Smart Home Blog

Sonos finally released its controller for Android-based devices. It looks nice and offers a full control over Sonos multi-room music system. User can choose different source for each audio zone as well as control playback and volume. The controller is already available on Android Market for free.

In the same time the Sonos added support of Apple AirPlay to its new firmware v3.4. It allows to stream from the Apple AirPlay, plugged into a Sonos device’s aux-in input, around the home.

Samsung demonstrated its new application for Galaxy Tabs or a Galaxy-series Android smartphones which not just tuns them to advanced remote control but also allows to watch Smart TV live stream over WiFi. That application will be available on the new Galaxy Tab 8.9 and Galaxy Tab 10.1. It also can be installed from the Samsung App Store. Good advantage to your Smart TV!

If I ask you – “Can the ordinary thing like a toilet impress you?”. “No” – answer most of you. And only those people who saw the luxurious and high tech toilet by Kohler Numi will say – “Yes”. It sports built-in personalized bidet functionality and deodorizer innovative dual-flush technology with 0.6 and 1.28 gallons per flush, integrated air dryer, heated seat and foot warmer, automatic opened and closed lid, built-in music system, MP3 player connection and FM Radio, LED highlighting To control the high-tech toilet the controller with LCD touchscreen is used. So, as you may see this is a really cool device. And its price is cool as well – $6400. It’s good alternative to gold and platinum toilets 🙂

Watch the demo video of Kohler Numi’s high-tech toilet after break.
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If you prefer new AMD Fusion E-350 APU platform to nVidia Ion 2 for your HTPC the Giada MiniPC A50 might be interesting for you. It’s based on a AMD Fusion E-350 APU with integrated Radeon HD 6310 graphics and supports HD video and audio. The slim case – just 25 mm, has enough space for 2GB of RAM and 2.5″ 350GB HDD. The Giada MiniPC A50 sports HDMI output, USB 3.0 port, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n WiFi, built-in IR receiver and multi-card reader. The box is bundled with Media Center remote to control it the same way as the rest AV devices.

The Giada MiniPC A50 will be available in two colors – black and white, and in two configurations – ready-made with Windows 7 Home Premium ($449) and barebone ($299). Good to know this PC is compatible with Linux. So, you may install XBMC, Boxee, MythTV with a networked HDHomeRun tuner or VDR with USB DVB-S2 card and enjoy power and open source system on your quiet (just 26dB noise level) and energy efficient (30W power consumption) HTPC.

[via eHomeUpgrade]

If you can avoid using wires when you connect AV or computer devices each others this is a good. But if you can do that for reasonable money this is a really good. The $36 Plugable Wireless Audio Kit gives us such possibility. It includes two parts – USB transmitter, connected to the PC, and receiver, connected with speakers. The transmitter is supported in Linux, Windows and Mac OS X without installing additional drivers. Using standard 2.4GHz radio frequency gives up to 50 meters range between audio source and speakers within line-of-sight distance or up to 10 meters with obstacles in between.

The receiver can work with one AAA battery or power adapter (selling separately for $14.99). Demo video with setup instruction is available below.
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