Smart Home Blog

The video above demonstrates how to use Nokia N900 as a PS3 controller. You can do that using BlueMaemo and that instructions.

Nokia N810 can be a good choice to control LinuxMCE based home automation system. It’s compact and not so expensive. See the demo video below which demonstrates the Maemo Orbiter in action.

Nokia already announced the next generation of its internet tablet N900. So, I started building of LinuxMCE Orbiter for Maemo 5.

Recently I wrote about new Nokia’s product – Home Control Center. It’s based on wireless technology Z-Wave and uses mobile phone as a main control device. The system seems very interesting. Especially after Engadget posted demo video from the Nokia World show where it’s showed in action. Watch it after the break!

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Good news for the Nokia and home automation fans. The famous mobile devices producer has announced its Home Control Center which is gonna be released next year. Basically it will be a home gateway with built-in DSL-modem, wired router and WiFi access point. There will be possibility to attach Z-Wave controller and manage all Z-Wave devices via Nokia’s mobile phones, Internet Tables or using web interface. Additionally the home gateway will be equiped with GSM/GPRS module. The Nokia’s Home Control Center will cover security and surveillance, lighting and climate control.

It’s good that Nokia chose Z-Wave. It’s grows very fast and now there is a lot of devices with reasonable price for European frequency. Moreover Z-Wave devices have a good interoperability. So, it’s possible to use dimmers, switches, sensors, PC adaptors from different producers. In any case, we will see the advantages, shortcoming and cost of the Nokia Home Control Center whet it will be released next year in Europe.

[via Engadget]

A new fresh version of Nokia770/N800/N810 Orbiter for LinuxMCE is available. The list of changes is not so big but the fixes are very important:

• fixed issue with wrong colors of floorplan icons (including active media directors);
• fixed issue with displaying of titles for media files in case of existing covers;
• fixed issue with initiating phone call from the Orbiter;
• disabled screen saver.

The new Orbiter for OS2007 and OS2008 (including Diablo) can be downloaded from the Maemo garage or installed/upgraded from the repository.

The next step is to fix issue with button colors and add Hildon compatibility for switching between Orbiter’s window and other applications without crash.