Introduce 7 New Products, Microfactory, and a Comprehensive Campaign to Educate the World About the Smart Home
NEW YORK, NY (November 11, 2014) - Quirky, the company that makes invention accessible, and GE (NYSE: GE) today unveiled their joint connected-home strategy focused on affordability, simplicity, and accessibility. The two companies debuted seven connected products - ranging from light switches to security sensors - that are available today on the new Wink.com. An immersive experience educating the world about the connected home, Wink.com is the only online destination where consumers can learn how to live smarter and purchase more than 100 Wink-compatible partner products from 15 trusted brands.
Quirky and GE joined forces last April in a partnership to develop a line of co-branded connected products. Combining Quirky’s community and platform with GE’s scale and technology, the two companies are making the connected home accessible. In July of this year, Quirky spun off Wink, the company that connects you to the products you rely on in your home.
“Last year, we announced to the world that together with our partners at GE, we would enter the connected home market,” said Ben Kaufman, founder and CEO of Quirky. “In just 18 months, we have introduced an entire ecosystem of products, a powerful app that interacts with hundreds of connected devices from leading brands, and today, a comprehensive campaign to educate the world on what it means to live in the connected home.”
Today’s announcement greatly expands the existing line of Quirky+GE products while the launch of Wink.com provides consumers a simpler way to a smarter home.
A national study conducted by Quirky+GE* shows that most American adults have yet to adopt smart home technology, but 83% say they’re considering it. A big barrier is the misconception that smart home technology is too expensive; most view the connected home as a luxury, not a necessity.
“In today’s connected world, GE and Quirky see an exceptional opportunity to make the connected home a reality for everyone-accessible, affordable, and focused on the foundational elements of how a home works. This includes lighting, energy management, and safety,” said Beth Comstock, CMO of GE. “We have seen tremendous success working with Quirky and its community of inventors to find new ideas and bring them to market at remarkable speed.”
Quirky+GE New Connected Home Products:
Controlled by the Wink app, these new products further Quirky+GE’s mission to deliver a simple, accessible, and affordable connected home. They are available today on Wink.com and national retailers this holiday season:
- Tripper - An affordable smart window and door sensor, Tripper notifies you when windows and doors are opened or closed. It also allows you to easily monitor your home security as well as use actions within the home to trigger robots within Wink. Tripper was invented by Robert Sweeney and is available for pre-sale as a pack of two today on Wink.com for $40.
- Overflow - An affordable sensor that alerts your mobile device when it detects water leakage. Its extended cable can reach around tight corners, allowing you to install Overflow in any potential trouble spot: under a leaky heater, next to the washer, or behind the toilet. Overflow was invented by Michael Taylor and is available for pre-sale today on Wink.com for $35.
- Outlink - A smart in-wall outlet that lets you control power and monitor energy usage from anywhere. Outlink has one standard outlet and one smart outlet, which you can turn on and off remotely. The smart outlet also keeps track of your energy consumption so you can better manage your budget. Outlink was invented by Michael Taylor and is available for pre-sale today on Wink.com for $50.
- Tapt - Tapt replaces your basic wall switch with two smart switches that give you one-touch control over many of your connected devices. Tapt allows you to control smart bulbs that have been manually turned off and will also allow dimming directly from the Wink app. Tapt was invented by Michael Taylor and is available for pre-sale today on Wink.com for $60.
- Ascend - Ascend makes your existing opener smart by connecting it to the Wink app so you can control your garage door from anywhere. Monitor your garage’s status from afar, open and close it remotely, and receive instant alerts when people come and go. Ascend was invented by Nathan Firth and is available for pre-sale today on Wink.com for $100.
- Norm - A smart HVAC controller that proves thermostats will soon be obsolete. Norm works as a network of sensors that make it easy to monitor and adjust your home’s temperature anywhere, anytime. It offers intelligence, convenience, and efficiency-Norm is your home’s sixth sense. Norm was invented by Denny Fong and is available for sale today on Wink.com for $80.
Introducing “Quirky UNIQ” and the First Smart Devices Microfactory:
Quirky also announced an upcoming urban microfactory in San Francisco. Located in the historic Buzzell Electric Works building, this factory will serve as Quirky’s west coast headquarters and develop the first built-to-order electronics for the smart home. The new facility is equipped with a plastic injection molding line, automated circuit board assembly machines, and 3D printers.
Along with the microfactory, Quirky announced Quirky UNIQ: a new line of connected home products that are completely customizable and built-to-order. The first product in this family will be Spotter UNIQ, the next generation of our popular home sensor and the first product leveraging the new microfactory.
“Understanding your environment and triggering events with the help of sensors is the first building block of a smart home,” said Steve Heintz, CTO of Quirky. “Soon, consumers will be able to configure Spotter with the sensors they need in colors that match their decor. Within a few days, they’ll receive a custom product off the line built specifically for them.”
Spotter UNIQ is the first of several customized electronics that will be developed in our microfactory that opens in December.
Click here to download a digital press kit containing information, images and videos about these new products. To view today's presentation, click here.
Launch of Wink.com:
Wink is the connected home platform that gives people simplicity, security, and control over hundreds of devices from trusted brands. The Wink smartphone app and Wink Relay-a control pad that gives you instant access to all your connected products-put your entire smart home at your fingertips.
Wink.com launches today as a destination for consumers who are curious about what it means to live in the connected home. Educational at its core, Wink.com combines an inspiring guide to living in the connected home with an e-commerce platform where customers can purchase products from Wink’s dynamic portfolio of partners.
“Wink’s growth to date can be attributed to the success we’ve had in partnering with industry leading brands in the connected home category and our strong partnership with The Home Depot,” said Brett Worthington, VP and General Manager of Wink. “We’re excited to augment our amazing success at brick-and-mortar retail with a comprehensive digital platform where consumers can learn how to live in a smart home.”
* The Quirky + GE Smart Home Misconceptions Survey was based on a nationally representative sample of 2,500 American adults ages 22-64. It was conducted from October 16-20, 2014 by Edelman Berland.
About Quirky:
Quirky makes invention accessible by bringing real people’s product ideas to life. To take ideas from pipe dream to consumer product, an in-house team of designers and engineers collaborate with Quirky’s online community on nearly all aspects of development. Anyone can make their mark by submitting a problem-solving idea or weighing in on others'. And when a product is sold, Quirky shares its revenue with every community member that had an impact. Founded by Ben Kaufman in 2009, Quirky’s products can be found at The Home Depot, Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, Amazon.com, and of course-Quirky.com.
About GE:
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving, and helping to cure the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
About Wink:
Wink exists to make connected devices accessible. We believe that the home of the future is connected, and that it should be designed around people. We build apps and devices that help you control hundreds of connected products-built by our top-name partners-so that you can choose those that work best for your life.
For more information, visit Wink.com.
Media Contacts:
Quirky
Tiffany Markofsky
305.710.2960
GE
Jessica Oster
203.814.7604
Jessica Oster
GE
[email protected]
203-373-2727
203-814-7604