Around this time last year, I had a set of Decalu88 aluminium bi-folding doors installed at my home, with W Smart System Uni-Blinds kindly provided by Morley Glass. After a year of using the W Smart System, this is what I think of them.
W Smart System: simple automation
Whenever it comes to “smart” products, whether it’s door locks in this industry, nifty smart fridges and TVs, phones, or anything else that is designed to enhance the quality of a product, it is the ease and simplicity that is the measure of how successful that product is.
The W Smart System blinds by Morley Glass are indeed just that, easy and simple. Instead of the traditional pull cord or slider method of lifting the blinds up and down and closing them, the W Smart System uses integrated electronics within the sealed unit. There are no mains required as the unit is powered by a small solar unit on the external face of the unit.
Installation is pretty simple. You connect the wiring that comes with the W Smart System to the touch pads, which are one of two methods of operation, and away you go. You may need to charge the touch pads at the beginning of the installation to give them some extra oomph before the solar panels can do their thing. But once you have them working you’re set.
The W Smart System comes with two ways of operation. The first, as I just mentioned, are the touch pads which are attached to the door or window frame and can come in a variety of colours. The second option is a programmable small remote which allows you to fully control the blinds and various functions. It’s very simple to pair the remote to the blinds and I have found that this is the main way I use the blinds, rather than using the touchpads.
I chose White blinds, but as always with Morley Glass, there is a wide choice of colours to suit all types of home décor.
Using the W Smart System Uni-Blinds® is a very straightforward process and fits right into our morning routine at home. As you may have seen a year ago when I was tweeting progress on the bi-folding door installation, we were removing a pair of French doors and side lights that were of very questionable quality. Now, we have the three-section bi-folds installed, letting more light into the Kitchen, and we use the blinds for privacy during the night. We get up each morning, I go downstairs to make breakfast and go straight to the remote to lift the blinds up. Within a minute the blinds are pulled all the way to the top by the time my coffee is just about finished. My toddler son does enjoy watching them climb up the glass inside! Then on an evening, we use the remote again to drop the blinds and obtain privacy when we want it.
Things to know
If you’re going to choose the W Smart System over other options for Uni-Blinds® then there are a few things I would point out.
The first is speed. These are automated blinds so they do take a short period of time to lift to the top. Windows will obviously take a lot less time than bi-folds. Mine takes less than a minute to rise to the top, which in the grand scheme of things is no time at all and just about allows you to get the coffee sorted first thing in the morning.
The second is the sun. The W Smart System is solar powered. The small black panels that face the outside are what charge the operation of the blinds. We live in England, and sometimes, believe it or not, it’s not sunny. If there is a prolonged period then it may be the case that you have to give the touch pads a small little boost every now and then. Again, not a big deal. They come with a USB port and cable so it’s very convenient to do.
The third is the sound. These are automated blinds and so you will hear the blinds going up and down. It’s not loud, you do know that
they’re there but if the trade-off is hearing the blinds for added automation then I’ll take it.
The fourth is that the W Smart System is soon going to be upgraded to become app-controlled and also link to smart home systems. So you’ll soon be able to ask Alexa to open or close your smart blinds. That’s cool.
The W Smart System is naturally more expensive than the manual systems, but if the blinds are going to be used on a daily basis, as I do with mine at home, and it integrates into other smart tech systems in your home, and the blinds will be in a position to take advantage of the sun, then they are worth it in my opinion.
Find more info on the W Smart System here: https://www.morleyglass.co.uk/w-swipe-system/
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