Feature Request or Idea for the next gen Almond+:
Battery pack accessory or dock connector at back that allows a battery pack.
I am doing the equivalent now with a 12v Belkin power pack meant for AT&T U-Verse phones. It acts like a UPS for the Almond+ (helping keep my network alive during power failures). This is important for a system that gets relied on for home control/security/and status. Especially with battery powered (or backup) sensors. Without the controller it is useless.
Secondary benefit is for pairing equipment. I can walk around and go to wired in switches without long delays of powering off and back on. I disconnect power to the UPS, disconnect the wired Ethernet, walk over and deal with the pairing. Bring it back, reconnect, and usually everything is happy. Matter of a couple minutes. But the UPS I have is not super convenient. One that could be mounted (or act as a mount) for the Almond+ would be cleaner, easier, and nicer looking. If it had a dock connector on the back it would save having to run a power plug. It could even allow it to be smart about power failures and use them for rules.
Using the dock for primary power has three options for power failure detection:
1) Build some smarts into the pack and a couple extra pins for the dock. This allows the Almond+ to keep track and do some work with capacity, power failure, etc...
2) ZigBee capability. Have the battery pack provide data via ZigBee. Standard pairing, plugs into the regular plug. Not as clean but works (potentially) with even the existing Almond+ and 2015. I kind of like this idea in general.
3) Dumb pack. Does nothing but provide power. Requires a dock connector. But, you can plug in a regular barrel plug to the existing power. When that wall wart goes out but the pack stays on, you are on battery, power failure.
The more I think about it the more I like the ZigBee idea. But I like the thought of a clean, solid attachment and less wires.
