IFTTT 101: Intro for Beginners

The Internet of Things is upon us. As more and more electronic gadgets are invented each day, it would seem that our world should become simpler. However, sometimes the exact opposite is true. More gadgets and devices sometimes mean more things to keep an eye on. Good thing there is a web tool that can help us link all our Internet-connected things.

WTF is IFTTT?

IFTTT stands for If This Then That. You can easily remember or pronounce it with the word “gift.” Minus the “g” of course. Well, it is a gift indeed from co-founders Linden Tibbets and Jesse Tane, who envisioned a tool that makes our lives a little bit more convenient amidst multiple gadgets and gizmos.

IFTTT is a free web-based service that allows you to connect various devices and automate tasks between them. It also has a mobile app to automate everything from your favourite websites and apps to everything that is app-enabled, like accessories and smart devices like smart watches, etc.

What are Applets?

Users can create chains of simple conditional statement—hence the name IFTTT—which are set off based on certain conditions from other applications. These little codes are called “applets.” To date, there are hundreds of thousands of “Applets” and their combinations to make your life easier.

Applets examples

Let’s say you want to save photos of yourself to your DropBox when someone tags you in Facebook. Instead of you jumping into Facebook to look for those recent photos in your timeline you can automate that with an applet that directly sends that photo to your DropBox, ready for sharing, editing, etc.

Another great and useful example is for weather notifications. Let’s admit it. It’s tiring to keep looking at the weather forecast almost every single day. Why not automate that with IFTTT? With “applets” you can easily get mobile notifications reminding you to get your rain gear ready or to prepare your sunscreen if the following day would either be quite rainy or extra sunny with high UV ray index.

You can also use applets to turn on your Philips Hue smart lighting system, or perhaps turn on your music player of choice as well when you get home from work around sunset. Imagine coming home to a well-lighted house, with your favorite relaxing music filling the air. Hmmm…that’s living in the 21^st Century!

Endless possibilities

These are just a few of practical examples of what IFTTT and applets can do to more your day more convenient, efficient, and a whole lot of fun! Imagine the endless possibilities you can enjoy when you combine several applets or create your own. So be sure to check IFTTT out and get awesome ideas in this age of the Internet of things.

Offcloud: for you, wherever you are

Offcloud has plenty of other features to give you the convenience you need, no matter where you are. We can instantly fetch and download content from the web, allowing you to store it with us, or a cloud storage option of your choice. We offer you a secure place to backup your items, files, software packages and entertainment too – allowing you to access the things you need wherever you are.