Home Automation for kids Ultimate pressie Xmas

DERICKOO

Home Automation
price differience and shipped to Ireland.
Get ready to transform any object in your home into a smart device. This kit has everything you need to upgrade the stuff you own by connecting it to the internet. Control your AC from across the room, or turn the lights on and off while you’re on vacation.

Meet the kit that will upgrade your home and bring it into the 21st century. The Smart Home Kit by littleBits can turn any dumb household object (like a fan or lamp) into an internet-connected device. Instead of buying a million of different smart products, you can reinvent the household items you already have. Automate your curtains to open at sunrise. Make a remote controlled pet feeder.

The Smart Home Kit is the easiest way to Snap the Internet to Anything. Whether or you're an experienced maker, a tech-curious family, or a home DIY-er, anyone can improve their room or house with inventions created with the Smart Home Kit.

Safety Warning

Small parts. Not for children under 3 yrs.

No wiring, programming, or soldering required to create your own smart devices
Includes everything you need to make internet-connected devices right out of the box
Connect everything! Now your entire littleBits library can talk to the internet and vice versa
Includes 14 Bits, ranging from the temperature sensor and MP3 player to the cloudBit
Automate with IFTTT to connect with any web service, like Facebook, Gmail and Twitter, or hardware like NEST and Phillips HUE


https://www.amazon.co.uk/littleBits-Electronics-Smart-Home-Kit/dp/B00P2HA4VQ
£793.32

https://www.amazon.com/littleBits-Electronics-Smart-Home-Kit/dp/B00P2HA4VQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=home-automation&srs=6563140011&ie=UTF8&qid=1470977593&sr=8-41&linkCode=sl1&tag=wdrev-20&linkId=d8f93ec08695dc8a58906a456f305732
$299.00

antodeco

I'm confused as to what this is. Would it not be easier (and cheaper) to buy loads of smart plugs? I may be completely wrong! Just trying to figure out what the kit does, as the photos and description aren't very clear.

DERICKOO

Got this for my 15 year old son, who has recently become obsessed with robotics. Within 5 minutes of opening the box, he had already made a light sensor for his room. It's literally foolproof, yet has the ability to be made into complex projects. You are only limited by your imagination. This is an expensive kit, but easily worth it when you think about what it can make. The pieces are delicate, as are all robotics. Don't let that detour you from this set. There isn't any soldering, cutting or coding required. The ends are even magnets, positive and negative, so you can't connect incorrectly. We couldn't be more pleased with this product.

DERICKOO

Before you buy Hue bulbs, before you buy smart switches or Nest units or get this kit and familiarize yourself with the world of smart home electronics. It will teach you so much about how these gadgets actually work and provide a solid base of understanding (for adults and kids) about how home automation can effect your life and all the great things it can do for you.

Asmodean

Wow if I had the money I'd buy that for myself. Looks like a great piece of kit to toy around with.

GBX

I see Lidl have smart plugs tomorrow. Anybody buy them previously and offer feedback?

https://www.lidl.ie/en/special-offers.htm?articleId=13298

Bored.1e

Wow same review as in Amazon co.uk

DERICKOO wrote: »

Got this for my 15 year old son, who has recently become obsessed with robotics. Within 5 minutes of opening the box, he had already made a light sensor for his room. It's literally foolproof, yet has the ability to be made into complex projects. You are only limited by your imagination. This is an expensive kit, but easily worth it when you think about what it can make. The pieces are delicate, as are all robotics. Don't let that detour you from this set. There isn't any soldering, cutting or coding required. The ends are even magnets, positive and negative, so you can't connect incorrectly. We couldn't be more pleased with this product.

The high horse brigade

I don't get it

sunny2004

GBX wrote: »

I see Lidl have smart plugs tomorrow. Anybody buy them previously and offer feedback?

https://www.lidl.ie/en/special-offers.htm?articleId=13298

While these are not "smart" plugs they do work. They are simply a device you plug in the wall and your lamp, Tv etc plugs into them.
The remote then cuts the power to the plug.

Charlie19

Bored.1e wrote: »

Wow same review as in Amazon co.uk

Id imagine this thread will soon be deleted;)

vicwatson

GBX wrote: »

I see Lidl have smart plugs tomorrow. Anybody buy them previously and offer feedback?

https://www.lidl.ie/en/special-offers.htm?articleId=13298

They are remote control plugs for hard to reach places. Maybe that’s “smart” but they don’t do much more than come on/off remotely

Discodog

GBX wrote: »

I see Lidl have smart plugs tomorrow. Anybody buy them previously and offer feedback?

https://www.lidl.ie/en/special-offers.htm?articleId=13298

I have bought similar from Aldi & then are very hit or miss. Short range & unreliable. Totally different to a smart plug working via wifi.

ted1

DERICKOO wrote: »

Got this for my 15 year old son, who has recently become obsessed with robotics. Within 5 minutes of opening the box, he had already made a light sensor for his room. It's literally foolproof, yet has the ability to be made into complex projects. You are only limited by your imagination. This is an expensive kit, but easily worth it when you think about what it can make. The pieces are delicate, as are all robotics. Don't let that detour you from this set. There isn't any soldering, cutting or coding required. The ends are even magnets, positive and negative, so you can't connect incorrectly. We couldn't be more pleased with this product.

To be honest as someone with a Honours degrees in electronic engineering, I’d recommend that people save their money and get kids a raspberry pi or ardunio kit. They will teach them much more

youcancallmeal

GBX wrote: »

I see Lidl have smart plugs tomorrow. Anybody buy them previously and offer feedback?

https://www.lidl.ie/en/special-offers.htm?articleId=13298

It says from 05.11 so Monday actually. Also I'm guessing these won't work with Amazon Echo or Google Home?

deadl0ck

Will this work with my Flux Capacitor ?

bk

youcancallmeal wrote: »

It says from 05.11 so Monday actually. Also I'm guessing these won't work with Amazon Echo or Google Home?

No, well you might be able to if you buy more hardware to bridge between the plugs and Google Home, but I wouldn't recommend it, if you want GH/Echo then I'd recommend some of the wifi plugs on amazon that work directly with GH.

KilOit

GBX wrote: »

I see Lidl have smart plugs tomorrow. Anybody buy them previously and offer feedback?

https://www.lidl.ie/en/special-offers.htm?articleId=13298

Not exactly smart. You want WiFi plugs that work from phone and voice control through Google assistant. These are gimmicks that work from a remote you'll probably misplace eventually

The high horse brigade

ted1 wrote: »

To be honest as someone with a Honours degrees in electronic engineering, I’d recommend that people save their money and get kids a raspberry pi or ardunio kit. They will teach them much more

Exactly this ^

Buy a kit
https://thepihut.com/

McMurphy

deadl0ck wrote: »

Will this work with my Flux Capacitor ?

If you power it with 1.21 gigawatts. Sure.

JDxtra

It's £793.32. Probably around €1,000 when Irish VAT is added.

Where's the bargain? Kids could get a lot better presents for a lot less money.

Skippy along

Don't get the post either..I'm on bargains alert for years and this by far is the most expensive " bargain alert" I have ever come across.. Just saying

Cherry_Cola

Skippy along wrote: »

Don't get the post either..I'm on bargains alert for years and this by far is the most expensive " bargain alert" I have ever come across.. Just saying

It's great value for what it is. What has expense got to do with something not being a bargain?

TheDriver

This is dispatched from USA and doesn't appear to have the various amazon global fees so it could be stopped by customs?

JDxtra

Cherry_Cola wrote: »

It's great value for what it is. What has expense got to do with something not being a bargain?

I would disagree. This does not look like good value at all. The set looks like it should retail for €60 - €70.

Enrico Palazzo

TheDriver wrote: »

This is dispatched from USA and doesn't appear to have the various amazon global fees so it could be stopped by customs?

Amazon is going charge you the customs fee when ordering, $98.35 in this case, see the small print next to the item's price.

ozmo

Its more of an experimenters kit than a serious Home Automation kit. At 250 is very expensive but it is a safe way to control mains powered devices and this kit seems to be very limited to 1 device?

I have messed with some of their littlebits kits at trade shows - and its good quality very easy to assemble - suitable for absolute beginner.

On the plus - You can get more advanced as it supports https://ifttt.com/littlebits

The littlebits R2D2 kit did look very good as a cheaper entry to littlebits - at about 80 online or 100 in Disney Shop in Grafton street.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B071RRPLC9/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1541159377&sr=8-1&keywords=littlebits+r2d2&condition=new

Wheety

Cherry_Cola wrote: »

It's great value for what it is. What has expense got to do with something not being a bargain?

What's in it that would make it worth the guts of €1000?

D3V!L

Wheety wrote: »

What's in it that would make it worth the guts of €1000?

Pretty much nothing. I'm confused

keane2097

Genuinely among the worst bargain alerts ever posted.

TitianGerm

keane2097 wrote: »

Genuinely among the worst bargain alerts ever posted.

I feel sorry for the OP. Wasted money on this junk.

ablelocks

TitianGerm wrote: »

I feel sorry for the OP. Wasted money on this junk.

something tells me he/she/it didn't actually spend any money on this at all, at all.

bk

Cherry_Cola wrote: »

It's great value for what it is. What has expense got to do with something not being a bargain?

Err... I'm so confused, the above is horrible value for money. Costs £800, but there is well less then €100 (probably closer to €50) worth of equipment in this set!

Are folks overestimating how much HA stuff costs?! IFTTT is nice, but not impressive, every HA device pretty much supports that. The rest of it is a couple of super cheap sensors, LCD screen, etc. We are talking about stuff that costs almost nothing from China.

It looks like a neat little set, but massively overpriced.

ohnonotgmail

bk wrote: »

Err... I'm so confused, the above is horrible value for money. Costs £800, but there is well less then €100 (probably closer to €50) worth of equipment in this set!

Are folks overestimating how much HA stuff costs?! IFTTT is nice, but not impressive, every HA device pretty much supports that. The rest of it is a couple of super cheap sensors, LCD screen, etc. We are talking about stuff that costs almost nothing from China.

It looks like a neat little set, but massively overpriced.

Maybe i'm missing something but is it not the point that a set that costs €800 on amazon.co.uk can be got for $300 on amazon.com?

The high horse brigade

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

Maybe i'm missing something but is it not the point that a set that costs €800 on amazon.co.uk can be got for $300 on amazon.com?

It's not worth $300, never mind €800

ohnonotgmail

The high horse brigade wrote: »

It's not worth $300, never mind €800

Maybe its not but people complaining about the price of €800 are missing the point.

Gadgetman496

The high horse brigade wrote: »

It's not worth $300, never mind €800

Agreed. So would it be the case that if you used it to make a crappy sounding MP3 player the remaining kit parts would be pretty much redundant while the MP3 player was assembled? 1K sounds crazy money for a crappy MP3 player :eek:

TheDriver

I'm closing this one as its obvious this requires no further BA discussion