The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has announced that Seven of the top 10 car manufacturers will showcase their latest car technologies at CES in January. Audi, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia and Subaru the new comer to CES will be displaying their connected systems in infotainment, communication, safety and driver assistance solutions and services. There will also be more than 110 total automotive tech companies, including Delphi, Mitek, Pioneer and more at the show.

Extend your home network in minutes with the latest Powerline Ethernet Adapter from D-Link. The PowerLine AV+ Mini Adapter Starter Kit (DHP-309AV) instantly extends the reach of your current home network by utilizing your home’s existing electrical wiring to extend your network to locations with limited or no Wi-Fi connectivity.

Do you need to store your files and access them wirelessly, then this new NAS drive from Synology is a possibility.  The DiskStation DS213air 2-bay NAS server comes with built-in Wi-Fi for easy connectivity and access.  It is an ideal library for you photos, music and videos. Its sleek design makes it suitable for any home office or a small desk.

Philips has joined the smart lighting club with the release of Hue smart lighting solution. The LED bulbs come with its own management App for Apple iOS or Google Android devices. Unlike standard bulbs you will use less energy with these, up to 80 per cent less. Connect wirelessly to them and personalize you own lighting scheme.

The growing popularity of powerline communication in home entertainment and home automation has prompted the CEDIA to launch its first powerline networking accreditation. Developed in partnership the powerline networking manufacturer, Power Ethernet, the course allows custom installers to receive certification in the technology.

Amdocs has launch two eHealth solutions at this year’s 4G World. The cloud based solutions targets service providers who want to enter the ehealth market, by providing in-house management and monitoring of the elderly and chronically ill. Both solutions “Home Health monitoring” and “Aging in Place” help healthcare providers and government to reduce the cost of healthcare by allowing easy access to patients and family members that don’t need to be in hospital.
 

UK Power Networks, one to the companies selected by OFGEM to participate in its UK Smart Grid Projects is to fund the installation of free Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points in London for residents and businesses. The trial is design to study the effect of EV charge points use on Britain’s electric grid infrastructure and to enable the vehicles to be recharged conveniently in London, both at home and on the street.

According to the latest report from DEG (The Digital Entertainment Group) we are spending more to entertain ourselves at home.  Our spending on home entertainment in the first nine months of this year is up 1% from the first nine months of 2011. The growth is attributed to increase in Blu-ray Disc sales, subscription streaming and electronic distribution.

Sony is known for their ability to create great home entertainment systems and Control4 is known for their home management and automation products. Now both companies have merged their technologies to create the world’s first range of AV Receivers with built-in home automation capabilities. The new models of Sony ES receivers (STR-DA5800ES and STR-DA2800ES) will work seamlessly with Control4’s systems and at the same time offers full 4K resolution viewing experience with 9.2 channel surround sound.

GreenWave Reality is making it easier for energy conscious homeowners to have the lighting design they want without worrying too much about its energy cost. At this year’s International Lighting Fair in Hong Kong, they announced the availability of their Connected Lighting Solution. With GreenWave connected lighting you can control and automate your lighting with a handheld remote or smartphone.