Perceptive Automation is announcing today that its Mac OS X home automation software has received a major upgrade and will now function in tandem with the iPhone / iPod touch to control INSTEON and X10 adapters over Wi-Fi or mobile broadband. Indigo 4.0 is now available in two versions: Indigo Lite ($89.95) and Indigo Pro ($179.95). Both versions share the same functionality (control: lighting, appliances, HVAC, and sprinklers), but Pro users will be able to create customized scripts and manage additional “high-end devices.” If you’re interested in taking Indigo 4.0 for a spin, Perceptive Automation is offering a free 30-day trial. MORE »

Got a Creston, AMX, or Control4 home automation system? If yes, iViewer from CommandFusion is an iPhone / iPod Touch app that lets you control your whole home automation system (control: lights, curtains, climate, A/V gear, etc.), as well as, a variety of PC applications wirelessly. But what’s even more incredible is that iViewer can be tweaked and customized to your needs using the publisher’s guiDesigner application (video demo). Pretty much anything you can think of creating a custom control interface for can be designed with guiDesigner (great for home installers and DIYers). [via]

Message from CommandFusion to automation system owners: To integrate iViewer into your home automation system, your system integrator will need to make changes to your automation programming. This means iViewer wont work until your system integrator has updated your system.

Zilog, Inc., a leading supplier of embedded system-on-chip (SoC) solutions for consumer and industrial applications, and an industry leader in remote control and universal IR database solutions, today announced a new paradigm in the rapidly growing home control market that provides the consumer with a complete and easy intelligent home control solution. The new Crimzon Connects™ platform represents the first comprehensive digital home/office control and monitoring solution in the marketplace. Based on Zilog’s industry leading remote control capability, Crimzon Connects™ provides consumers and small business owners a new level of command and control over their homes and offices. With its built-in wireless and wired connectivity interfaces, Crimzon Connects™ makes it easy to remotely access and control your home or office electronic devices from any WiFi enabled device, such as a laptop, smart phone or intelligent connected remote control. MORE »

HomeSeer Technologies announces its new Series 2 HomeTroller home automation controller. The new unit features a fan-less, diskless ‘hybrid’ design that combines the reliability and simplicity of conventional hardware controllers with the power and flexibility of software-based automation systems. As with the original HomeTroller, the new Series 2 unit is designed to integrate and automate the many systems of a typical home including lighting, appliances, security, climate, irrigation, window covering, and audio/video systems. MORE »

Embedded Automation, via their user forum, has announced that mControl, the company’s home automation software for Windows XP/Vista and Windows Home Server, will now support CentraLite’s (ZigBee based) JetStream lighting control products. It’s not clear from the announcement if all ZigBee based products will now be supported using the new drivers, but it seems that may soon be the case from the progress they’re making. mControl also supports lighting and control system products from Insteon, Z-Wave, Rako, and X10. [via] MORE »

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Above is probably the funniest demonstration I’ve ever seen. It showcases a new technology that converts a large vanity mirror (aka “Magic Mirror”) into a virtual wardrobe changer. The technology, from what I can tell, uses a hidden camera and a rear projector to display various information widgets (i.e. weather, stocks, email etc.) and graphical overlays. Below is a demo of the smart kitchen exhibit in the Dream Home that makes use of RFID tech and voice activation. Unfortunately, the “Elias” family member who is supposed to run the room wasn’t available so Grandmama Elias stepped in and gave it a shot. You can find more info on both technologies here. MORE »

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Above is an interview with a rep from Exceptional Innovations demo’ing Life|ware home automation tech on display in the Disney Dream Home. And below is an interview with Life|ware’s Marketing Coordinator, Andrea Ison, who chats with us about the company’s current/future direction and product strategy. MORE »

We’ve all seen custom iPhone/iPod Touch remote apps from proprietary home automation and audio platforms from companies like HAI, Savant and SpeakerCraft. Now, a London-based integrator by the name of Steve Moore has announced he’ll be launching a custom iPhone/iPod Touch app, called AirRemote, that will not only work with products from popular automation vendors like AMX, Creston and others, but will also be able to work with a variety IR, serial, and contact-closure controlled devices (bonus: it’s already programmed to work with Kaleidescape Media Server and displays album/movie cover art). At this point you’re probably wondering how does the app enable the relatively simple Wi-Fi equipped iPhone/iPod Touch to do this? The answer is a stand-alone thin-client called Global Cache which actually handles the sending out of signals once it receives commands via IP from the iPhone/iPod Touch (see diagram below). MORE »