control

iLinc: iPhone app to control your INSTEON/X10 home automation devices remotely

3 Comments / Gizmo of the Day, Home Automation / By /

Now that you have your home automation all tricked out, and you got yourself an iPhone, how do you control your HA system from your God-phone?! Not to worry, iLinc is an iPhone/iPod Touch app that lets you do just that.

For example, you can control up to 1000 INSTEON or X10 devices as well as up to 1000 ‘scenes’. You of course need some way to make your devices accessible to the Intenret, and either the ISY-99i controller or the INSTEON PowerLinc controller will do the trick.

There are 2 versions, the iLinc Lite can only control 1 device, but it’s enough to get you started testing. iLinc Pro will let you control all of your devices and also works with the USB/Serial PowerLinc.

By the way, this isn’t the only iPhone app available to control your home automation devices.

Buy now!

Price: iLinc Lite: Free, iLinc Pro: $19.99
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

USB Wireless Computer Control

Computers, Gizmo of the Day / By /

USB Compute Remote Control

This nifty innovation takes the TV remote to the next level by turning it into a computer remote. All you need to do is plug the USB receiver into your computer and away you go. The remote features buttons for all the major computer functions, such as page up/down, tab, mouse, typing controls (in a mobile phone keyboard layout) and even a mouse to help you hunt around your screen.

There are also a number of hotkeys on the top of the remote that can be programmed to start the application of your choice. Unfortunately style was not one of the inventor’s strong points!

Buy now!

Price: $14.99
(Please note prices are subject to change and the listed price is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of posting)

NTT DoCoMo tests out Wearable Remote Controls

Miscellaneous, Portable / By /

Wrist watch remote control

NTT DoCoMo, a Japanese mobile operator, have been working on some wearable gadgets that can be programmed to react to your movements. Applications have been demonstrated where a user can simply ‘dart’ their eyes in order to fast forward to the next track on an MP3 player (might get some odd looks when you’re out in public) by sensing the electrical current produced by your eyeballs, and a wrist watch that allows wearers to use their arms as a programmable remote cotrol! NTT DoCoMo have also suggested that these may be adapted for mobile use to play video games, read their email and even shop online – watch this space!

via InventorSpot

ZigBee’s latest spec, ZigBee Pro aims to consolidate Home Automation market

Home Automation / By /

ZigBee

We all got a little fed up of hearing about HD-DVD battling Blu-Ray and various other format wars we’ve had over the years, but we seem to have found ourselves caught in another – ZigBee, INSTEON and Z-Wave are battling out to try and win you over for your home automation needs. Both ZigBee and Z-Wave use RF networks to allows you to control various home automated appliances around the home and now ZigBee has a new update to their offerings.

ZigBee are soon to be releasing their new update, ZigBee Pro, which allows communication across numerous different manufacturers’ products, most notably Control4, LG and Black & Decker (door locks, not power tools!) and will be available with a simple firmware update for these appliances. Perhaps the future will see some of the bigger home automation companies jumping on board as well which may help ZigBee to get the market leader title.

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