Home Automation, Inc. has announced a new version of the Snap-Link Mobile that includes the ability to remotely control A/Vequipment when used in conjunction with an HAI Home Theater Extender.
The extender allows for audio/video control using iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch integrated with HAI’s Snap-Link Mobile application in a home with an HAI control system.
HAI’s free HTX2 Mobile Designer software also allows for the creation and customization of graphical user interfaces for “remote control” pages that are used for controlling A/V equipment using an iOS device.
“Adding remote control for AV equipment into our app is very exciting for HAI and our installing dealers” explains Jay McLellan, HAI President and CEO. “Homeowners can now change the channel on the TV, adjust the temperature of the thermostat, lock the front door, or view a surveillance camera all from one hand-held application.”
Aereo is a startup company with a $12/month service that lets you stream live and recorded over-the-air TV using an iOS device or your web browser. You simply touch a show and live TV starts streaming on your device.
Unfortunately, Aereo is currently only available in New York, but the project is still an ambitious one. The technology behind the service is rather unique: Aereo has several large “antenna arrays” set up somewhere in Brooklyn, filled with thousands of tiny TV antennas. When users access their Aereo, account they are assigned their own individual mini-antenna.
A subscription allows you to tune in to live TV on any of the major networks in New York or schedule recordings just like on a regular DVR.
Haiku Home Automation for HAI
Developer: Nullriver, Inc.
Price: $49.99
Compatibility: iPad and iPhone
Description: Haiku combines HAI’s proven home automation controllers with iOS’s unbeatable user interface experience and versatility. This leverage brings the consumer a solid, user-friendly and convenient home automation interface that is as usable from anywhere in the world as it is from the comfort of your couch.
Pros: Frequent updates, intuitive layout, great interface, easy setup
Cons: No version for Android, reports of crashes after updating
SnapLink Mobile
Developer: Home Automation, Inc.
Price:$49.99
Compatibility: iPad, iPhone, Android.
Description: Turn your iPhone or iPod Touch into a whole home remote control. Homeowners and property managers with an HAI control system can view and adjust lighting levels/scenes, temperatures, security settings, surveillance video, audio, and more.
Pros: Lots of control functions
Cons: Buggy
Crestion Mobile Pro
Developer: Crestron Electronics, Inc
Price: $100
Compatibility: iPad, iPhone, Android
Description: Crestron Mobile harnesses the power of 3G and Edge networks to stay connected to the home or office when you’re on the go. View alarm status, adjust lights and room temperature while lying on the beach or sitting in traffic.
Pros: Quick load time, theme options
Cons: Pricey, reported crashes
Control4 MyHome
Developer: Control4
Price: Free to download, $99.99 licensing fee
Compatibility: iPad, iPhone, Android
Description: The MyHome family of software apps allows you to access and control the lighting, temperature, music, movies, energy, security and more from a wide range of devices in your Control4 enabled home. By turning your existing smart phones, tablets and PCs into additional interfaces, Control4 MyHome offers you an affordable and convenient way to access and manage your system.
Pros: interface, updated graphics
Cons: misleading pricing
R2 Control for Crestron
Developer: id8 Group R2 Studios
Price: $99
Compatibility: Android
Description: R2 turns your Android device into a fully functional Crestron touchpanel!
R2 enables residential and commercial customers to control AV, lighting, thermostats, security systems, and thousands of other products via their Android device from anywhere in the world.
Pros: lots of options, speed
Cons: can be hard to configure for some users, price
Ideally, how would you like your iPad/iPhone to be utilized in your home automation system?
The Cult of Android website has leaked a screenshot of the Kindle Fire’s pre-sales, and if the numbers hold, it could be the biggest tablet launch in history. The screenshots show that orders for Amazon’s tablet are reaching an average rate of over 50,000 a day.
It’s true that preorders don’t always equate to an actual sale, but Amazon’s strategy to compete with the iPad appears to be working so far. Hopefully we see some great home automation apps like Haiku out on the Kindle Fire when it releases.
Earlier this month, Control4 revealed its new dedicated portable touchscreen with a retail price of about one thousand dollars. The news was met with mixed reviews and a lot of comparisons with Apple’s iPad, whose top of the line models sell for around eight hundred bucks. Many wondered what could possibly make Control4′s touchscreen worth more than the current leader of the tablet wars.
Some argue that its charm lie in not doing everything the iPad can do and simply being a reliable way to control your home automation system, but does that warrant the price.
Today, over at CEPro, there’s some speculation that two-way video communication may be Control4′s key benefit over the iPad. Of course, Apple has Facetime, but as Julie Jacobson notes in the comments section on CEPro, “The trouble with Facetime is that it doesn’t automatically come up when the doorbell rings.”
That’s a neat feature, but the question still remains: is it worth it? A lot of our customers already own iPads, and it’s hard to imagine them paying an extra thousand dollars just to see who’s at the front door. Even if you have the money, will people want another portable gadget to carry around? And if the touchscreen isn’t always on hand, what’s the point? Perhaps things will be come clearer as more details about the device are released.
Is the new touchscreen worth the price, or is Control4 making the same mistake tablet makers did when competing with the iPad? Comment on this post with your opinion.
Home Automation is all about control and convenience. Our systems give you control both at home and while you are away.
In-wall, portable, and handheld touch screens are the primary user interface and provide easy control over the entire house. From any touch screen you will have control of your entire home automation system.
Remote access from your Smart Phone, computer, or phone line is also possible with many of our systems.
____________________________________________________________
Featured In-Wall Touch Screen Options and Digital Home Control Panels
HAI’s OmniTouch 5.7e Touch Screen features a 5.7″ screen and the ability to have any graphics you desire. We can design these screens from the ground up to suit your desires.
Control4′s Infinity Edge 5″ & 7″ look great on the wall and give you easy access to your media, lights, climate, and more.
____________________________________________________________
Featured Portable & Handheld Touch Screen Options
The OmniTouch 10p Touchscreen is a portable 10.4 inch Ethernet based Wi-Fi Touchscreen. The homewoner can carry it around the house or keep it in a charging docking cradle on a table for easy access to manage the home’s lighting, temperatures, A/V equipment, and more.
Crestron Prodigy Handheld Touch Screen gives you one-handed control of your TV/Theater as well as control of lights, music, and other devices.
____________________________________________________________
Home Control Software
With HAI’s Snaplink software you can control your home from any Windows-based computer with internet access (sorry, Mac users).
Change the temperature, arm the security, or turn the music on outside; it’s all at your fingertips!
____________________________________________________________
iPhone/iPad Control
All the systems we offer have iPhone/iPad apps that will allow you to control your system from anywhere in the world.
Many of our systems have apps for Android, Blackberry, andWindows Mobile smart phones. Please give us a call for your specific application.
Tablet makers have adapted a new tactic in an effort to unseat Apple’s dominance of the market — lower prices.
HP started the trend almost on accident when it slashed the price of the HP TouchPad, and (surprise!) it started selling like crazy. Now a number of other manufacturers like Motorola and Fusion Garage are getting the message that iPad-like prices only work for the iPad, and that your bottom line may have to suffer if you want to make any sales at all. Apple gets a lot of criticism for their prices (as do the people who are willing to pay them), but they’ve also been blessed by the gods of marketing.
Tablets are quite handy as a replacement touchscreen to control a home automation system with. And as the user base grows, the integration will keep getting better and better.
rss twitter facebook linkd-in