REVIEW – 7 years in the past, I reviewed the Flic wi-fi sensible button, and now I’m pleased to have the possibility to check drive the Flic Starter Package that features the most recent model of the Flic buttons in addition to the Flic Hub Mini and the Flic Twist. It’s time to click on and twist our option to automation enjoyable!
What’s it?
The Flic Starter Package is all the pieces you want to simply management your sensible lights, set off routines, management music, snooze alarms, change voice instructions, and rather more. It’s actually as much as your individual creativeness what you are able to do with these bodily buttons.
What’s within the field?
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- 1 Flic Hub Mini
- 1 Flic Twist
- 3 Flic v2 buttons
- 1 Energy cable – USB Sort-C
- 2 AAA batteries for the Flic Twist
- Stickers
* the blue Flic button within the picture above shouldn’t be a part of the starter equipment. It was simply an authentic Flic button that they included in my equipment as a memento.
Design and options
You should utilize the Flic buttons by themselves or mix them with a Flic Twist and the Flic Hub Mini for extra vary, higher battery life, and superior management.
Flic buttons (v2)
On the most elementary degree, you’ve gotten the person Flic buttons. These small clickable buttons will be positioned round your own home and configured to carry out quite a lot of duties, from turning off sensible lights, sending a textual content message to somebody to allow them to know that you just bought residence safely, beginning an Alexa routine, media controller for Apple Music, and a lot extra.
Every Flic button has a sticker on the again that you need to use to connect to a wall or different floor. The buttons are powered with a CR2032 coin cell battery.
To make use of the Flic buttons, you’ll want to put in the Flic app in your telephone and arrange automation for one click on, double click on, and maintain actions. I used IFTTT to arrange an motion to textual content my telephone with the phrases “Completed consuming.” I exploit this so I can bear in mind to test my blood sugar 1 hour after I end consuming to test for a spike in my glucose.
It’s vital to notice that you will want to have your telephone close to the buttons to ensure that the actions to work because the buttons are paired to your telephone or the system that you just used to set them up utilizing the Flic app. If you would like to have the ability to use the buttons with out the unique paired system close by, you’ll want a Flic Hub.
Flic Hub Mini
The Flic Hub Mini is a small puck that’s really a mini pc that gives ultra-fast long-range communications (as much as 150 ft) with the Flic buttons and Flic Twist with out your telephone needing to be round.
The Flic Hub Mini makes use of 2.4 GHz WiFi and is powered with a USB-C cable. For those who want a extra superior hub that provides you SDK entry for much more superior programming and the power to attach utilizing 5Ghz, then you definitely’ll need to test the Flic Hub LR.
As of this writing, a few of the third occasion integrations that you need to use Flic with embrace LIFX, Nanoleaf, Philips hue, SONOS, SmartThings, Telldus, Spotify, Chromecast, Amazon Alexa, IFTTT, Zapier, Wemo, Slack, and extra. Subsequent yr (2024) Apple Homekit and Matter help shall be accessible.
Establishing the Flic Hub Mini is straightforward. All you need to do is add it to the Flic app in your cell system, after which you’ll be able to add the Flic buttons and the Flic Twist to the hub.
Flic Twist
The Flic Twist is like an outsized Flic button on steroids as a result of, along with with the ability to press, double press, and maintain the middle button to carry out completely different actions just like the Flic button, the Twist additionally means that you can… twist it AND twist and press concurrently for a complete of 4 completely different programmable automations.
The again of the Flic Twist has two detachable covers.
One of many covers is over a magnetic mount for wall mounting (or you need to use the included sticker), and the opposite one is the battery compartment (batteries are included).
There are two issues to pay attention to with the Flic Twist. The very first thing is that, in contrast to Flic buttons, the Flic Twist can’t be used and not using a hub (both the Flic Hub Mini or the Flic Hub LR).
The opposite factor to pay attention to is the twist operate of the Flic Twist can management lights to dim, improve, or lower coloration saturation or the colour of the sunshine bulbs. However this relies on the model of lights. On the time of this writing, it’ll work with Philips Hue lights, LIFX lights, and Ikea Dirigera lights, nevertheless it doesn’t work with my Sylvania LEDadvance lights. The twist operate may also management the amount of music performed by way of the SONOS audio system.
See it in motion
What I like
- It’s simpler than fumbling along with your telephone for app management or utilizing your voice
- Enjoyable to make use of
- It makes residence automation simple to arrange and use
- Lengthy battery life
What I’d change
- Add extra interactions for the Flic Twist’s twist operate
Ultimate ideas
If you wish to get into residence automation simply, take into account Flic buttons, Flic Twist, and one of many Flic hubs. They’re simple to arrange and straightforward to program, and you probably have the appropriate sensible residence merchandise in your house, you’ll be able to create very subtle routines with out breaking your mind or your pockets. Nonetheless, now that I consider it, it would break your pockets since you’ll have a lot enjoyable with these buttons that you’ll want to purchase extra sensible gear to make use of with them!
Value: $170.00
The place to purchase: Flic.io and a few gadgets are additionally accessible on Amazon
Supply: The pattern for this overview was supplied by Flic.
