Belkin Releases WeMo Switch Home Remote Control

Among the home networking companies, Belkin has indeed become a household name. While most people might only think of Belkin as dealing with devices such as wireless routers and the like, the company is now getting into home networking in a brand new way, as it continues an expansion geared toward making the company that much stronger.

Belkin has released the WeMo switch which will allow people to control all kinds of different devices in their home by using their iPhone (News - Alert) or iPad.

Belkin has taken their expertise in routers and Wi-Fi networks to a new level with the release of this device. While the company is also strengthening its standing in the traditional market of routers and that ilk, it’s clearly also looking to stake out a new claim by using the technology in a way that could catch on quite easily.

The Belkin WeMo does limit itself in that it is only compatible with devices that run iOS 5 or later, so you’re out of luck if you have an older iDevice or an Android (News - Alert) gadget.

The device looks fairly simple at first glance: you simply plug the WeMo into an outlet and then plug anything in your house into the WeMo switch. Depending on how many things you can route through the switch, you could certainly turn on or turn off every item in a room.

Using the completely free application download that comes with the device, you can access the WeMo from anywhere through your Wi-Fi network. You can manually shut your lamps and television off and turn them on using the app, or set them on a timer for those days when you’re going out of town.

There’s also a motion sensor setting that will have things turn on when you walk into the room.

The WeMo switch is available at most electronic device retailers, and has an MSRP of $49.99.