Alexa, put up the blinds!
For months, eager customers have been waiting for new store-delivered smart blinds from IKEA, and now reports today show these products, named “Fyrtur” are hitting stores.
“If you’re interested in picking up a set for yourself, you can check Ikea’s website to see if your local store has any in stock, although some Reddit users have recommended calling the store to ask about the model number directly, as the website doesn’t list all the sizes yet,” writes Chaim Gartenberg at The Verge today. “According to Thomas, Ikea’s smart blinds are one of the best options around for adding motorized shades to your home, given the relatively low cost compared to other options and simple setup process.”
There are some current limitations on getting these smart home products into your property: customers can’t order online, or cut the range of available sizes down.
Various smart home support kits still aren’t here, either, although Ikea says they’re coming soon.
Unlike prior offerings, customers are excited about the fact that IKEA’s Fyrtur smart blinds work right out of the box, without requiring professional installation.
There’s an easy hand remote, and flexible options, including timers.
One enthusiast wrote about Fyrtur earlier this month, noting some delay in bringing these innovations to market:
“Window shades rising with the dawn and lowering at sunset is the pinnacle of the modern home. Unfortunately, smart blinds are very expensive. I know this, because five years ago I paid way too much for a professionally installed pair. That’s all about to change now that Ikea has launched its first blinds in a bid to democratize the smart home,” wrote Thomas Ricker, also at The Verge, October 3. “We first heard about Ikea’s smart blinds in January. Since then, they’ve had a couple of false starts. They were promised for a US release on October 1st but they’ve since been delayed again, even though they’re now available in Canada. Whenever they do arrive, I can assure you that they’ll be worth the wait.”
Ricker provides a personal anecdote on how to use these smart home products to block out nosy neighbors without completely shutting out light from a stairwell.
“I’ve been wanting to cover one particular window with a smart blind for years but the cost was too prohibitive,” Ricker writes. “See, the window in question lights a stairwell during the day but lets a rather nosey neighbor peer directly into my office at night. It’s already fitted with an Ikea blind that I usually forget to lower to the delight of the creep across the way. No more.”
We’re getting closer to the overall goal of cheap and easy home automation, as products like these become more widely available to a larger class of customers.
Next time you’re in IKEA eating Swedish meatballs, take a look at the window section to find these convenient options.
