The Premise. The smart home comes with a wealth of benefits in terms of automation, convenience and control. Maybe one of the more overlooked benefits of a connected home network is the ability for appliances and items to act as a watch dog for the home, reporting any unusual behavior to owners in a timely fashion so that the security of the home is never breached.
The Product. The latest entrant into the field of home automation, pēq, promises the combination of control and security that a smart home should provide. With a starter kit hub that comes with window and door sensors to detect any entrance into the home and report it to a smartphone, tablet or computer, pēq relies on connected objects to create and interact with data in real-time. With a connected camera, motion sensing can take pictures of any guests, whether wanted or unwanted. This same connectivity can be applied to lights, thermostats, even water fixtures.
The Pitch. The promotional video for pēq offers up a bright, whimsical 8-bit retro game motif while explaining the numerous benefits of having one in the home. Unfortunately, this is counter-balanced by the website offering almost no information at all beyond what the video presents and pre-ordering information. In order to even pre-order, one has to enter their full name and email address to gain entry to the device’s Early Access program.
The Perks. Those who pre-order can get a pēq Starter Kit with two sensors for just $49.99, or for some extra security, those who pay the full retail $149 price tag will receive a free camera to connect to their pēq. The pēq service will then have a monthly fee of $9.99 to have maximum functionality.
The Potential. It goes without saying that there have been numerous similar devices put out on the market before, even those that blend automation with security like pēq promises to do. That being said, it really merits more information from the creators to differentiate their product from its competitors. The price tag is high enough that it’s hard to make an impulse purchase on, let alone subscribe to a monthly fee to continue using. Based on the quality of its presentation, it’s easy to feel inclined to give pēq the benefit of the doubt, but for a pre-order crowdfunding campaign there has to be an established level of trust between buyer and seller. With pēq there just isn’t enough public information yet available to inspire confidence in backing it.