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Is This Another Ivee Flute?

newsomeonlinenewsomeonline
edited April 2015 in Archive
Hello to all, First want to say I think this product is a great feat and hope it comes to pass..... BUT!!!!
I was swallowed up by the IVEE Clock that can do it all to the tune of hundreds of dollars and one great promotional package they put out.

Like them you have a video showing someone in a home, tuning a TV, turning on lights and even running the same Rumba Vacuum! Almost the same ad promising the same things! A lot of great things almost the whole home automation world in a small globe.

So the question here is and for that big price this cost... Will it be a fully tested and full operating system when released and up for sale? Or like Ivee 3 years after the first release we are still at half the promises and nothing works not even the clock. All the same parts and app's and connections they promised hasn't happened after 3 years of sales and millions of dollars. Is your device going to be fully working and fully tested or are you selling it as a beta test like Ivee? Who by the way got started on kickstarter too!

I don't mean to compare two companies or two products, but you have to admit as a buyer in the retail market this is a big package you are offering and what do we have to show that it is what you say it is after we get it home and half the parts don't work or are still under development. I for one have 1000's in home automation and countless times products are nothing they say they are.

I really hope the best for you and I want this HOMEY! But to be honest what can you say or show that makes a person want to risk another 1000 in buying enough to cover a house, that it is what you say it will do?

Thanks for reading this and maybe a answer....
Smiles

Comments

  • EmileEmile Administrator, Athom
    Of course when the first (kickstarter) units ship we do not expect the software to be finished to a consumer grade level. During that time of shipping (a few months) however, I do expect to get enough feedback to tweak the software enough to make it ready for the mass market.

    Because Homey is an open platform, development will go much faster than with any other device that promises the world and delivers none. Development of functionality goes a lot faster when it's easy for a lot of people (we have our own selection of app developers as well) can extend the product in on-time. And then we also have developers from kickstarter :)
  • newsomeonlinenewsomeonline
    Wow Impressed with the fast response... I do hope this works and it is what it is. It's enough to go back to a tab light switch after getting burned so many times by companies.

    Why do these units have to be so high in cost? If they do work and I hope that! Then a person would need at least 3 to cover an average house size. Unless it can be integrated into a all over voice speaker/mic system to cover the footage area of a house or business. I am in the USA so I believe the conversion is about 350.00 or so for each unit?
  • EmileEmile Administrator, Athom
    Well, cost is always a subjective discussion. However, we think 299 is a fair price for what you get, especially compared to other home automation devices!

  • RobinVanKekemRobinVanKekem Member
    Will the additional Homey's (clients, childs, nodes whatever) be less intelligent and maybe cheaper or is that still a W.I.P? (Work In Progress)
  • EmileEmile Administrator, Athom
    We're not sure we will actually make those, so don't count on it for the time being :)
  • kimrorkimror Member
    It would have been really nice to have those children/nodes available in each room. They could just pass the commands to the "mother", but in context of the room that you are in.

    E.g. saying "Homey, turn on the lights" when in the bedroom, it automatically knows that you are in the bedroom, and turns on the bedroom lights.

    That was just a very easy example, but is applicable for most situations where the same commands can be used but applied in different rooms, depending on your location.
  • EmileEmile Administrator, Athom
    This is what you can do with multiple Homeys now. Creating a 'lite' version takes a lot of effort, and we can't really bring the cost down that much, so the question is if it's worth it...
  • kimrorkimror Member
    Oh, I see! :) I don't mind having multiple "full" versions, as long as the functionality is there :)

    From the consumer perspective, it would probably be a somewhat lower cost with a "lite" version, but from a business perspective, I can totally see the argument of cost and effort of having a "lite" version.
    I would rather you put your effort towards making the Homey as good as possible! :)

    Thanks for your quick reply, Emile! I am really looking forward to getting the Homey home :):)
  • StefanStefan Member
    Thanks for your understanding :). The point with Lite versions is, as Emile points out, also that they only will become marginally cheaper, depending on what functionality is left out (also since retailers want a higher margin on 'accessories').

    This 'one-size-fits-all' concept of integrating everything you need in a single device, instead of making multiple versions, makes that Homey can be sold at its current price point at all ;). That's why the lite/mini question is so hard.
  • RobinVanKekemRobinVanKekem Member
    Understood. Thank you for the quick response
This discussion has been closed.