Hawking Technologies has begn shipping its Z-wave HomeRemote line of wireless home automation technologies, offering users an affordable way to manage their home appliances, devices, and lighting remotely using a Web browser—even a Web browser built into a cell phone. And a wireless video camera lets users see life video from inside their home, even if they’re half a world away.
The HomeRemote System (HRGZ1) connects to a user’s home broadband connection and acts as a management system for devices and appliances in a home or office. Users can set schedules for lights or other devices to turn on and off at specific times, define alert events which send notices (via email , to cell phones, or to a group of people), and manage everything via a Web browser interface. The HomeRemote System uses Z-Wave technology to communicate with lights and other technology; Z-Wave devices act as wireless repeaters (setting up a mesh network within your home or office), and many Z-Wave accessories are already on the market, enabling users to automate thermostats, lights, windowshades, motion detectors, and much more. The HRGZ1 also enables users to create “Scenes,” which are essentially combinations of commands which control multiple devices with a single click.
Hawking is also offering its HRNC1 wireless video camera, enabling users to view live video from their home or office and keep up on what’s going on while they’re away from home. Hawking says the HRNC1 can stream high-quality 30fps video (although Web browsers in many mobile phones will have trouble keeping up with that); users just log into their HomeRemote gateway’s home page to access live video. Users can pop the camera on their network using either Wi-Fi or standard Ethernet; users can also set up included monitoring software to automatically video recording and have the system send email when motion is detected.
The HomeRemote HRGZ1 gateway ha a suggested price of $229.99, and the HHRNC1 video camera carries a suggested price of $179.99; both are available not from the HomeRemote Online Store, and will be available from CompUSA and other retailers beginning July 15.
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