For many countries in the develop world transition from analogue to digital broadcasting is either finish or in its final stages. While employees in one government department are praising the successes of switching over to digital broadcasting others are just rolling up their sleeves to start working on the smart meter switchover.  Like the broadcasting switchover the smart meter switchover will be digital except smart meter will be a more connected solution (end-to-end) involving the government, utility providers and us the consumer.

Comcast has launched a home monitoring and automation service for its Vermont customers.  Called the “Xfinity Home”, the service offers a range of security and energy management solutions, such as the ability to manage your thermostats remotely. In addition to asking your neighbour to keep an eye on your home while you are away, you can keep an eye on it as well.  Xfinity Home offers live video stream from your in home wireless cameras.

The annual Connected Home Global Summit and Awards Gala returns to London for its 4th and 2nd year.  The event offers visitor the opportunity to hear from those at the forefront of the connected home services sector first hand.  Speakers at this year’s summit include some of the UK’s and Europe’s leading service providers such as Vodafone, BBC, BT and Telefónica. The event is a mixture of presentations, panel discussions and breaks for you to network, allowing you to learn about the next generation of connected home solutions.

Burlington Electric Department (BED), a municipal department of the City of Burlington Vt., has selected Siemens for the sale and implementation of the eMeter EnergyIP meter data management (MDM) platform. BED and several other Vermont utilities worked together with the state of Vermont to secure Smart Grid Investment Grant funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

Trendnet has release a new 500Mbps Powerline AV Adapter with four integrated Gigabit ports.

HomePlug AV, HD-PLC and the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) have decided to create a unified front for the Powerline Communication (PLC) industry. The DLNA has decided to incorporate HomePlug AV and HD-PLC powerline networking standards into its new Networked Device Interoperability Guidelines due out later this year. Soon home devices that use powerline to communicating will carry the DLNA badge.

With an already establish line of smart grid aware home appliances GE has launch a new set of energy management solutions.  Based on the Brillion range of products, the new “Whole-Home Sensor”, “Smart Plug Control” and “Brillion Programmable Thermostat” will assist homes in monitoring and managing their energy use.  The different devices will work with GE’s Nucleus energy manager to give near real time energy information.

The wireless problems faced by M2M (Machine-to-Machine) service providers is soon to be a thing of the past, according to Xsilon.   The British based M2M solutions developer is promising a new M2M wireless communication platform that will resolve today’s wireless M2M communications issues. The solution is called HANADU and will allow service providers and equipment vendors to overcome wireless obstacles such as deadspots and difficulty penetrating outside walls.

Between the months of December and February electronics manufacturers release their latest and best innovations in whatever devices they make.  This is to capitalise on the Christmas spending and also to be a recipient of the CES Innovations award. The other reason and more so now than ever before more of us what to networked the devices in our home and the new year is a good time to make the investment. So I have made a list some of the best networking devices that have been released so far this year from the likes of Cisco, Netgear, Belkin, D-Link and many others.