Say hello to CubeSensors, sensitive little cubes that detect pretty much everything and tattle to your iPhone about it. The cubes are internet-connected, so you can get their information anywhere, any time.

The CubeSensors can measure temperature, humidity, noise, light, air quality and barometric pressure – that is, they can tell you everything about a room except for how it smells and tastes. The companion app (because there’s always a companion app) can give notifications triggered by any of the above conditions, or you can just check in to keep an eye on the ambience of a room over time.

The kits are either cheap or expensive depending on how you look at it. Two cubes will cost you $250 (four cubes will be $350), which is pricy for the home hacker, but nothing compared to fitting the place out with environmental sensors. Probably – I never bought any.

Surely these things will come into their own when they go on general sale in the summer, and nerds get a-hacking on them. Combined with things like IFTTT and the WeMo remote-controlled switch and you could have the coffee switch on when the sun comes up, or other neat but ultimately ill-though-through schemes (sunrise is clearly to early to be doing anything, let alone getting out of bed to drink coffee).

You can pre-order the cubes now, with a mere $10 deposit.

Source: CubeSensors