Technology startup Tado has launched its internet-connected home thermostat. The now device is operated by an app on your smartphone and reacts to the weather forecasts to change your indoor climate. You home heating system is connected to Tado via the app on our phone and unlike traditional thermostats; Tado does not have knobs, buttons, or even a display.
Sony is known for their ability to create great home entertainment systems and Control4 is known for their home management and automation products. Now both companies have merged their technologies to create the world’s first range of AV Receivers with built-in home automation capabilities. The new models of Sony ES receivers (STR-DA5800ES and STR-DA2800ES) will work seamlessly with Control4’s systems and at the same time offers full 4K resolution viewing experience with 9.2 channel surround sound.
Artefact has developed a new dashboard for our automated home, which has received a 2012 RedDot award for design concept. The new e-ink tablet reacts to its environment by changing its display. The screen is reactive and every piece of data you see is touchable and relevant to the tablet’s current location.
Comcast has announced the completion of its launch of Xfinity Home across the company's West Virginia service area. Xfinity Home offers traditional home security components, like police and fire alarm protection backed by 24/7 professional monitoring, as well as the ability to remotely adjust digital thermostats, turn lights on or off and watch secure live streaming video from wireless cameras while away from home. The service also comes with the Xfinity Home app, which is available for free on Apple's iTunes App Store and Google Play for Android.
Texas based Ube has released a new iPhone and Android app that can control over 200 IP based smart home appliances. The new app according to Ube will supplement and in some case replace the other control devices, such as smart TVs, set top boxes, AV receivers, DVD players, thermostats, garage door openers and more.
At this year’s PT/Expo Comm in China, Marvell Showcased and demonstrated an array of Smart home solutions including Android TV, LED lighting, home cloud solutions and G.hn reference designs. The electronic company said it wants to work with local operators to integrate today’s three key platforms: Cloud, Smart TV and Smart mobile.
Marvell said they now offers a comprehensive suite of high performance video delivery solutions and a range of mobile and smart home devices to support the always-connected lifestyle.
On the card at this week’s SmartHomes 2012 conference in Amsterdam is the showcasing of a new set-top box home automation solution from DSP Group and Comigo. Both companies have joined their respective technologies to develop the solution based on DECT Ultra Low Energy (ULE) technology.
DSP and Comigo believe that home automation is a natural extension of home entertainment, and the integration of the two technologies will enable consumers to control and monitor the entire home from the comfort of the living room with Comigo's hybrid set-top box.
For this year's Broadband World Forum in Amsterdam, Mindspeed Technologies as announced plans to demonstrate leading-edge solutions and services based on their Comcerto 2000 processor. The featured demonstrations will include application and content-aware broadband home gateway solutions for fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) infrastructure and services.
Bosch Security Systems and GreenPeak have collaborated to develop a home security and home care solution. The new offerings are gear toward operators who want to increase their revenue stream in the smart home market. Through the partnership, Bosch is able to integrate GreenPeak’s chips into its security, safety and communication products.
It was never meant to be a competition in the way it has turned out, but there is a battle brewing between the two leading smart device operating systems (OS), Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. Whether by design or co-incidence, Apple devices now play a major role in facilitating home automation; I would go as far as saying apple has now added home automation to its already established cool computing and entertainment solutions. Following very closely behind Apple’s iOS is Google’s Android platform as a possible option.