Skip to main content

Skylink Group’s Nova smart garage door controller syncs with Amazon Alexa

SK - NOVA Garage
Image used with permission by copyright holder
From the connected oven in your kitchen to the talking dryer in your laundry room, just about every corner of your home has entered the 21st century. Your garage, on the other hand, may seem a few decades behind. Sure, it houses your decidedly modern cars (perhaps those are connected as well), but for the most part, it seems as though smart home technology hasn’t quite made it to that area of property. Skylink Group, however, is looking to change that. At CES 2018, the company debuted the Nova, a Wi-Fi enabled, universal garage door controller said to sync across all connected home accessories, and be compatible with Amazon Alexa.

Perhaps the most appealing thing about the Nova is that you ought to be able to retrofit it directly onto most garage door controllers in existence, which means you won’t need to rewire your entire home simply to add this one smart home accessory to the mix. Simply access the SkylinkNet iOS or Android app, and get to work pairing it with the controller you’re used to using.

Recommended Videos

From there, you’ll be able to remotely open or close your garage door using the Skylink app. Nova is also compatible with the If This Then That (IFTTT) platform and Alexa Voice Services, which means you can control your garage door and a host of other connected devices all at once, and using your voice.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

The Nova itself doubles as an LED light fixture, and claims to detect alarms from smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home. Anytime one of these alarms sounds, Nova will automatically open your garage door to aid in ventilation in the case of an emergency.

Promising minimal wiring for an efficient and safe installation and setup process, the Nova seeks to fit quite seamlessly into any garage.

“With the Nova, we are providing homeowners with a smart hub that can control a majority of smart home accessories on the market, while offering an added safety solution to ensure the safety of families across the globe,” said Skylink Group president Gallen Tsui. “The built-in sound detector will revolutionize the way we view the smart home — what was once an extraneous function of the home will now be considered an essential.”

Nova will sell for $100 when it becomes available at the Skylink website in spring 2018.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
This $4,000 smart door comes packing a Ring video doorbell and Yale smart lock
The Masonite Smart Door installed on a home.

Smart home gadgets span a wide range of categories. From video doorbells and robot vacuums to outdoor cameras and smart speakers, smart gadgets can be found in all corners of the modern home. Now, thanks to Home Depot, you can now snag the first residential smart door -- and it features a built-in Yale smart lock and Ring video doorbell.

Before you rush out to your local Home Depot, it’s worth noting that this futuristic smart door comes with a hefty price tag of $4,000. Multiple styles are available, including two different sizes and additional sidelites, and depending on your configuration, its price can balloon to an eye-watering $7,000.

Read more
GE Lighting launches Smart Hexagon Panels with support for Alexa and Google Home
The GE Lighting Smart Hexagon Panels installed in a game room.

Cync by GE Lighting has officially launched the Dynamic Effects Smart Hexagon Panels, making it the latest member of the ever-growing Dynamic Effects family. Compatible with both Alexa and Google Home, the panels are designed to offer a highly programmable lighting solution for home theaters, game rooms, or anywhere else in your home that might benefit from a pop of color.

The Hexagon Panels clock in at $190 for a pack of 10 -- putting them above similar products from Govee and other lighting brands. However, the GE Lighting panels are well specced, featuring 16 million colors, six controllable zones within each hexagon, and directional control for music and light shows. If you don’t want to create your own light shows, you can choose from a list of pre-built options.

Read more
What is Amazon Alexa, and what can it do?
Echo 4th Gen speaker on table.

Amazon Alexa is an interactive voice assistant that can check the weather, launch your favorite playlist, and everything in between. Alexa can be found on most Amazon products, including the new Echo Pop, the iconic Echo Dot, and even a variety of smart thermostats, soundbars, lamps, and more. Aside from taking basic commands from you, Alexa can also dish out commands to the rest of your connected smart home -- making it easy to streamline your life.

Interested in learning more about Amazon Alexa? Then you’re in the right place. Here’s a closer look at where Alexa comes from, how it works, where it got its name, and just about everything else you’d want to know about the popular voice assistant and smart home savant.
Who/what is Alexa?

Read more