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Cory Gunther has been writing about phones, Android, cars, and technology in general for over a decade. He's a staff writer for Review Geek covering roundups, EVs, and news. He's previously written for GottaBeMobile, SlashGear, AndroidCentral, and InputMag, and he's written over 9,000 articles. Read more...
If you’re looking to bring aspects of your house into the modern era without going full-on smart home, Aqara has you covered. The popular smart home company just released its Aqara Smart Curtain Driver E1, which easily automates your existing curtains.
Starting at just $90, the Curtain Driver E1 quickly mounts to your curtain track or rod, then can automatically open your curtains. Users can set a schedule, use the built-in ambient light sensor to have them open/close each day on their own, use the Aqara app, and it even works with Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT, or Apple’s Homekit.
Aqara’s E1 driver is entirely wireless thanks to the built-in battery, making it a breeze to attach to any curtain in your home. It’s worth noting that it works with your typical curtain rod for $99, or a more affordable track option is perfect for U-rail and I-rail systems. The E1 is capable of moving curtains up to 26 lbs.
Unfortunately, it’s built on the Zigbee 3.0 protocol and requires a compatible Aqara Hub, which is a slight downside. However, once you get everything set up, it’s easy to open the curtains with your voice, automate the process, or take advantage of the light sensor.
Better yet, You can customize the speed of the Aqara Curtain Driver’s motor in the app to open for an hour, slowly letting in the sunrise or simulating the sunset.
Considering this is a retrofit product, installation is fast and easy. So, if you want to upgrade your home with a few smart gadgets, this is worth checking out. Aqara says it’ll be compatible with the Matter smart home standard whenever it arrives.
Bring your home into the modern era with this retrofit curtain driver to open and close the curtains automatically.
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