Central Coast Audio Visual

When electricity was first introduced more than a century ago, it took more than 30 years to achieve true adoption — while tablets took only more than two years to achieve this same adoption. Consumers are adopting new technology faster than ever. Read more: http://www.psfk.com/2016/02/323468.html

Matt McAdoo, a sales consultant for Keller Williams real estate in Buda, Texas, and also an installer, charges $95 an hour to set up home automation systems, with jobs ranging from a day to a week. McAdoo says many homebuilders are pre-wiring houses for easy installation of home security systems, doorbell webcams and automated light switches. Read more: http://time.com/money/4194604/smart-home-tech/

Every day, 5.5 million smart devices are being connected in homes around the world, according to research firm Gartner. It further estimates there will be 6.4 billion of these "Internet of Things" devices by the end of the year, and 20.8 billion by 2020. If you want to get in on the ground floor, here are some gadgets you can buy today. Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2016/02/20/5-smart-home-gadgets-to-create-your-home-future.html

One of the more interesting new categories of products at the recently concluded CES (Consumer Electronics Show) falls into the dubiously named “Internet of Things” (IoT)—products that connect to the Internet, usually through your home WiFi network, and use a phone app and its online connection to provide a service. There were devices of all kinds, some that turn on your lights and appliances remotely and others that monitor the health of your baby. Read more: https://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2016/01/15/home-security-devices-how-good-are-they/

It’s not unusual to hear of vulnerabilities in smart-home security systems these days, as security researchers turn their attention to the Internet of Things. It’s worrying, though, when a modern security system turns out to be vulnerable to a so-called replay attack, the kind of thing that worked against garage door openers back in the 1990s. The latest example is SimpliSafe, a wireless alarm system that’s marketed as cheaper and easier to install than traditional wired home security systems. Read more: http://www.pcworld.com/article/3034956/hubs-controllers/popular-home-security-system-simplisafe-can-be-easily-disabled-by-burglars.html

Considering that the smart home relies on, well, smarts, conceding the brain part of the gadget to a third-party device like Amazon Echo is a slight surprise. Ambitious startups are normally keen to develop everything in-house to foster a brand of their own. But Amazon wooed over startups by providing Alexa’s simple but powerful technology at little cost. And considering the Echo was a best-selling product for Amazon this Black Friday (although Amazon won’t disclose sales numbers), startups were tapping into a very popular product. Read more: http://www.newsweek.com/smart-homes-amazon-echo-becoming-central-hub-413628

Samsung has announced a Tizen-powered Smart Control remote, which it hopes will further streamline the Samsung entertainment experience. The company recently revealed that all of its 2016 SUHD TVs will include SmartThings hub functionality, which should ostensibly allow users to dim lights and start up Netflix from the comfort of their couch. Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2016/01/04/samsungs-new-remote-could-unify-smart-home/78274300/