ng Connect has added ThinkFlood, the creator of the RedEye remote control to their member program. ThinkFlood's focus within the group will be to help members achieve an anywhere, any device control capability among devices as they did with RedEye. This is to help other CE manufacturers and software developing companies to create new wireless solutions that integrate smoothly.
The UK has joined the rest of the world to start its own Island smart grid project, called the EcoIsland Partnership on the Isle of Wight. Technology partners Cable&Wireless and Silver Spring Networks announced that they have signed a partnership agreement to participate in the project. Like Maui island smart grid project, EcoIsland will use a combination of renewable energy sources to provide electricity to the island’s inhabitants.
Oregon Networks, the developer of the Onyx media browser for IPTV devices has announced that Dixons of the UK will be using their Onyx media browser in Dixons Logik Smart TVs. The Onyx browser will be on the Logik 23’ LCD TV (L23IPTV), one of Dixons exclusive brands. The TVs are schedule to be available in time for the Christmas shopping, online at currys.co.uk and in outlets of Currys and PC world.
AT&T has decided to get in on the home energy management action by indicating that they will be launching their own home energy management platform in the near future. Jeffery Dygert, the company’s Executive Director of Public Policy broke the news during a panel discussion on the Broadband Breakfast Club; moderated by GigaoM reporter Katie Fehrenbacher. Jeffery said they want to offer the solution so that its customers can get more information about the energy they use within the home.
LG Electronics (LG) is showcasing Smart Place at the World Smart Grid Expo 2011 in Seoul, Korea. Smart Place is a comprehensive Smart Grid network connected to homes on Jeju Island’s 185km2 Jeju Smart Grid Test-Bed, where approximately 6,000 homes are located.
Motorola was at this year’s SCTE Show in Atlanta to discuss and show their roadmap for the connected home. They talked about DreamGallery, an operator’s SDK (Software Development Kit) and how they are working with Shaw Communications to develop a new guide experience for Shaw’s customers based on DreamGallery. Motorola Mobility also launched the Motorola APX3000, a high density Universal Edge QAM and said they have updated some operator infrastructure systems.
Last year this time the tech world’s attention was drawn to the Connected TV platform. This was due to the release of Apple and Google TV. This year the same thing has happen but this time the tone has changed. Notable partners such as Intel, Adobe and Logitech have made announcements saying they are changing their strategy around the Connected TV platform - which mainly affects Google TV.
Mac-based home automation software provider Perceptive Automation today announces the release of Indigo 5. New with this update is a Python-based Plugin API that allows Independent Software Vendors (ISV) to create native device types, trigger events and actions which are fully integrated into the Indigo User Interface and server.
Kosciusko REMC, the Indiana based electric cooperative has selected Landis+Gyr’s Gridstream RF Smart Grid solution for its advanced metering project. Starting early 2012, Kosciusko REMC will start rolling out Landis+Gyr’s E350 FOCUS AX-SD residential meters, E650 S4e commercial meters and Gridstream RF mesh network technology. The programme is expected to run for 18 months and include all 18 thousand members.
According to research firm ABI Research an estimated $590 million was spent on smart grid security technologies in 2010. They are projecting that by 2016 the amount will surpass $2 billion. In 2011, security spending on transmission upgrades made up the largest portion of smart grid spending; approximately 54%. ABI expects security spending to maintain this trend over the next five years.