Nest introduced its smart thermostat in October of last year only to find that there was greater initial demand for its product than originally thought. After using a review unit for longer than I should have, I can see why: This good-looking device is super smart. Read more »
Microsoft’s Research division is testing home automation market software it developed that makes it easy for devices to speak to each other. This HomeOS platform can help demystify smart home systems with numerous protocols. Plus it works nicely on smartphones for remote control and monitoring. Read more »
The number of connected devices is steadily on the rise, but it’s not smartphones or computers that will lead us to the 50 billion connected devices expected by the year 2020. Rather, the Internet of Things — numerous smart objects that speak to the web and ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Slingbox founder, Blake Kirkorian has a knack for turning hobbies into products. His latest, called R2, is an Android application that interfaces with Crestron home automation systems, turning a handset or tablet into a remote control that can tap the system from anywhere in the world. Read more »
Some of the largest unresolved questions within today’s nascent smart grid market are to what degree consumers would prefer to actively monitor and control energy usage in their homes, which user interfaces will be preferred for those purposes, and which business models and product capabilities will entice consumers to engage in home energy management while simultaneously assuaging their concerns about privacy, security and control. To investigate these questions and establish a framework for understanding demand dynamics within the EID and DR markets, Pike Research conducted a survey of 1,041 U.S. consumers in April 2009. The results of this survey are analyzed in this report. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
