Both kits retrofit your existing blinds, though Move works with shades and vertical blinds, too, as long as they have a cord. Move is a white rectangle with a motor that works via Bluetooth. Stick it on the way and insert the cord, and it can open or close the blinds, either based on a timer or controlled by your smartphone. It can run on AAA batteries or an included solar panel. It’s a pretty bulky addition if you’re going to have them on every single window in your house.
The iBlinds is a little more discrete, as it’s hidden behind the Venetian blinds, but it definitely seems to take longer to install. You have to remove the blinds, take out the tilting mechanism and rod, put the motor into the headrail, install the rechargeable battery, then put the tilt rod back in. This device works with Z-Wave, which means it work with compatible products but also requires a controller.
You can snag the Move for as little as $29, while the iBlinds have a few early bird options left for $69.
If you’ve ever shopped around for high-end home automation products, you know that automated blinds are often part of the package. Neither of these options is the first to market with a less expensive product. For example, Tilt My Blinds was another Kickstarter project that was funded last year, and Rise, which was on Indiegogo, is designed for shades with chains. None of these products are without flaws; they won’t work with many types of curtains, for example. Still, until we get our own Amelia Bedelia, we’ll have to muddle through with technology.
Update August 12: Updated to reflect that Move works with vertical blinds.
