D-Link Smart Alarm Detector Gives Regular Smoke Alarms New Powers

Smart appliances are all the fad these days, and smart smoke and CO detectors have been one of the earliest to claim the IoT space. But not everyone has the budget, time, or skill to replace their perfectly working smoke and CO alarms. At the same time, homeowners might indeed want to be part of the smart home revolution. Is there a middle ground? D-Link is saying yes with its new mydlink Smart Alarm Detector, which gives those UL-certified alarms the ability to notify you of the situation on your smartphone, even if they themselves can't connect to the Internet.

How does D-Link do this seemingly magical feat? Like any good magic trick, it all involves misdirection. It is the mydlink Smart Alarm Detector itself that connects to your Wi-Fi network. The device, which should be plugged into an outlet not more than 50 feet away from the real alarm, will then listen for the telltale sounds of those alarms. In the event that those alarms are triggered, it will send a push notification to your smartphone. Pretty simple yet effective. At least in theory. Hopefully also in practice.

The mydlink Smart Alarm Detector isn't a one trick pony, however. It can be programmed to also listen for other sounds, like the doorbell or breaking glass. Aside from notifying you directly, it can also connect with other mydlink Connected Home devices, like a Smart Plug or a Home Caemera for example, to turn on the lights and let you see a live video feed in case of an emergency. With IFTTT integration, you can do even more, connecting it with literally dozens of devices and apps.

The mydlink Smart Alarm Detector will be available next quarter and will retail for only $59.99. D-Link promises that setup wil be easy, no extra hub required, and everything can be managd from the mydlink Home app, available for both iOS and Android.