Knocki Review – Device To Make Any Surface Smart Just by Tapping?

Knocki Review

Knocki is a smart device that promises to make any surface in your home smart. As you may have guessed from the name, the device works by listening to knocks. Here’s our Knocki review.

knocki

What Is Knocki?

Knocki is a smart device designed for the home. By placing it on a surface, you can make that surface smart.

The project recently completed a successful funding round through Kickstarter, where nearly 9,000 backers pledged over $1.1 million to help bring the project to life. The initial goal was $35,000.

The makers of Knocki claim their device is “the simplest, most natural, and accessible way to control the world around you.”

It’s priced at around $100 for one unit – although early bird specials on Kickstarter lowered the price to as little as $60 per unit. You can still get the $59 per unit price by buying ten Knocki units at a time.

How To Use Knocki?

Setting up Knocki is easier than setting up most smart devices. Here’s how it’s done:

-You take Knocki out of the box

-Pick a place to put it or select a surface to attach it to

-Define all the things you want Knocki to do

Knocki can control a wide variety of devices around us. The makers of Knocki claim the only limit “is your own imagination”.

The device itself is about the size and shape of a smoke alarm. It’s a small, white, disc-shaped object that wouldn’t look out of place in most homes. Using the Knocki, you can turn surfaces in your environment into remote controls.

There are all sorts of creative ways you can use the Knocki. In the initial Kickstarter launch video, people are seen using the Knocki for many different purposes, including:

-Leaving it attached to your front door so you get an alert sent to your phone every time someone knocks (a guy is playing catch with his son in the backyard waiting for the pizza to get delivered and receives a text saying someone is at the door)

-Set it to play or pause a TV, stereo, or any other electronic device, so your music turns on when you knock on the wall walking into your bedroom, for example, or your TV turns on when you knock on the coffee table

-Knocking on your nightstand in the morning after you wake up to activate your coffee maker

Other possible uses for Knocki include turning your lights on or off, finding your lost phone, controlling the climate in your room, activating your security alarm, receiving an alert when mail arrives in your mailbox, setting the mood for a romantic evening, and texting when arriving or leaving home or work.

You can also set up different taps – so Knocki does different things based on the taps it recognizes. For example, two sharp taps might turn on your TV, while five long knocks might turn up your Nest.

Knocki-review

How Does Knocki Work?

Knocki uses Wi-Fi to connect to your internet of things (not Bluetooth).

It connects with Nest, Philips Hue, Lifx, Smart Things, IFTTT, and more. It can also be used for simple functions around your home if you don’t own smart devices – like performing various functions on your phone or tablet.

There are dozens of other platforms supported by Knocki, including Spotify, Facebook, Twitter, SMS messaging, WeMo Coffeemaker, WeMo Switch, D-link Smart Plug, Nest Cam, Google Calendar, and many other IoT-like devices. They claim their list of compatible devices and platforms is in the hundreds.

Knocki’s patent-pending technology uses acoustic sensors that are able to distinguish between deliberate knocking and random noises in the environment.

With multiple knock commands available in each Knocki, you can knock on your surface to perform all different types of useful functions. In Knocki’s perfect world, you have multiple Knocki devices set up all around your home to perform different functions. You might have a Knocki on your front door to notify you when someone knocks as well as a special security knock pattern to unlock your smart lock.

As mentioned above, the only limit to Knocki’s usefulness is your own creativity (and your willingness to mess around and buy all different types of IoT gadgets and smart devices).

Knocki attaches to any surface using a SurfaceLink technology which effectively listens to the knocking surface. You can secure the Knocki using the included 3M removable tape or with screws, both of which are included with Knocki.

Knocki is also compatible with iOS and Android, although a phone is only required for the initial setup.

Knocki Pricing

Knocki is priced at the following rates on its new Indiegogo page:

-Early Bird: $89 + Shipping

-Knocki Black Edition: $99 + Shipping

-Triple Pack: $229

-Five Pack: $349

-10 Pack: $599

The estimated shipping date is February 2017.

Knocki is made in the United States and comes with all of the following items in your package: 3M tape, Surface Mount (featuring SurfaceLink technology), AAA Duracell batteries, quick setup guide, and companion app for iOS and Android.

Should You Use Knocki to Control your Smart Home?

Knocki is a new smart technology that is marketing itself as an alternative to voice control services – like Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri. It claims voice-controlled technologies are unreliable: they often misunderstand you and walking around your house yelling can disturb others. It can also be difficult to control multiple voice devices in the same place.

Knocking, on the other hand, is easy to understand. With simple tap/knock gestures, Knocki lets you control a surprisingly diverse range of IoT devices and smart devices in your own home. It connects to your home via Wi-Fi and is priced at a reasonable rate compared to similar technologies. Whether you’re buying one Knocki or multiple devices, it can help you better control your digital life.

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