Tired of using a single clicker to open and close that garage door? Quirky has made it not so quirky to add automation into the equation. The company’s Ascend can smarten up most existing garage door openers via the Wink platform and a little DIY home automation.
We say it works with “most” garage door openers because Quirky is quick to point out that this device will only work with UL-listed products made on or after January 1, 1993—but not ones from Chamberlain and not the Liftmaster Security+2.0. (They have their own solutions, thanks.) Other than a compatible garage door opener though, you just need WiFi and an iOS or Android device.
Unlike some of Wink’s other DIY home automation products, you don’t need the Wink Hub ($50) or the Wink Relay touchscreen controller ($300) to use the Ascend. Instead, this product is “Wink App Ready,” which means it has all of the technology built in and can connect to the Wink app without any additional hardware.
Once connected to the necessary components, this option allows you to manage and monitor the garage door from near and afar using the free Wink app. That means that you can make sure that you actually closed that door once you get to your destination, whether that’s work or a beach thousands of miles away. And when the door is opened or closed, the Ascend can even send a notification to your smart device of choice.
At $100, the Ascend is a pretty inexpensive option for automated garage door control. And if you’re looking for a system that’s scalable or something to springboard your interest in home automation, this option is certainly an interesting one. After all, the Wink platform does offer the option to control a lot of DIY home automation devices through that one app.
Quirky is currently taking pre-orders for the Ascend now. It’s scheduled to start shipping on April 1, 2015.
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