NetLinc

Rating: 3 out of 5

Summary: While I’m not convinced that the newly released NetLinc is a replacement for the PowerLinc Modem and a good software package, it likely fills another role in that it provides incredibly easy access to view your house cameras on a wide range of devices including the iPod Touch, iPhone or any computer with internet access. The fact that it offers Insteon control and is relatively cheap is a bonus.

Smarthome just sent out an email talking about the release of the new NetLinc product, as well as an Insteon motion sensor and an outdoor 220v switch. I follow the home automation scene fairly carefully, and in the past lack of devices has been one of the few downfalls of Insteon so when several new products are released I’m curious to find out how they compare.

First, the NetLinc – This device is primarily designed as an interface between your home automation devices (lights, appliances, sprinklers etc) and any web-enabled device. Smarthome seems to think the most popular use for this will be using your iPhone or iPod Touch to control your appliances, since they now have several packages which include a free iPod Touch. While I think it’s great that the NetLinc supports mobile technologies, and the interface on the iPod/iPhone looks quite usable, I’m just not sure how much use most people will get out of this beyond the cool factor.

PowerLinc Modem (2412s)

Rating: 4 out of 5

You may be looking to take your Insteon installation to the next level, or perhaps you’re just getting started with home automation and want to ensure you have all the pieces necessary to realize your vision. Either way, you need a way for your computer to send Insteon commands, and the PowerLinc serial modem is just that.

For a bit of background, Insteon computer interfaces originally came in two flavors: USB, with an integrated “memory” of settings and the serial version, which is essentially a direct link between the computer and the powerline. The USB interface, which is sometimes referred to as the PLC (PowerLinc Controller) was the preferred device initially, as USB is the dominant interface on today’s computers. As developers attempted to work with the PLC however, the integrated memory began to cause erratic behavior and for a variety of reasons (some political, some technical) the serial interface began to become the favorite with its simplistic style of interaction.

For the average Insteon purchaser, this all boils down to two things:

Littermaid

Rating: 3 out of 5

Summary: The Littermaid is a well-constructed litter box which turns the chore of daily litter cleanings into a simple weekly container emptying.  It runs on batteries or with the included AC adapter and with a simple trick (explained below) it will run without problems, automatically doing kitty’s dirty work.

Note: For an at-a-glance view of Litter Robot vs Cat Genie vs Littermaid vs Scoop Free click here.

They named it appropriately. 

With two cats and one litter box, you basically become a maid to the litter box, tending to it daily.  So, when I found out that a product existed that would reduce the frequency of scooping litter from my schedule, I was very very interested.

The premise is that the litter box has a rake at one end and an airtight container at the other.  An infrared sensor (much like the ones on garage doors that prevent people from getting squished) detects when the cat is in the box and when it leaves.  About 10 minutes after the cat leaves the rake scoops through the litter, collecting the kitty mess along the way and drops it into the airtight container before going back to its resting spot.

Apple iPod Touch

Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary: Adding to the features of the iPods before it, the iPod Touch adds one critical feature that made the purchase a no-brainer: WiFi with a fully compliant internet browser. The ability to carry the internet with you everywhere at a price that's several hundred dollars cheaper than a full-fledged iPhone makes the iPod Touch seriously worth looking at.

It makes a great birthday gift, apparently. After hearing for weeks about how my wife would just love an iPod, and how she would play games and video and music on it if I got her one - I figured the hints couldn't get much more obvious. This, coupled with her birthday coming up in a week and myself without any other bright ideas led me to seek out one of the oh-so-trendy music players.

I started at the Apple site, checking out the spectrum from the iPod video, mini, nano and…wait, what was this – The new iPod Touch. First of all, the thing looks cool. It looks like an iPhone, all dark and with a distinct lack of buttons making the operation appear enigmatic – like a traveler from the future would carry with him (or her). The second thing I noticed, which pretty much immediately sealed the need to immediately own one: the built-in WiFi and full browser.

Logitech Harmony 880

Rating: 4 out of 5

Logitech Harmony 880 Remote Review

Summary: The Logitech Harmony 880 is a capable remote that works well. The software to program it (the same software as all the Logitech Harmony remotes use) is fairly intuitive but can be challenging when trying to create more advanced sequences. When evaluating different Harmony remotes, look for one with a charging station as the battery life makes changing batteries constantly a nuisance (and the charging station avoids this.) The Harmony 890 adds RF support for use when line-of-sight isn't possible.

For me, it was the lights. Having a tv-tray full of remotes was a pain, sure, but I could survive…What got me was the thought of integrating my lighting scenes with my tv activity. Pressing one button to watch a movie and having the lights dim, projector and receiver turn on, and the pvr display the available movies on screen is one of those geek nirvana moments. It’s the kind of moment where others go “ooh, ahh” and marvel at your technical prowess to coordinate such an orchestra of technology.

The Harmony remote is one such offering that allows this consolidation of remotes, and from most accounts it’s the best out there. I did my research before purchasing a Harmony, and that included talking to anyone I knew with one about the pros and cons. I quickly discovered a common trend among those that had it – The advice they gave can be summed up in two points:

Magellan Maestro 3210	Garmin Nuvi 360
Rating: 4 out of 5	Rating: 5 out of 5

Magellan Maestro 3210 vs Garmin Nuvi 360

Summary: The Magellan offers a GPS with route highlighting, touch-screen and speech for a price that makes you wonder how they can possibly build, market and ship it while still making a profit. The Nuvi is a feature-rich GPS which speaks street names, plays mp3s and has an excellent interface, for about an extra hundred dollars.

Ah, the fundamental questions. Why are we here? What am I doing with my life? Where the heck am I? At least the last question can be answered by the Magellan Maestro 3210 GPS. This budget GPS recently went on sale and I decided to pick one up – After a few days my experiences are already mixed.

Upon arrival I unpacked the box and was immediately surprised with how small it looks. My parents have a Garmin Nuvi 360 (which my dad researched heavily before buying) which is basically the best feature-loaded GPS at the sub $300 price point, and the one I was originally holding out for…before I saw the Magellan on sale. I’ve used the Nuvi 360 heavily, including installing new maps (relatively painless) and exploring new cities with it – it always performed admirably, so the question in my mind was: Could the Magellan compete?

LG Tromm Steamwasher	Bosch Nexxt 500 Series
Rating: 5 out of 5	Rating: 4 out of 5

LG Tromm Steamwasher – Model WM2487HRMA vs Bosch Nexxt 500 Series - Model WFMC330SUC

Summary: The LG Tromm is a top of the line, feature rich washer with solid performance and beautiful color choices. You get what you pay for, and this washer isn’t cheap. One-time leveling of washer and leaving door open between washes solves any issues with vibration or mildew. Six months after purchase, we're still very pleased.

It’s just a washing machine.

This is the basis for thought as I embarked upon choosing a washer for our new house. The washer and dryer we left at the previous house were about 3 years old, though we had purchased them new when we moved into that house. It was a Whirlpool pair, top loading extra capacity and a standard electric dryer, again with extra capacity. They worked well, did their job and we didn’t give much thought to leaving them behind.

IR543 X10 Infrared Controller

Rating: 5 out of 5

IR543 X10 Infrared Controller Mini Review

Which came first, the infrared remote or the X-10 devices? Well, it doesn’t really matter, because either way you now need them to talk to each other. While there are a few options that you can buy, none are as inexpensive and readily available as the X10 IR-543. The simple receiver takes an infrared command, sent by any device capable of sending the correct sequence (universal remotes, Harmony remotes, laptops, PDA’s, Media Centers and PVR’s, just to name a few) and translates this command into a signal which is sent via the powerline to control an X-10 device.

Setup is simple, and requires nothing more than plugging the IR543 into the wall and ensuring that the placement within your room is visible from where the signal is being sent (as Infrared is line of sight). Advanced configurations may require using a small screwdriver or knife-tip to select the appropriate housecode (Default selection is housecode ‘A’) however this is only for the buttons on the top of the unit, as infrared commands sent can be preceeded with the housecode (for example, a typical infrared command sequence would be:

Insteon	Zwave
Rating: 5 out of 5	Rating: 3 out of 5

The promise of home automation is enticing. Press a button, watch the curtains close, lights dim and your favorite movie play – What’s not to like?

Helping to bring this orchestra of technology to the forefront is the decreasing cost of devices offered by a variety of vendors. You can still spend upwards of $50,000 on an integrated home automation system, but those are advanced systems installed by those with more money than time. If you’re like me however - with the opposite situation – then devices such as Insteon, Zigbee and Z-Wave should peak your interest.

The reality of prior home automation (also called domotics) has been sketchy, with the reliability of signals being subpar, some devices in your house not able to see other devices and a masters degree in computer science required to create and operate the software correctly.

One of the early producers of affordable home automation (and arguably the most popular) is X10. While X10 brought new concepts and abilities to the forefront of many people’s minds, the above mentioned reliability issues plagued the standard, causing many to abandon their investments entirely. After all, how many times can you press a button that is supposed to shut off a light, but doesn’t, before you get up and switch it off manually? (The answer is 10, followed by some profanities as you get up...)