Smart home streamlining with Revolv Smart Home Solution (pictures)
Thanks to an easy-to-use companion app, this smart home hub puts control for all your devices in one place.
Rich Brown
Rich was the editorial lead for CNET's Home and Wellness sections, based in Louisville, Kentucky. Before moving to Louisville in 2013, Rich ran CNET's desktop computer review section for 10 years in New York City. He has worked as a tech journalist since 1994, covering everything from 3D printing to Z-Wave smart locks.
The first screen you see when you launch the Revolv app. Here you can see quickly which devices you have linked up. Double tap the icon to power the device on and off, or to trigger a preset single-tap to open up a device-specific screen with more granular control.
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Revolv device list
This screen shows you another view of the devices on your network, as well as some basic information like brightness level in the case of these Philips lights. Other device listings display status, temperature, etc., as appropriate.
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Preset list
Here's the list of presets you've created. Click to see which devices you've assigned to a certain action, or add more devices.
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Adding devices is easy
Revolv doesn't support every smart home device out there, but impressively, it had no problem finding and adding those it does support. Revolv says it has support for about 2,000 different devices now, and that list will grow as the smart home market expands.
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Device list
Revolv will locate and add some devices automatically. Others you need to search for and add manually.
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Yale Z-Wave smart lock interface
The simple controls for the lock interface.
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Nest Learning Thermostat interface
Nest controls let you change the temperature setting and turn the thermostat to heating or cooling mode. You'd need to set up a separate GPS-based location trigger to turn it to away mode.
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Philips Hue Connected Bulb interface
The Philips Hue interface lets you turn one bulb at a time on and off, and adjust its brightness level.
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Philips Hue Connected Bulb color selector
This color wheel lets you change bulb color. The Revolv presets will let you control multiple bulbs at once and set triggers based on your location, a preset time, or a motion detector (if you have one on your network).
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Timer setting
The Revolv's preset options are adequate, and you can tie multiple devices together to perform various actions in concert based on a single trigger. It doesn't have more-advanced options, like IFTTT support, but the company says it's possible programming options will expand in a future software update.
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