What’s the use of having a smart home system if you can’t access it from remote locations? Almost every device has some sort of smartphone app these days. That said, Toshiba wants to make it part of the PC experience as well.
Starting at the end of this month, all new Toshiba laptops will come packing the Insteon app. According to the company, Insteon is the first built-in IoT (Internet of Things) application shipping to the masses.
Of course, not all of the masses will be able to use it—at least not right out of the box. You will need the Insteon Hub and Insteon-compatible devices to control and monitor, such as lights, thermostats, sensors, and more. If you already have those things, all you need to do is log into your account to access the Insteon app from your new laptop. From there, you can connect the Hub to new devices, turn on lights, set up schedules, and more. There are currently about 200 different Insteon products available.
“Thanks to the collaboration with Toshiba, we’re one step closer to providing a streamlined, reliable home automation solution where all of your devices work together in perfect harmony,” said Joe Dada, CEO of Insteon. “This integration adds another component to the connected home, where you can intuitively manage and monitor your home, simply by turning on your laptop.”
The Insteon app works with any Windows 10 device, including computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, wearables and more. It will come standard on most Toshiba consumer laptops powered by Windows 10 by the end of this month. There’s no word on which models are included in that list, so make sure to read the fine print or contact your local laptop retailer if you want to purchase an Insteon-enhanced model.
Also, if you’re looking for another way to control your setup, the company just announced the option to control Insteon devices using all Logitech Harmony Hub-based remotes. That lineup includes the Logitech Harmony Ultimate Home, the Logitech Harmony Home Control and the Logitech Harmony Home Hub, all of which work with Insteon devices via the Logitech Harmony mobile app.
For a better peek at how Insteon works, check out our Insteon Hub Review.
Toshiba support says
The new thing is available nice. Insteon App is now available in Toshiba laptops good to see this. Thanks for sharing.