Smart Home Blog

Good news for all UK inhabitants who’d like to control their electricity consumption. Producer of DIY home security system AlertMe announced its new product – AlertMe Energy which will be supported by Google PowerMeter service. The AlertMe Energy contains two parts – Meter Reader clipped onto the home’s electricity meter to measure the energy consumption, and Hub plugged to the into the home broadband connection to transmit received data from the meter to the AlertMe web service and now – to the Google PowerMeter. The Meter Reader and Hub communicate each other via ZigBee.

The price of the AlertMe Energy is £69.00 and £2.99 per month for the online service. Well, personally I like TED 5000 more because it doesn’t need any subscription fees. But it can be used in US only as I understand. In any case the partnership with Google is a clever move for AlertMe. Because their security system is too expensive taking into account its limitations. New energy monitoring product can help AlertMe get more customers and keep existing ones.

Press release

San Ramon, Calif. – Aug. 19, 2009 – The ZigBee® Alliance, a global ecosystem of companies creating wireless solutions for use in energy management, commercial and consumer applications, today announced the certification of 17 devices from 10 manufacturers using ZigBee Home Automation, plus enhancements to the public application profile.

ZigBee Home Automation is a standard offering control for home appliances, lighting, environment, energy use, and security. It provides a path to direct interoperability with other ZigBee public application profiles, including the industry-leading ZigBee Smart Energy. ZigBee Home Automation now features new security mechanisms and support for doorbells and mechanized window shades. The standard features control of HVAC systems, power outlets, motorized devices, security and other devices. Product manufacturers will benefit from this standardized approach that makes devices reliable, affordable, easy-to-install and operate. Products using ZigBee Home Automation are ideal for new construction, do-it-yourself and retrofit markets.
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AlertMe – ZigBee based home security system is gonna offer a new functionality in its next release. I already wrote about AlertMe SmartPlugs which will help to consumer to measure the energy consumption. Additionally the new AlertMe version will have PanicPanic button – press the button of your doorbell and SMS will send to your friend, Action chooser – it’ll be possible even switch off/on lighting by some event (set system in Night mode, for example), Tracking – will allow you to set up actions for any sensor triggers and the most important feature in my mind is CCTV, which will allow to monitor your home.

The AlertMe v2.0 is expected to be released at the beginning of next year. Till it isn’t available yet have a look its demo.

Recently I blogged about adding Energy Saving Range line into AlertMe products to control power consumption of specific home appliance or hole house. But AlertMe team doesn’t stand still. It announced an interface for iPhone/iPod Touch. It allows to view and change the status of an alarm, see who’s at home, look at event history and view the temperate sensor values around house. Also AlertMe is planning to support other smartphones.

Moreover, AlertMe released its API (that’s used for the iPhone interface above). So, developers can use it to provide the interface for their devices and integrate AlertMe Security and Energy Saving Range into their systems. But I couldn’t find any information about a way to get that API on the AlertMe site. Maybe it’ll be announced later.

[via AutomatedHome]

AlertMe is planning to release a new Energy Saving kit additionally to its Home Security line. That kit will include Smart Plugs to control individual appliance, the AlertMe Heating Controller, the AlertMe clip on electricity meter and the AlertMe Keyfobs. All those devices will communicate with AlertMe Hub (just like the Security system). The hub will send information from them to the AlertMe servers, which in turn make it available to the user via a simple web interface. That’s it!

The new Energy Saving kit will be available in November and will need AlertMe Hub + Security package. But from the beginning of 2009 consumers will be able to skip security part and buy just Energy Saving kit including its own hub.

Good expansion by the way. The next step can be added a simple lighting control system based on the wireless home automation protocol ZigBee. It seems that it’ll be possible.

[via SmartPlanet]