The Plugable Home Automation Switch had an easy to use python library so I combined it with a $9 CHIP dev board and a button to demonstrate simple on/off control of the outlet with the button.
The outlet is on whenever the button is pressed and will be turned off when the button is released. The python script must be run on the device after the outlet is plugged in.
I haven't tried it, but this switch looks like it might work as well. Monoprice used to sell a rebranded version (product id 10530) but it appears to be gone from their site.
Follow the instructions at the following repositories to install the required dependencies:
CHIP GPIO library: https://github.com/xtacocorex/CHIP_IO
Plugable Library: https://github.com/bernieplug/plugable-btaps
For the impatient and those feeling lucky here are summarized instructions:
# Install plugable-btaps sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install python-bluez
sudo apt-get install python-pip
sudo pip install plugable-btaps# Install CHIP_IO
cd ~
sudo apt-get install git build-essential python-dev python-pip flex bison -y
git clone https://github.com/atenart/dtc
cd dtc
make
sudo make install PREFIX=/usr
cd ..
git clone git://github.com/xtacocorex/CHIP_IO.git
cd CHIP_IO
sudo python setup.py install
cd ..
sudo rm -rf CHIP_IO
Once the dependent libraries are installed place outletcontrol.py on your CHIP (we'll use /home/chip/outletcontrol.py).
Connect a button to the GND and XIO-P1 pins on your CHIP.
Following the Setup instructions you should have CHIP_IO and Plugable BTAPS libraries installed and outletcontrol.py should be on your CHIP (/home/chip/outletcontrol.py).
To execute it just do
sudo python outletcontrol.py 00:00:00:00:00:00
with 00:00:00:00:00:00 replaced with the address of your plug. When you press the button the outlet should turn on and then turn off again when the button is released.
Edit /etc/rc.local and add the following before the exit 0 that should already exist in the file:
python /home/chip/outletcontrol.py 00:00:00:00:00:00 &
Make sure to replace 00:00:00:00:00:00 with the address of your plug. (Also make sure to include the & at the end of the line)