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14 switches and sockets fit for a smart home (pictures)

These brainy gadgets have some big plans for those boring wall warts.

David Priest
David Priest is an award-winning writer and editor who formerly covered home security for CNET.
David Priest
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1 of 14 Quirky

Quirky Outlink

If you've been following the smart-home industry news, you may have heard about Quirky. After filing for bankruptcy recently, it sold its Wink hub technology to another company, where it seems to be languishing. So for anyone out there with Quirky switches, it might be time to move on.

To find out what switches and plugs can fill the void Quirky has left, click through and take a look at what's out there.

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2 of 14 Insteon

Insteon On/Off Outlet

The Insteon On/Off Outlet lets you automate both sockets, and comes in a variety of finishes. You'll be able to control it using the Insteon app, which boasts extra functionality on Windows devices, including Live Tile integration and support for Cortana-based voice controls.

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3 of 14 Ry Crist/CNET

Lutron

Another brand that's well versed in the smart switch game is Lutron, which boasts an extensive lineup of high-end of connected dimmers and outlets, along with a proprietary hub to control them through your smartphone.

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4 of 14 Colin West McDonald/CNET

Belkin WeMo Light Switch

Belkin's right there in the mix, too -- its WeMo Light Switch offers full smartphone controls, as well as its own channel on the free online automation service IFTTT.

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5 of 14 Colin West McDonald/CNET

Belkin WeMo Insight Switch

For something a little more flexible, consider the Belkin WeMo Insight Switch, which you won't need to hardwire into your wall. Just plug it in wherever you want, then plug in something else right behind it. You'll be able to turn that something else on and off remotely, automate it, or monitor how much energy its using.

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6 of 14 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

iDevices Switch

The iDevices Switch is a solid competitor with the Belkin WeMo Insight Switch, offering a HomeKit compatible interface and basic energy monitoring software. You can also use Scenes to program command schedules into the Switch. As Apple develops HomeKit -- recently adding remote access and likely introducing triggers in the coming months -- the iDevices Switch functionality will continue to grow.

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7 of 14 Colin West McDonald / CNET

Belkin WeMo Switch + Motion

If you don't care so much about the energy tracking, the original WeMo Switch will work just as well as the Insight Switch or iDevices Switch, but at a slightly lower price point. We like the WeMo Switch + Motion package, which includes a separate motion detector.

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8 of 14 Colin West McDonald/CNET

D-Link Wi-Fi Smart Plug

Another alternative is to go with D-Link, which offers a smart plug competitor to the WeMo Switch.

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9 of 14 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

iDevices Outdoor Switch

The iDevices Outdoor Switch, like its indoor counterpart, is HomeKit compatible and features energy tracking. It also has two plug outlets to make outdoor lighting easier. Along with command scheduling and remote access, the Outdoor Switch boasts a sleek design.

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10 of 14 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

GE Plug-in Outdoor Smart Switch

The GE Z-Wave Smart Switch is cheaper than other outdoor smart switches, but it requires a Z-Wave gateway like SmartThings or Piper to work. While some issues make this outdoor switch imperfect, it is an affordable choice for Z-Wave users.

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11 of 14 Colin West McDonald/CNET

Philips Hue Tap

If you use Philips Hue LEDs in your home, you might want to consider picking up the Philips Hue Tap. Whether you mount it on the wall, leave it on the coffee table, or stuff it in your pocket, you'll have smart lighting scene changes right at your fingertips. The coolest part is that the Tap is a kinetic device that draws all of its power from your button presses -- that means no batteries or charging cables, ever.

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12 of 14 Shade

Shade Learning Light Switch

You'll find plenty of smart switches and smart sockets on crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter, too. This one, the Shade Learning Light Switch, is capable of dimming your bulbs automatically based on the level of ambient light in the room.

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13 of 14 Avi-on

Avi-on Movable Light Switch

There's also the Avi-on switch, which uses the relatively low power draw of Bluetooth LE to run off battery power. That means there's no need to hardwire it -- just mount it directly over top of your existing light switches.

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14 of 14 FreshAir

FreshAir AirGuard

Another unique crowdfunded smart switch is the AirGuard from FreshAir, which serves as a plug-in smoke detector ready to rat you out if it smells you lighting up. Talk about a buzzkill.

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