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Appliances
Automation
Digital Audio
Multi-Media
Video/Media Systems |
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Web-Enabled
Concept Refrigerators
Three years ago, GE and Whirlpool showed the Web-enabled concept
refrigerators at the International Builders Show. It seems the
refrigerator door has become a black canvas crying to be painted
with something. This year's show included two entries. The difference
is the Samsung's Homepad Internet Refrigerator and LG Electronics'
Internet Refrigerator is actually for sale. Their Web pads also
double as television screens. When asked why they think their
products will fly while earlier ones crashed, both companies
simply asserted that the time is right Stay tuned. |
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iPronto
Home Controller
In this industry, it's virtually impossible to find someone
who hasn't had some face time with a member of the Philips
Pronto family. In fact, this little handheld device has really
developed its own cult following - especially on the Internet.
So when we heard that Philips was coming out the iPronto to
compete with high-end intelligent home control, we knew we
had a strong candidate for the year's Top 50 lists. This wireless
audio/video, home automation and other infrared / radio frequency
/ Ethernet home applications into one touchpad. This just
may be the piece to bring the connected home to every home
- combining the best hardware and software in one easy to
use package. |
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Watchdog
Pro
It's surveillance made simple - the Odyssey Watchdog Pro surveillance
system lets you watch the kids, your employees or anyone else
when you are away. Even if you already have cameras, the system
can easily integrated into any setup. Using the same technology
as in Odyssey's commercial products, this unit converts your
PC into a personal surveillance system - all at an affordable
price. View everything around the clock, or setup the unit to
capture motion-triggered events. Receive information via your
email, on your pager or on your cell phone. The Watchdog Pro
is Windows 98/2000/XP compatible, and is easy to set up. Just
install the software and within minutes you'll be viewing video.
It's available in 2 or 4-camera systems. |
| Home
Automated Systems
The em power home automation system from Smart Systems Technologies
is a modular interactive security system that works with a
home's other subsystems: security appliance control, distributed
audio and HVAC. Em power can cut electric bills by automatically
turning appliances on and off, and by controlling lighting
through the use of timers. If there's a fire, it can even
shut down the home's HVAC system to keep it from circulating
smoke and fire. |
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| Touchpanels
There are many types of electronic systems you might choose
to include in a new home. A whole-house music system, a lighting
control system and a security system are some of the most
popular. Alone, each "subsystem" comes with its
own control devise. A lighting control system comes with keypads
that control a home's lights. A security system comes with
its own keypads, as does the whole-house music system. Added
up, that's a lot of keypads to mount on a wall, and a lot
of button punching for one family to handle.
What used to require pressing at least a half-dozen buttons
to prepare a house for bedtime, for example, can now be accomplished
efficiently by pressing one button on a home control keypad.
Each keypad sends its command signal to a home control processor,
which relays the command to the
microprocessor of each appropriate electrons subsystem. The
subsystem microprocessors interpret the command and send it
to the appropriate devices. For example, a home command engaged
at the home control keypad might travel over low-voltage wiring
to the security microprocessor, the lighting control microprocessor
and the hot-tub microprocessor. The security microprocessor
might disarm all security sensors, the lighting control microprocessor
might illuminate the kitchen and the adjacent family room, and
the hot-tub control might start heating up the water. |
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Digital
Audio Server
Sonance has introduced a digital audio server that can store
2,500 hours of music and play different selection simultaneously
in as many as four audio zones. The 160 - giglbyte Concierge
includes a network connection for transferring files stored
on a personal computer, and a CD player for copying CDs to its
internal hard drive. After copying a CD, the Concierge retrieves
the album data (name, artist, song titles and music genre) from
an Internet database and stores the information on the hard
drive. The company says simple on-screen menus are used to browse
songs, create play lists, play songs and display album information.
Concierge is expandable to 10 zones. |
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The
Hookup
Don't know which way to switch? Tributaries' new C2sX Composite
to s-Video Converter provides an inexpensive, yet easy solution
to switching multiple - format video sources through your
A/V receiver. This little piece converts each video source's
composite output to S-Video. Then it's connected to the appropriate
S-Video input of the A/V receiver. So the only rewired connection
to the TV will be one S-Video cable. It even converts S-Video
of composite for added flexibility. No mess, no fuss, perfect
sense. It's outstanding picture quality at a nice price. |
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MP3s
You've got MP3s to burn, but just one problem - no burner. CDs
are so 20th century when you can just listen to downloaded tunes
directly from your PC. All you need is a home network jack near
your audio system and an MP3 decoder like the Barix Exstreamer.
The Exstreamer accepts MP3 bit streams from your computer over
your network via its RJ-45 Ethernet port, converts them to analog
audio, and passed them along to your music system through stereo
RCA or mini jack outputs. Browser-based software manages the
device. |
| Roku
Soundbridge
Put your music where your mouth is - it makes it a whole lot
easier to sing along. Roku's mew SoundBridge network music
players let you listen to your computer's digital audio files
almost anywhere in the home. Either of the new unites - the
M1000 or the M2000 - integrates with your home network through
a wired Ethernet connection; access play lists on your Mac
or PC and stream Apple iTunes or a variety of music formats
to dedicated speakers or any other stereo system. There's
even an easy-to-use remote, so you never have to leave the
couch. |
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Digitaldeck
All hands should be on the deck - the DigitalDeck entertainment
suite. This unit provides a complete connection to all of your
home entertainment. This tasty trio of goodies can deliver A/V
galore. The Advanced Media Manger (shown) acts as the content
manager, while the Media Adapter pulls everything - your satellite
TV, DVD players, security cameras, and more - all to your home
network. It even adds in a little extra Web-based content. Pull
it all together with the remote control (included), which can
be used anywhere in the house. |
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All-in-one
Network Appliance
FTP server
SPI Firewall
10/100 Ethernet Switch
Cable/DSL Router
Network Attached Storage
Hot Swappable & Plug n Play
VPN allows you to create a secure and private network
Designed for small and home offices (SOHOs), IOGear's BOSS
is a hardware solution used to maintain and manage a small
network. This all in one solution has everything you need
to build a complete and secure network in 1 box: Network Attached
Storage (NAS), a cable/DSL router, an Ethernet switch and
Web site hosting functions. BOSS also comes with a Firewall,
built-in Virtual Private Networking (BPN and File Transfer
Protol (FTP) server capabilities. Preinstalled and ready to
go, this device is ready for use as soon as it arrives! |
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Network
Cameras
Send your smile all over the globe! With Panasonic's new KX-HCM280
network camera, you can send images from you home or business
to anywhere that can access the Internet - even on a Web-enables
cell phone or PDA. Record still pictures or video, or just have
the camera catch the important stuff via an alarm trigger. The
camera can be placed wherever there is access to your high-speed
Ethernet network and a power source; no PC is needed. It features
a built-in Web server and its own Web page; your pictures will
be uploaded and ready for whenever you want to view them. |
Videophones
Now you can really keep an eye on things. D-links 12EYE Broadband
Videophone delivers videoconferencing capabilities right on
your TV. Whether for local or long-distance calls, you can
use the unit without a connection to a PC. Connection through
a VCR allows video call recording for safe-keeping or for
adding to a home movie. It's great for work or staying in
touch with Grandma. And if you wan a little privacy, the simple
on-screen menu lets you stay active in the conversation without
the preview of your cowboy pajamas. |
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Mirra
Personal Server 1.1
Music and movies and spreadsheets The Mirra Personal Server
is designed to alleviate some of your hard drive's pain. Mirra
provides an easy way to protect, share and remotely access all
of your files and email. Mirra is secure, private and seamless.
Whenever you edit or save a new file, it gets backed up to Mirra.
There are no CDs, floppies or tapes to load - ever. Two models
are available: and 80 GB or a 120 GB. |
| Under-Cabinet
TV with DVD Player and Phone
Mounted under a kitchen, office cabinet, this compact media
center stays folded up and out of the way - until you're ready
to watch TV or a DVD. The ultra-slim 10.4: screen that swings
down from the unite is large enough cot be seen anywhere in
the room and can be swiveled to get just the right viewing
angle. It is cable-rely to receive 125 channels, and it can
be used as a stereo system, playing CDs and MP3s as well as
tuning in AM/FM radio stations. It can act as a hands-free
telephone receiver connecting to a phone jack allowing you
to take calls at the touch of a button without interrupting
your work. |
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Couch
Hacker
Never mind programming the VCR - why not reprogram you entire
entertainment system? The Telly MC1000 is a Linux-based digital
hub that combines broadband Internet, cable or satellite TV,
CD/DVD playback and recording, an IR remote and wireless keyboard,
networking ports, and an 80GB drive for as much as 60 hours
of digital video recording. Since the gadget is designed for
customization, tech tinkerers can upgrade the Tell's hardware
and software to add a bigger hard drive or down the road, install
customer apps that remotely control everything from the security
alarm to the temperature of the fridge. |
| Pinnacle
Systems
Getting bored burning you PC medial onto discs, then schlepping
them over to your A/V system? Let a middleman do the work:
Pinnacle Systems' Shoetree. Operated via remote control, this
slim, stackable component can stream you PC's digital files
to you home theater of listening room. It even has its own
graphical user interface so you can see what you're doing
through you TV. Digital media from you PC streams to the ShowCenter
through its Ethernet port. Then it's just one more stop you
your A/V rack, where you have a wide range of outputs to connect
you gear to the Show Center: Component, composite and S-video,
analog stereo, and optical and coaxial digital audio. The
interface supports MP3, WMA, and JPEG files as well as MPEG-1,
2, and 4, among other formats. |
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Shared
Network Storage
Share MP3/media files
Quickly add shared network storage for all networked PCs
Ne need for additional hardware or software
Configuration and administration with easy to use browser interface
Built-in FTP server
The Trinton Network Attached Storage (NAS) provides 120GB of
network storage is accessible via CAT5 cable. With an easy to
use browser interface for administration, this NAS can be integrated
quickly into any network and accessed locally or remotely. Easy
to install, this full-function file server can be ready to go
in less than 5 minutes and the Web based operating system is
pre-installed and pre-configured. |
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