Home Automation DIY

In search of a “killer app”

Ruslan Ulanov — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:55:30 +0000

It’s been over 30 years since X10 came around, and still home automation has a very hard time catching up with the rest of the technologies that invaded our homes in the last decades. According to Google Trends the popularity of “home automation” search is even dropping. Why? What’s stopping wide adoption of home automation by [...]

Smart Home for the Holidays

Ruslan Ulanov — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:14:04 +0000

This Christmas is gonna be fun! I just received my Smarthome.com order with a bunch of switches, keypads, and other “smart” goodies. It’ll keep me busy for a while. Do you have any innovative ideas on using home automation products for the holidays? Please let me know in the comments. By the way, today is the last day to save [...]

Turn Your Nokia N800 or N810 Into an INSTEON Controller

Ruslan Ulanov — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 02:18:31 +0000

If you already have (or planning to buy) ISY-99i Home Automation Controller with PLM ($339), then interfaceGO Software ($119.95) will convert your Nokia N800 or N810 touch panel remote control into a “thumb-friendly, wireless, customizable, versatile”, in other words, very sexy INSTEON Home Automation Controller. “The interfaceGO interface allows you to create your own hierarchy of folders and [...]

The world of changes

Ruslan Ulanov — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:22:25 +0000

What’s going on with this world? Many companies these days are moving away from their decade honed niche markets, or acquire other companies that have nothing to do with their direct line of business or (unfortunately) close their stores and/or businesses altogether. I can understand Apple (a computer manufacturer) making its way into mobile phones business. These days cell phones are [...]

Light Show Master 2.0 Holiday Lighting Control Software

Ruslan Ulanov — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:14:20 +0000

Just in time for the holidays Smarthome presents Light Show Master 2.0 Holiday Lighting Control Software ($99.99), which allows you to create animated lighting displays synced to music. Using an INSTEON PowerLinc Modem, sold separately, you can program custom lighting sequences that allow you to turn your lights on and off and also fade them [...]

The Ultimate List of Home Automation Software for iPhone

Ruslan Ulanov — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:20:41 +0000

Please raise your hand if you think that iPhone/iPod Touch is an ideal platform for remote control of any kind. Yes, I thought so too. It’s portable, fits well in your hand, has crisp and bright display, has multitude of communication methods and last but not least — it’s always by your side. And it seems that industry [...]

First impressions: SmartLinc

Ruslan Ulanov — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 01:32:14 +0000

I have finally received my SmartLinc package yesterday. Yeay! Here’s my first thoughts. The installation process is pretty straight forward. Connect one end of Ethernet cable to SmartLinc, another to your router. Plug SmartLinc to available power outlet and you are ready to go. Or almost ready… Depends on your router’s configuration. In my case I [...]

NetLinc becomes smarter?

Ruslan Ulanov — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:16:40 +0000

The Smarthome team has sent its customers the following email. Dear Loyal INSTEON® Customer, You are receiving this message because you have: Placed a NetLinc Pre-Order Added NetLinc to your Wish List or, Added NetLinc to email notification using “Notify Me” To avoid any confusion when you receive your shipment or notification, we would like to inform you that NetLinc has been [...]

7 iPhone Applications for Home Automation and Control

Ruslan Ulanov — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:14:31 +0000

SpeakerCraft, Crestron, Savant among companies with iPhone support. Remember the iPod invasion? Now that it’s faster and runs applications, welcome to the iPhone invasion. Apple’s iPhone, originally launched in 2007 with a second-gen model released in July, will increasingly be integrated into your clients’ home control and automation systems, thanks to its feature-set and wireless capabilities. Many companies [...]

SmartLabs NetLinc Enables iPhone Control of Insteon Devices

Ruslan Ulanov — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:34:17 +0000

As the iPhone grows in popularity, so too does the amount of home control manufacturers offering iPhone interfaces for home control systems. The latest application is a plug-in Web server from SmartLabs called the NetLinc Insteon Central Controller. NetLinc turns the iPhone, iPod touch, PC or any Web-enabled device into a wireless remote for Insteon-compatible lighting, HVAC, [...]