Rachio launched a new version of its sprinkler controller, which lets homeowners manage their irrigation systems from their smartphones and computers.
“By extending the smart home into the yard, we’ve helped people conserve more than 500 million gallons of water since our launch in 2012,” said Chris Klein, CEO and cofounder of Rachio. “With the release of Generation 2, our mission is to help users save more than one billion gallons of water in 2016. Generation 2 builds upon the success of our flagship Iro model by providing more user-friendly functionality and sprinkler control, further empowering Rachio owners to take control of their landscaping via any smart mobile device.”
The cloud-based and Wi-Fi-connected controller is designed to analyze recent and upcoming weather, humidity levels, soil types and lawn conditions and adapt to each individual yard, the company said.
Generation 2 is compatible with smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers. The free Rachio app is available for download on iTunes and Google Play, as well as at Rachio.com.
Generation 2 can water up to 16 zones. New features include additional sensor options; customized enclosure; LED lights to provide status alerts; manual controls on the box; and a reduced MSRP of $249. The company also updated the set-up process in an effort to make it more user friendly.
The product can save homeowners up to 30 percent off their monthly water bill, according to Rachio, and users could qualify for WaterSense rebates through the EPA.
Rachio is compatible with Nest, Alexa, Xfinity, Alarm.com, Control4, Creston, IFTTT, Nexia and Wink.
