Netgear this month released its version of a wireless 3D HD networking home theater solution as part of its Netgear AV Series.  According to Netgear the new 3DHD Wireless Home Theater Networking Kit (WNHDB3004) is capable of delivering jitter-free 1080p high-definition video streaming throughout a home. The transmitter and receiver are built with MIMO (Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output) technology to offer the best possible performance from some of the most demanding applications and systems.

The Group of G20 world leaders meeting on Korea’s Jeju Island to discuss world politics and every thing else that comes with it - especially the need to manage the world’s energy resource more effectively and efficiently will see an end to end Smart Grid solution in Action.  It is here on Jeju Island that Korea is developing one to the world's latest Smart Grid infrastructure. The country will showcase to the world its latest electricity management technologies in action, so countries that are in an infancy stage in their implementation will see Korea’s test bed on the island.

Treat yourself to one of the latest in home media server with the Netgear ReadyNAS Ultra Plus, due to be on the shop shelves before Christmas. The new range (four in total) according to Netgear offers a 30 percent performance increase above the previous range of ReadyNAS Ultra media storage systems. The new systems have additional integrated support for other home media systems and are due out later this month.

The momentum in implementing Smart Grid technology is growing in developed countries.  Homes are being fitted with Smart Meters, home owners are installing advance connected solutions that monitor and manage how they use their electricity and gas. To further support this market the Wi-Fi Alliance and HomePlug Powerline Alliance have teamed up in a joint effort to promote the use of their respective technology in these modern digital home.

Western Digital (WD) has introduced a new Android Smartphone App to complement its range of digital home storage products. Owners of the WD ShareSpace, My Book World Edition and My BookLive can now use WD Photo Viewer App to access and view their photos from an Android Smartphone, iPod Touch, iPad, iPhone and iPhone4 from anywhere there is an internet connection. The WD Photo Viewer is available as a free download from the Android market as a free download.

iControl Networks and uControl today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive merger agreement.  The merger combines the two market leaders in broadband home management, and promises to deliver a best-in-class solution that includes interactive home security, energy management and home health care solutions to broadband service providers, home security companies and utilities.  The combined company has launched commercially with several service providers and will announce additional deployments in the near future.

Rogers of Canada announced plans to launch a home control solution that will manage household appliances, security, temperature and lighting. The new solution is called Rogers Smart Home Monitoring, and will offer real-time home monitoring plus energy management and home automation to Canada’s connected homes. The addition of this service to its cable, Internet and wireless business has put Rogers among the top suppliers of connected home solutions.

Intel last month gave a clearer indication of their intention to play a bigger part in the connected home market, with the release of the Intel Home Energy Management Reference Design. Many companies are already using Intel’s Atom processor for the system, but Intel is going a bit further by offering a complete solution in the Intel Home Dashboard proof of concept device.
 

The home control market has lost one of its key players; after 30 years Philips said it will no longer manufacture its Philips Pronto remote control because the product line no longer fits with the Philips’ strategy. This comes as a shock to me because I thought they were going well especially with recent releases, like the TSW9500 in-wall Pronto touchscreen and DUAL.  Apparently the company has been looking for a partner to take the Pronto business off its hands since last year but none was found.

Jungo and Marvell have combined the Jungo’s OpenRG(TM) residential gateway software and Marvell's AVANTA(TM) Application Gateway-on-a-Chip (GoC) in one reference design for the always-on connected home. The news was made at this year’s Broadband World Forum in La Defense Paris France.

Service providers and network operators will have easier access to always-on home services and value-added applications using devices with the new residential gateway reference platform.