlet of the component.

The plug is named "Compo-chan". If you say "Turn off Compo-chan", Alexa will respond properly)

　The blind spot was that when the smart plug was turned off, the power supply itself was cut off, so I tried to turn it on. When I did that, it was necessary to make a call to turn on the power this time. That's right. If you have a device with a hard switch, such as a circulator, you can control the power simply by turning the smart plug on and off, but this is not possible with devices such as components and HDD recorders.

I created an Alexa "fixed action" to turn on and off the Smart Plug at a set time. This can also be said to be a smart home appliance

After some consideration, I decided to create a "fixed action" on the Alexa app instead of calling by voice, and manage the power on/off schedule. Specifically, the power is turned off at 20:00 and turned on at 21:00. For the time being, I was able to achieve automation, so I decided to think that I was one step closer to the ideal smart home.

I also feel that if we combine actions on the Alexa app, we can come up with even smarter ways to use it. Please try one Amazon Smart Plug with such infinite possibilities at home. And I hope that you will spread the trick to the world, "Is there such a way to use it!"