Detroit Folks - Electric Usage App

[rcpratt]

I know we have a good few Detroit-area people around here, so I wanted to share a new app that I found quite interesting and useful. I figure it will appeal to the technically inclined crowd here. I know I love my home automation type apps. This pairs perfectly with something like Nest, for example.

It's called "DTE Insight," available on iPhones and Android devices. The core functionality is to provide detailed electricity usage details via your home's smart meter. Most of the homes in the Detroit area have smart meters these days. The displays are pretty well done.

You can also request something called an "energy bridge," which is a device that essentially connects your smart meter directly to your WiFi network to to allow real-time and more refined (minutely) data. I don't have one (yet?), but that would make it even more amazing.

The iPhone version also has the ability to do a "power scan" of most any cord to perform a Kill A Watt type function. I tested it on a few of my devices and it seems pretty accurate.

Overall, it's the first kind of thing I've seen like this. I love playing with it, I'm such a child.

 

[rcpratt]

Hello Monday morning crowd :whiste:

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[PliotronX]

Looks kinda cool, like a KillAWatt for the household

 

[NutBucket]

I'm guessing most utilities will have something similar once smart meters are rolled out fully. I just love how tin-hat folks worry about RF waves. Yeah, because, you know, there aren't any other RF waves floating around......

 

[rcpratt]

I'm guessing most utilities will have something similar once smart meters are rolled out fully. I just love how tin-hat folks worry about RF waves. Yeah, because, you know, there aren't any other RF waves floating around......

People will complain about anything. They keep holding their phones to their faces.

It's definitely relatively basic compared to some of the home automation/observation stuff out there, but big utilities move slowly

 

[NoCreativity]

You must be a shill for DTE

Just heard a commercial on the radio this morning for the app. Looks interesting. Will have to test it out sometime.

 

[Train]

Finally!

Was surprised at how little info was available once my smart meter was installed. I was expecting a data miners wet dream of data but no, just a daily bar graph.

Granted, their website has gotten better. This app is long overdue

 

[Imp]

I would prefer a separate device like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Line-Inno...dp/B0028LS5GA/

Too bad the reviews aren't that positive. And it seems a bitch to hook-up. Maybe I should just get another tablet.

 

[rcpratt]

You must be a shill for DTE

Just heard a commercial on the radio this morning for the app. Looks interesting. Will have to test it out sometime.

I may or may not work for the company, but I honestly am just a big nerd and think it's cool. Had nothing to do with it.

 

[xBiffx]

Does it include ways to pay your bill? Seems that's what's really missing when it comes to Detroit utilities after all.

Still, as a nerd, I say this is cool.

 

[Train]

I know a few people who work/ed for DTE

They have a respectable software dev group. Not what you would typically expect from a public utility that has little incentive to give better service.

 

[rcpratt]

I know a few people who work/ed for DTE

They have a respectable software dev group. Not what you would typically expect from a public utility that has little incentive to give better service.

Looks like some company Vectorform in Royal Oak did some of the development too.

 

[Train]

Looks like some company Vectorform in Royal Oak did some of the development too.

Lol I should have known. I work for a spin off of VF

 

[iamwiz82]

Very cool app. I like DTE quite a bit. They certainly are on the ball when it comes to technology.

 

[utahraptor]

I will decline a smart meter if given the option. If someone you pay for a service asks you if you want to do something out of the blue chances are it's better for them than for you.

 

[EvilYoda]

A good friend of mine works for DTE and has been talking about the smart meters and associated hardware/software for a while now...pretty cool to see it in use. He flies to IBM every few months to see what kind of use DTE could find with Watson.

 

[rcpratt]

I will decline a smart meter if given the option. If someone you pay for a service asks you if you want to do something out of the blue chances are it's better for them than for you.

Of course it's good for them. Imagine operating a business where you don't know exactly how much of your product is being consumed by your customers at any given time. All you get is a single data point per customer once a month. And you're paying employees to go out and manually gather that data point.

Or you can have smart meters automatically provide everything, real-time and detailed historical data. Now you can better forecast your demand, improve outage management, and improve customer service (and overall efficiency) by providing cool apps. Tough call.

Opting out of a smart meter is a $67 one-time fee plus $10/mo fee for a meter read around here. I think most states are similar.

 

[boomerang]

My wife has bought into the anti-smart meter hype which is no suprise. If they get around to installing them out here I imagine we're going to have a bit of a battle her and I. But, heh-heh, we just bought a condo in FL and have a smart meter there. I haven't broken the news to her yet...

 

[PliotronX]

My wife has bought into the anti-smart meter hype which is no suprise. If they get around to installing them out here I imagine we're going to have a bit of a battle her and I. But, heh-heh, we just bought a condo in FL and have a smart meter there. I haven't broken the news to her yet...

 

[Gunbuster]

I will decline a smart meter if given the option. If someone you pay for a service asks you if you want to do something out of the blue chances are it's better for them than for you.

Oh noes, do you have an full supply of aluminum foil to shield you from the dastardly smart meter cancer rays of your neighbors too?