Smart Home News

Tech Industry Catches Its Breath

New products have altered the technology landscape in recent years. Now, companies at the Mobile World Congress are making smaller changes.

The future's arrived at high-tech fair

ROBOTS teaching Chinese, moving eye controlled computers and flying alarm clocks were among the weird  and wonderful gadgets.

New energy efficient homes study released


Pike Research shows the energy efficient home improvement market will grow from $38.3 billion in 2009 to $50.2 billion in 2014.

Control4 cuts power costs


With the Australian state governments slowly rolling out programs to provide every Australian home with a smart meter, Control4 is launching its Energy Management System in Australia this month.

NextGen Home approaches near zero


The NextGen Home Experience gathered the hottest, most up-and-coming products, used the building industry's best practices and showcased them all in a finished 1,800 square-foot NextGen Home at the 2010 International Builders' Show (IBS) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

NBN mainland trial sites named

THE NBN Co has called on companies to start designing its $43 billion high-speed fibre-optic national broadband network on mainland Australia.

Consumer data demand alters home-entertainment realm


As U.S. households become more wired than ever, user demand for online data services is extending far beyond snazzy smartphones, and the push for online services isn't expected to slow down anytime soon.

Google to Offer Super-Fast Net Service

The company said it plans to build and test a high-speed fiber optic broadband network capable of allowing people to surf the Web at 100 times the speed of most broadband connections.

Panasonic debuts pair of 3-D plasma TVs


Panasonic has announced two new entries in its growing line of Viera 3-D plasma HDTVs -- the 54-inch TH-P54VT2 and the 50-inch TH-P50VT2.

Samsung begins 3-D rollout in March


Samsung in March will begin rolling out the first of its 3-D-capable HDTV sets and Blu-ray players. The new line, which includes LED as well as LCD models, will begin appearing in the U.K. and is expected to make its North American debut shortly thereafte

Being creative with home control setups


You can have your home automation system perform and combine about any task you want, provided it is comprehensive enough and you have the right team of creative custom electronics pros to program it.

Out with the old, in with the new on Xbox Live


Microsoft is ending support for the original eight-year-old Xbox machine and older games as it moves to add greater functionality to its Xbox Live gaming service. The new features coming to Xbox 360 will include integration with on-demand Netflix movies and social-networking sites and tools.