Crestron Adds Hard Buttons to iPad

September 16, 2010 Ruslan Ulanov 0

Wow, it has finally happened! Now, let’s start from the beginning… iPhones, iPod Touch and iPads are great multi-purpose devices. They are also great for remotely controlling almost anything in your home – televisions, lights, HVAC, and much much more (see our extensive apps list). But all these great (and rather expensive) devices are missing a very basic feature that any regular (even the cheapest) IR remote has – hard buttons that you can push without glancing at the screen. Crestron fixes that problem with it’s iPanel – which snaps over iPad’s screen and adds a total of 13(!) hardware buttons: […]

How to automate your… balcony

June 28, 2010 Ruslan Ulanov 0

Now, this is an original concept! Actually, this is no longer a concept, this product is already in production (in The Netherlands only, for now). I’m talking here about a ‘balcony-on-demand’ from Dutch company called Bloomframe. This product transforms your window frame into a full-sized balcony, capable of holding a whole bunch of grown-up dudes (see photos below).

MobiLinc update adds support for SmartLinc controller

May 21, 2010 Ruslan Ulanov 0

Mobile Integrated Solutions has just released version 2.14 of their MobiLinc Pro software for iPhone and iPod Touch. The major feature of this update is that it adds support for Smarthome’s low-cost SmartLinc INSTEON Central Controller (2412N). Previously, MobiLinc supported only Universal Devices’ ISY 26/99i and PowerLinc 2414 controllers. The new update also polishes some GUI issues and ISY communication when switching from EDGE/3G to WiFi connection.

People Power brings Skynet one step closer

May 14, 2010 Ruslan Ulanov 0

People Power, a green-tech start-up based in the heart of the Silicon Valley, recently introduced a kit it calls SuRF, for Sensor Ultra-Radio Frequency. SuRF helps connect household appliances and gadgets to a wireless network in your house. “What that means is that you could monitor your microwave, Playstation and coffee machine in real time, check their levels of energy consumption, and make apps to control how they behave. Ultimately, that could lead to substantial savings of energy and money” writes Wired. Or it could lead to a self-aware network of gadgets that will try to take you (the owner) out […]

TouchLinc controller reincarnated

March 23, 2010 Ruslan Ulanov 0

Remember that touchscreen from a decade ago, called TouchLinc? It was one of the few affordable X10 touchscreen controllers at the time. It had black and white screen and three hardwired connections: power, PC Serial port (for programming) and 4-conductor telephone cable to your powerline interface. Guess what? Smarthome is releasing an updated wireless version pretty soon (expected in stock 5/18/2010). Yes, of course it will support INSTEON, and to accomplish that you will have to have a SmartLinc (aka 2412N) controller in your set-up. So, what’s new?

Onzo unveils appearance of unique energy management tool

December 21, 2009 Ruslan Ulanov 2

Onzo, the global designer of domestic energy management systems, today reveals the images of the hardware components of its smart energy kit; the display and sensor. These will provide consumers with an unprecedentedly wide range of compelling information to help them understand and manage their energy use. The sensor measures and stores data on household energy use, and securely transmits this wirelessly to the in-home display. Commenting on the release of the images, Joel Hagan, Chief Executive of Onzo said: “We are delighted we can now share the appearance of our first products. Their combination of usefulness, ease of installation […]

Smarthome Introduces New ApplianceLinc INSTEON Outdoor Plug-In On/Off Appliance Module

November 23, 2009 Ruslan Ulanov 0

Smarthome™ Introduces New ApplianceLinc™ INSTEON® Outdoor Plug-In On/Off Appliance Module Irvine, CA – November 23, 2009 – Smarthome announces the release of the new ApplianceLinc INSTEON Outdoor Plug-In On/Off Appliance Module. The new INSTEON product not only allows for remote On/Off control of lights and appliances, it has also been tested and rated for outdoor use, offering protection against precipitation and extreme temperatures. “This product is expected to arrive just in time for the holidays,” commented Laurie Maroni, Vice President of Marketing at Smarthome. “INSTEON users can now remotely control outdoor holiday lights, landscape lighting, fountain pumps and other high-wattage […]

Smarthome Introduces LampLinc INSTEON Plug-In Dual-Band Lamp Module

November 16, 2009 Ruslan Ulanov 0

Smarthome™ Introduces New LampLinc™ INSTEON® Plug-In Dual-Band Lamp Module Irvine, CA – November 16, 2009 -Smarthome announces the release of the new LampLinc INSTEON Plug-In Dual-Band Lamp Dimmer Module. The new product is a full-featured plug-in dimmer than can be remotely controlled by powerline and radio frequency (RF) INSTEON controllers and also doubles as an Access Point, relaying RF and powerline signals to other INSTEON-compatible devices. “Our new Dual-Band LampLinc Dimmer continues our efforts to provide our INSTEON customers with the most complete and reliable home automation network on the market,” commented Laurie Maroni, Vice President of Marketing at Smarthome. […]

I/O Linc – INSTEON Morning Industry Lock Control Kit

October 14, 2009 Ruslan Ulanov 1

Irvine, CA – Smarthome announced the release of the new I/O Linc – INSTEON Morning Industry Lock Control Kit today. The kit, which includes two I/O Lincs and a Morning Industry RF Remote Control Key Fob, allows users to activate the locking mechanism of Morning Industry RF deadbolts and/or doorlocks (sold separately) via radio frequency (RF) to lock or unlock their door from any INSTEON controller.

Indigo 4.1.0 Home Automation Server Gets Released

September 30, 2009 Ruslan Ulanov 0

Perceptive Automation today announced release of the new version of company’s home automation software Indigo 4.1.0. The new version adds support for PowerLinc Modem (2412U/2412S, aka PLM) in addition to PowerLinc Controller (2414U, aka PLC). The PLM includes the ability to use extended INSTEON commands which can be used to control advanced functionality of newer INSTEON products. The PLM syncs INSTEON links significantly faster than the PLC. The new PRO version of the software also provides a way to create complex conditionals through embedded AppleScript. See the long list of General Improvements after the break.

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