We'll preface this by saying this whole thing could be one giant hoax, but it's most certainly within the realm of possibility. We're told it's a mixture of Insteon, SMS and Twitter, all of which are utilized in order to give one particular homeowner the ability to activate / turn off lights remotely by sending a specific message to the latter. If your interest is unquestionably piqued, click on through to check out the video -- 'tis a shame there's no how-to guide to be found.

[Via Digital Tech News]

While it must be nice to own a home that's completely controlled by your voice, a clap, or a simple remote, getting this stuff up and running isn't always easy, and the INSTEON-compatible RemoteLinc doesn't seen to make things any less complicated. Sure, controlling your garage door, fireplace, kitchen appliances, home theater components, and six or so lighting schemes throughout the house may sound novel, but considering the extras required to make it happen with the RemoteLinc, you may want to look elsewhere for your home automation needs. The control only dictates items that are first connected to an RF-capable AccessPoint, which acts as a bridge between the item and the RemoteLinc, but hooking up a multitude of devices can get quite pricey when buying a SwitchLinc, LampLinc, or ApplianceLinc for every single unit. Still, it does boast of "Plug and Tap" ease when setting things up, and the remote itself will only set you back $49.99, but we'd be well aware of the necessary add-ons you'll need to make the magic happen before diving on in.

[Via CNET]

If you're looking to automate your home, you've got enough options to drive you up your own walls, but apparently Threshold doesn't think anyone's nailed it down quite yet. Supposedly competing against the more familiar Insteon and ZigBee configurations, the company's One-Net reportedly "provides greater range, better security and a more open environment than competing schemes." Threshold states that it can produce One-Net nodes for just "two to three bucks" by using off-the-shelf transceivers, and that ranges of up to 100 meters can be realized indoors. The accompanying (free) software also works with transceivers from six other vendors (Analog Devices, Texas Instruments, Semtech, RF Monolithics, Micrel and Integration Associates), and defines "everything from modulation schemes to messaging protocols." Threshold is planning to build a collection of home automation peripherals to mesh with the One-Net mainframe, including "door, window, motion, and moisture sensors," and a camera to boot -- but all these fancy frequencies still can't match the style points gained by having a magical mirror controlling the security side of things.