Smart Home Blog

iOS app ayControl offers impressive possibility to control EIB/KNX based home automation systems. It doesn’t need any additional hardware or software. Do, using it you may easily turn your iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch into powerful EIB/KNX control panel. So, to manage your home you even shouldn’t be inside it.

To customize ayControl for your needs the application developers offer a free program called iseo Designer 2. Using it you can import ETS group addresses, configure ayControl or create a customized visualization for the iPhone/iPad regarding your EIB/KNX bus system.

As I already mentioned the ayControl is available for iOS only. But there will be market for other platforms like Android or BlackBerry then the ayControl will be ported on them as well.

Once I already wrote about possibility to use a streaming player Roku as a MythTV client. But after that I lost my interest to this device regardless its low price and tiny size. However the situation is changed when FPLEX – a fork of the cross-platform software to build media centers XBMC, announced support of Roku players. So, tiny, noiseless, cheap and energy efficient device turns into full functional 720p/1080p HTPC! Awesome, isn’t it?

Probably I’ll buy Roku XD or XD|S (USB port is useful sometimes) for testing, although initially I thought about ATV2 with ARM version of XBMC. Limited resolution by 720p in ATV2 and support PLEX on Roku are key moments for the new decision.

CANNES, France – As the demand for 3D cinema continues to increase throughout the world, XPAND 3D continues to grow its international leadership position in the 3D cinema industry. XPAND is once again the exclusive 3D technical partner for the 2011 Cannes Film Festival in 2011, where XPAND is also pleased to announce its continued commitment to the global cinema market through new product developments and support for 3D cinema.

For the 64th Cannes Film Festival, XPAND will provide the required equipment and training of personnel for all of the 3D films presented at the Festival, and supplying its 3D technology for other divisions of the Festival including Un Certain Regard, Cannes Classics and more.

Reflecting XPAND’s commitment to providing the most advanced 3D solutions for professional cinema, XPAND recently introduced the XPAND Infinity™ complete 3D system, which provides the best possible viewing experience in cinema environments of any size. It offers optimal 3D performance with multi-directional synchronization and the highest 3D contrast ratio ever delivered. The XPAND Infinity system can support virtually any screen size, shape and surface and is available with a choice of XPAND Infinity or XPAND Infinity Deluxe eyewear. An unlimited number of XPAND Infinity systems can be linked together to operate as a large-scale system.
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Google recently announced its new platform Android @ Home which should join all devices in the home for easy configuration and management. The idea is to add Android to each device – TV, STB, washing machine, dimmers, switches, lamps etc. Then using ready-made software or built by yourself using Android @ Home SDK you’ll able to manage those devises from Android smartphone or tablets even over Internet. The current conception when the smarhome is built around a controller won’t be used. Each device will be accessible directly. Additionally Google offers integration with its services like Google Music and some video/TV maybe to stream media content over the house.
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