![]() While this hub migration capability may sound like a trivial and necessary feature, it is something that SmartThings Hub users have been clamoring for for years now. Since I did not have a current Wink setup, I was unable to test this capability, but initial user reports appear to indicate that this feature works well. I was impressed with how easy it was to connect the hub to my Wi-fi network thanks to the hub’s auto-discovery feature, which eliminates the old-school and arduous manual task of first joining your mobile device to a local hub network before proceeding with Wi-Fi configuration.įor existing first generation Wink hub users, the Wink app can automatically transfer existing smart products, automations, and personal settings from the original device to the Wink Hub 2, in a matter of minutes. Initial set-up requires that you download the Wink mobile app via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and connect your hub to your home network either directly via its ethernet port or via Wi-Fi. My primary reasons were twofold, and had little to do with the impressive technical features of the device itself: I was very pleased however in September when Flex unveiled the all-new Wink Hub 2. Arguably, at that acquisition price, Flex’s intention could have been to cut investment and focus solely on squeezing out profits from continued sales, while putting the Wink platform on a slow death march. Flex acquired the Wink platform for $15 million in November 2015 from the invention incubation company Quirky, two months after Quirky filed for chapter 11. The question I was hoping to answer with this review is whether or not the Wink Hub 2 could be the best choice for some – or even most user’s home automation and control needs.Īnd spoiler alert – the answer is a resounding maybe.Īlong with many other home automation enthusiasts, I have been waiting to see how the American-based international electronics manufacturing giant Flex (formerly Flextronics) would approach the Wink product line. By most accounts, Flex had put together a solid offering with this product. ![]() I must admit, before I even opened the box to this next generation Wink Hub 2, I had high hopes for the device. While there are a multitude of central controllers out there from which to choose, the original Wink hub has consistently been on my short list of recommended hubs – particularly for those with less patience for instabilities and arcane setup procedures and who are willing to forgo support for the latest bleeding edge peripheral devices. The idea of a smart home is as exciting to some as it is frustrating to others.
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