Wireless smoke detectors set off alarms in every room
The latest buzz in smoke alarms is about "interconnected" systems — if an alarm goes off in one room, all the alarms in the house join in. This may not matter if, like us, you live in a tinycramped charming apartment, but if you've got a house, it can be a big deal. Unfortunately, wiring a house with interconnected alarms can be difficult and expensive. One solution? A wireless setup like the Kidde Wireless System, which starts at $50 per alarm. The system connects a group of alarms using RF transmitters (and, no, we don't know why they didn't go for a ZigBee-based mesh network, though we assume it has something to do with keeping costs down), and includes both battery and AC-powered alarms, as well as a "Smoke Sounder," which shouts "Danger! Fire! Wake up! Follow the Escape Plan!" in the voice of the Lost in Space robot (well, actually we don't know whose voice it uses, but we hope we never have to find out).
