Revolv joins IFTTT's channel lineup
Due in the coming weeks, a new Revolv channel on IFTTT means that even more gadgets from the Internet of Things will sync up through the popular automation service.
The Revolv hub uses multiple, built-in wireless radios to create compatibility between a growing variety of smart home devices and unify their controls within a single interface. Now, the pricey gadget hopes to up its appeal with a new channel on IFTTT, a popular web automation service.
IFTTT, which stands for "if this, then that," lets users craft automation recipes simply by plugging in the "this" and the "that." There's a lengthy list of compatible Web services and social networks to play with, and plenty of room for creative practicality. Add smart home devices into the mix -- which IFTTT has been steadily doing for some time now -- and things get even more interesting.
With Revolv joining that lineup, you will be able to plug any of the gadgets controlled by your hub into those IFTTT recipes. Presumably, that includes products like the Yale Real Living Touchscreen Deadbolt and a wide variety of Insteon devices that, until now, you couldn't automate on IFTTT. That's the same, subtle selling point that SmartThings , another IFTTT-friendly smart home platform, has been able to offer its users.
Still, it's worth noting that there are plenty of other Revolv-compatible gadgets that already have IFTTT channels of their own and don't need the $300 Revolv hub in order to work with the free service. Most notable among these are the Nest Learning Thermostat , Belkin WeMo Switches , and Philips Hue LEDs .
Revolv tells us that its channel on IFTTT will go live by the end of the month. Sometime after that, the smart hub plans to add recipe creation directly from the Revolv app. That would be an especially interesting development given that other devices require you to craft your recipes on IFTTT's website, or through the IFTTT app , available on Android and iOS devices.