Wink Hub 2 is faster than ever, supports 6 wireless standards

The new Wink Hub places an emphasis on security and has eight times more RAM than the first-generation version.

When Quirky filed for bankruptcy in 2015, some were concerned about the fate of Wink, a popular smart home hub. It seems Wink was too good to die, though. It was purchased by Flextronics and that company has now released the Wink Hub 2, a more refined product with a minimalist design. It looks more like a router designed by Apple or Google, but this style of nondescript technology with hidden antennas is fashionable these days and looks good pretty much anywhere in the home.

Like the previous generation, Wink Hub 2 supports several different smart home standards, including Bluetooth LE, Kidde, Lutron Clear Connect, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave and ZigBee. To ensure the security of the device, it includes cryptographic verification to make sure the software wasn't tampered with. Unfortunately for tinkering techies, this means third-party software likely won't work, but they’re not the target consumers for Wink.

Wink Hub 2 has 512MB of RAM, which is eight times more than its predecessor. The company also says it has a more powerful dual-band Wi-Fi radio and automation features scheduling and robots, allowing actions to take place at a certain time of day or to be triggered from another device. This might justify the extra $30 for the newer Wink Hub 2, which sells for $99. The company is keeping the Wink Hub 1 available for $69.

China manufacturers are taking note of the popularity of smart home gateways, as well. Between January and August, listings for these products increased 88 percent on Global Sources and continued to climb into September. The key to success, though, besides popularity is making sure all the popular wireless standards are supported, something Wink was sure not to ignore.