Ever wish you could use your iPad to control your electrical outlets and your thermostat? Now you can, thanks to People Power's Energy Services platform. I took in a demo of the Energy Services Platform at CES 2012. A Monster Cable PowerCenter was being controlled by People Power's iOS app (also available for Android) running on an iPad. The app lets you control power outlets, allowing you to save money and conserve electricity. Check out the photos of the demo below.
The app also works with select thermostats, which is both practical and convenient. You can use People Power to make sure the heat or air conditioning is off when nobody is home. You can also use it to make sure your house or apartment is nice and toasty or cool and crisp the second you arrive home. Personally, I would use it to mess with people, switching the thermostat from hot to cold several times a day...though I suppose that defeats the environmentally-friendly point of the People Power platform.
The app's interface on the iPad couldn't be simpler. Everything was easy to use and set up. The company's co-founder and CTO told me that People Power kits featuring the Monster Cable outlets will be coming out shortly and available in bundles, depending on how many outlets people require.
I'm totally digging the environmentally-friendly ecosystem People Power has created. It's awesome to see technology used to help people save money and help conserve power. Many of us dream about controlling the world with our iPads. A few outlets and a thermostat is a good (and green!) start.
