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The best Z-Wave in-wall dimmer
By Rachel Cericola This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. When readers choose to buy The Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here. After spending more than 25 hours swapping out receptacles, flipping switches, programming timers, and talking to home-automation experts, we've determined that the HomeSeer HS-WD100+ is the best Z-Wave in-wall dimmer for smart-home systems. Like the other six units we tested, it features straightforward remote operation, as well as easy dimming and scheduling. It's the only model we tested that supports multi-tap features, so you can sync a single switch with multiple lights and appliances around your house, and it works with all Z-Wave–certified smart-home hubs.
HomeSeer HomeTroller-Mini home automation controller gets you one step closer to the bachelor pad of the future
The folks over at HomeSeer, maker of home automation devices, are set to debut the super small, super powerful HomeTroller-Mini at CES this week. The mini controller apparently fits in the palm of your hand, and is compatible with Apple and Android smart phones and tablets, allowing you to switch off the lights or set an alarm via text, e-mail, or text-to-speech. The SheevaPlug-alike sports a 1.0 GHz Linux platform, retails under $300, and can be linked to a number of other products to control your thermostat, appliances, lights, window shades -- you get the picture. All of this sounds great, but we're still waiting to see if it can get our circular bed spinning.
iPad apps: defining experiences from the first wave
There are now over 1,348 approved apps for the iPad. That's on top of the 150,000 iPad-compatible iPhone programs already available in the App Store. When Apple's tablet PC launches, just hours from now, it will have a software library greater than that of any handheld in history -- not counting the occasional UMPC. That said, the vast majority of even those 1,348 iPad apps are not original. They were designed for the iPhone, a device with a comparatively pokey processor and a tiny screen, and most have just been tweaked slightly, upped in price and given an "HD" suffix -- as if that somehow justified the increased cost. Besides, we've seen the amazing potential programs have on iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile and webOS when given access to a touchscreen, always-on data connection, GPS, cloud storage and WiFi -- but where are the apps that truly define iPad? What will take advantage of its extra headroom, new UI paradigms and multitouch real estate? Caught between netbook and smartphone, what does the iPad do that the iPhone cannot? After spending hours digging through the web and new iPad section of the App Store, we believe we have a number of reasonably compelling answers. Update: Now includes Wormhole Remote, TweetDeck, SkyGrid, Touchgrind HD, GoToMeeting, SplitBrowser, iDisplay, Geometry Wars and Drawing Pad.
HomeSeer announces PRO-100 Series-II home automation controller
You've got a lot of options when it comes to dictating the electronics in your home, but HomeSeer is hoping to snag your increasingly coveted dollars with its newly unveiled PRO-100 Series-II. The home automation controller ups the ante on last year's Series-I by housing a 1.5GHz Intel Celeron processor, 1GB of DDR RAM, four RS-232 serial ports, a pair of USB 2.0 inputs, Ethernet, audio in / out, and Windows XP already embedded. The company claims the new unit sports "practically double the performance and capacity of the original PRO-100, while maintaining the same level of high reliability and low power consumption (20 watts nominally)." In an presumed attempt to eliminate any and all manual labor within your domicile, HomeSeer's new box supports dozens of popular electronic setups, takes commands via voice (telephone or microphone) and the web, and plays nice with a myriad of "lighting arrangements, appliances, security, HVAC, and home theater systems." The PRO-100 Series-II will begin shipping "this December" for a currently undisclosed (yet presumably pricey) amount.[Via eHomeUpgrade]
