For those who want to keep their remotes outside or play with them in the pool or jacuzzi, Crestron has an answer: a weather-proof remote. It even floats!
Crestron describes their UFO Waterproof Wireless LCD Remote (UFO-WPR-3ER) as “A rugged, waterproof remote with extended range RF performance and advanced color LCD display.” Its color screen and large, easy to press buttons can be used to control your outdoor lighting, jacuzzi, TV, music, and more.
Go here to see a video of it in action where we most recently installed it:
Yale Locks & Hardware revealed that its wirelessly controlled door locks now integrate with Crestron control systems to provide direct communication, control, management and monitoring of home security.
The Yale Real Living line of access control locks—the first Crestron Connected residential door locks—enable homeowners to lock and unlock doors remotely from a Crestron touch screen or a mobile device, set schedules, and personalize access to the home.
The Crestron Connected initiative embeds Crestron control intelligence into a wide selection of third-party source equipment and display devices, such as projectors, displays, and audio/video receivers, to operate seamlessly with Crestron control technologies. Using Crestron infiNET EX wireless protocol, the new Yale Real Living wirelessly controlled door locks receive commands and send information to the Crestron controller, allowing other devices to come to life based on the lock’s activity.
Homeowners can lock or unlock doors from anywhere in the house using a Crestron touch screen or remotely using Crestron Mobile Pro/Mobile Pro G for Apple and Android mobile devices. When the door is locked or unlocked, the Crestron system can simultaneously turn lights on/off, adjust shades and temperature, and set the alarm. Homeowners can also give access to others and create a schedule to allow guests to enter the home on specific days, and program other settings tailored to each person. Each family member and guest receives a unique PIN, so the homeowner can monitor system activity. For example, the system can be set to automatically send a text message to parents when a child has arrived home from school. The system also monitors battery and alarm status. A Crestron Connected device is recognized natively by the Crestron processor and allows for full control capabilities out-of-the-box, without any special drivers or modules.
View full article here.
Flexible e-ink displays are one thing, but an actual working tablet that’s as thin as a sheet of paper – that’s impressive. And that’s exactly what the Papertab is.
Developed by researchers at Queen’s University, Canada, the Papertab is a fully interactive touch-sensitive 10.7-inch sheet of plastic able to display documents, images, videos and the like.
View full article here.
Debuting at CEDIA Expo 2012, Crestron’s motorized window coverings are available in roller shades, Roman shades, skylight shades and drapery track systems.
We knew something was up with Crestron when a patent application came through in July for a “Drapery Assembly with a Powered Carrier.”
Indeed, leading home automation provider Crestron Electronics is launching its own line of shading controls to compete with category leader Lutron Electronics.
In a press release issued today (reprinted below), Crestron says it has the “quietest motor on the market” – a superlative generally bestowed on Lutron.
True to form, Crestron is launching a complete line, including motorized roller shades, Roman shades, skylight shades and drapery track systems. “Designer-inspired” fabrics and hardware finishes complete the line. The company says the line can be integrated with non-Crestron control systems.
Over the past decade, Crestron has added several subsystems to its home integration line, including A/V switchers and receivers, thermostats and lighting controls. The video switchers and lighting in particular have lured many integrators away from specialty manufacturers of these lines.
Meanwhile, many of the specialty vendors, such as Lutron (Radio Ra 2), Key Digital (Compass Control), Gefen (GAVA), URC (Total Control), somfy (TaHoma) and Remote Technologies Inc. have expanded into Crestron’s realm of home integration to offer their own multifunction control systems.
The mammoth 75-inch ES9000 LED smart TV that Samsung recently unveiled for the Korean market is making its way stateside. Today the 3D-capable, LED-backlit set was on display in New York as part of the Sammy-sponsored SpaceFest marking the Space Shuttle Enterprise’s arrival at the Intrepid. How smart TVs relate to Space Shuttle orbiters is beyond us, but the ES9000’s US debut is welcome news for those with a massive living room to fill, and were disappointed after the ES8000 75-incher shown at CES and even given a price tag earlier this year failed to materialize.
Detailed specs are currently MIA, but as we noted before in our hands-on, the 75-incher’s bezel measures just 0.31 inches, and the frame sports a rose-gold finish. There’s also a built-in web camera that retracts when not in use, and the TV comes with four pairs of 3D glasses. Being a smart TV, this guy also includes the full suite of Smart TV features, such as Smart Interaction for enabling gesture and voice controls and Smart Content for sharing media across several devices. Samsung also used today’s occasion to introduce a new Angry Birds app for its smart TVs, which lets users play the game entirely with gesture controls. The app will be available for a free download later this month, and the ES9000 will go on sale in August for a super-sized price of $9.999.
The Apple Store is slowly becoming an all-in-one shopping experience, today adding the Nest Learning Thermostat to its inventory.
The thermostat, which is reminiscent of an iPod classic click wheel, is available now for $249.95, just $0.95 more expensive than its suggested retail price. It was added to Apple.com this morning after some brief downtime, prompting speculation in the Twitterverse about everything from new MacBooks to Skynet coming online.
The Nest thermostat already has an Apple connection. Tony Fadell, Nest co-creator, is a former Apple senior vice president, and was part of the creative team behind the original iPod and iPhone. While the thermostat has no direct connection to Apple products, its Wi-Fi capabilities allow control of the Nest from any iOS device — iPhone, iPad, or iPod.
The thermostat also works with a PC or Android smartphone to adjust scheduling, change the temperature, and check weather.
Old-fashioned twisting and button-pushing also work to control the climate; you can turn the dial or navigate through its menu by pressing the LCD screen. The modern thermostat can program itself by tracking the temperature settings used over a week, and energy-saving Auto-Away settings lower heat and cooling while you’re not home.
Sanus said this week that it is now shipping the Sanus FMS01 Furniture Mount System. The product offers users the ability to put up a mounted TV without having to drill holes in the wall.
Our pal Melissa Andresko from Lutron appeared on Fox Tech Take this week to show off the company’s C•L dimmers, which are notable for their ability to smoothly, reliably, and consistently control dimmable compact fluorescent and LED bulbs as well as old-school incandescents and halogen bulbs. Also on display is Lutron’s new Maestro occupancy/vacancy sensor, as well as those cellular shades you might remember me geeking out about at last year’s CEDIA Expo.
Epson this week announced the launch of its latest 3LCD home theater projector, the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 710HD. The projector offers entertainment in 720p HD resolution.
“Whether it’s a blockbuster movie, live sporting event or videogame, the Home Cinema 710HD offers a great home entertainment experience at an affordable price,” Kristi Lanzit , product manager for Epson America, said as part of the announcement.
Last year Bang & Olufsen launched B&O Play, a sub-brand that features high quality gadgets priced a whole lot lower than what the company is traditionally known for. So far only headphones and wireless speaker systems have been released under the new name, but soon we can expect something much bigger — a TV. Speaking to FlatpanelsHD, B&O Play VP Henrik Lorensen revealed that the company will be launching a new television sometime this year. No actual details have been announced just yet, so we’re not quite sure how the new release will compare to B&O’s existing BeoVision line of high-end TVs. But at the very least you should be able to finally pick up a new Bang & Olufsen without having to spend upwards of $11,000.
