Travel Product of the Week: Belkin WeMo Switch + Motion

Want to control your home lights and get motion detection notices from across the globe? Check out the Belkin WeMo Switch + Motion’s device ($79.99). I set this device up after the company’s PR department sent me a goody bag of Belkin products to try (others will be featured throughout the summer), and there are two parts to it:

The first is a sensor that plugs into an outlet and detects motion up to 10 feet away. If that’s not enough, you can connect an additional sensor that comes with it and has a 6-foot cord to give it greater reach. The sensor then wirelessly signals the second product, the WeMo Switch, which should be plugged into a separate outlet and have a device like a lamp, fan, heater, and stereo plugged into it.

Then, you download the free app, Android (4.0 and later) or Apple (iOS 5 or higher) and just like that you can use your phone or tablet to program and/or control the WeMo Switch remotely. That means you can have a light turn on or off when you walk into the house. Or use it to set schedules for home appliances like coffee makers.

What I like the most is that the device will send you notifications via email or text whenever motion is detected. Additional WeMo Switches are available for $49 for more control, and multiple switches can be linked to one sensor as well.

I just plugged mine in and so far I really like it. Have you used it? Do you agree that it’s a great device for travelers?