You left your phone in charge, but you have to work abroad (perhaps in his car) and you're expecting a very important email from Big Corporate Potential Employer.
There's no way you want to lose that email.
What you need is a solution and the LittleBits Smart Home Kit can help. We have already seen how it can help you turn on your lights remotely How to turn on your lights remotely with Cloudbit How to turn on your lights remotely with Cloudbit The littleBits smart home kit does more than just look pretty. It's a fully functional smart home solution. We can use the kit with a remote activated light switch with ease. Read More
The solution is simple in concept, and ingenious in execution. It's kind of a mix of the old outdoor telephone bell, mounted on the side of walls in industrial facilities, auto repair shops, bus stations, etc., and an IFTTT recipe.
In the middle of this is the LittleBits Smart Home Kit, specifically the USB Power, MP3 Player, cloudBit, and Synthesizer (also known as bits) modules. You'll also need some shoes (for the LittleBits, not your feet) and the USB power adapter, as well as a large external speaker.
However, before you begin, you'll need to choose how you want your very important message to be alerted.
You will need an MP3 file for the alert, so choose something suitable. It can be a heraldic chime, a guitar chord, or something else recognizable. Alternatively, you can opt for a pseudo AI solution, one that declares to everyone that "You have new mail."
But where can you find a suitable MP3 file? A web search should reveal sound clips and sound boards that you can use to download something suitable. If the clip is too long, use an MP3 trimmer tool, or even something a little more feature-packed like Audacity 7 Audacity Tips for Better Audio Editing on a Budget 7 Audacity Tips for Better Audio Editing In a budget Want to go beyond just cutting? Jobs and crops? Knowing just a few Audacity tips can make your audio editing much easier. Read More
Once done, copy the MP3 to the microSD card which should already be inserted into the MP3 player bit. This ejects with a push and pull spring system, and you'll probably need to insert it into a microSD card Get the most out of your MicroSD cards Get the most out of your MicroSD card adapter Read More . Copy the MP3 to the root directory of the microSD card and safely eject when finished. Do you really need to eject your flash drive (or device) before removing it? Do you really need to eject your flash drive (or device) before removing it? It is well known that USB flash drives need to be ejected before being removed. But do you really still need to do this? What happens if you don't? Read More
Next is the single bit. Place the USB Power Bits, CloudBit, MP3 Player, and Synth Speaker on a flat surface or work area, and plug them all in. Plug in the USB power cable and check that the MP3 player is working properly. You should find that the chosen MP3 plays; if not, make sure the player switch is set to Once Mode .
By now, cloudBit should be in sync with your local wireless network (see our review for more information on setting up CloudBit's LittleBits Smart Home Kit and Giveaway LittleBits Smart Home Kit is a set of magnetized modules that can be arranged to create simple circuits. Read More
This should make your LittleBits play the MP3, which you should be able to hear through the synth speaker.
Go to IFTTT.com and if you don't already have an account, sign up.
Next, open the IFTTT Gmail channel page and Connect to your IFTTT account. Follow this by adding this recipe for email alerts.
When an email arrives on your IFTTT-connected The Ultimate IFTTT Guide:Use the Web's Most Powerful Tool Like a Pro The Ultimate IFTTT Guide:Use the Web's Most Powerful Tool Like a Pro If this is that, aka as IFTTT is free Web-based service for your apps and devices to work together. Not sure how to build your applet? Follow along with this guide. Read More Try it out by first setting it up with an email from a secondary account to confirm that the MP3 plays.
Once you're done testing, replace with the email address you're expecting something important from.
You will no doubt have noticed that the MP3 player module is not loud enough to allow you to hear the external alert. You have two options here:take the littleBit project outside (ideal if you're within range of your wireless Internet connection), or plug in a speaker.
Naturally, you'll need speakers with a compatible jack, so if you don't have anything handy, use a standard surround sound or even PC speakers. Depending on the size, these can be hung from a window or even fixed to a wall. In fact, if you have a public address system that you have access to, you can even connect your littleBits smart home project to it...
Do you plan to build this entirely on top of the top email alert system? Let me know if you have any questions!
