HomeRemote: Affordable Wireless Home Automation

[electron]

IRVINE, CA – January 3rd, 2006 – Hawking Technologies, Inc., a leading developer of innovative wired and wireless networking solutions for home, workgroup, and corporate users, unveiled today its plans to introduce HomeRemote™, a line of web accessible wireless home automation products. The vision of Hawking Technologies’ CEO, Frank Lin, is to "…efficiently connect people to everyday accessories and appliances to make life more enjoyable and secure." The HomeRemote™ System is a large step forward in this direction.

What Does it Do?
The HomeRemoteâ„¢ System from Hawking Technologies is an innovative control panel to your home from anywhere in the world. From work or at a coffee shop halfway around the world, homeowners are able to keep an eye on their homes, secure their property from intruders and control daily appliances with the click of a mouse. Using a standards-based wireless technology known as ZigBeeâ„¢ from Freescale Semiconductor, the Hawking HomeRemoteâ„¢ System communicates wirelessly with local sensors and devices that homeowners have set up within their homes. The sensors and devices allow for the detection of open and closed doors and windows, on and off control of power outlets and lights throughout the home, reading of room temperatures and many more useful features. Using the broadband internet connection within the home, the HomeRemoteâ„¢ System relays this information securely to any web browser in the world for the user to monitor and control.

Read the rest of this press release

 

[electron]

Home Security
HomeRemoteâ„¢ is an affordable home security system that can alert the homeowner of security breaches at several different locations within the home. Using motion detectors and window/door sensors, the HomeRemoteâ„¢ System will notify the user in real-time via the web-based control panel, email notifications, or text messages to a cell phone, that a specific event has occurred. The HomeRemoteâ„¢ can also trigger an alarm to sound or audio/video recording to begin.* The system has scheduling capabilities to turn outdoor and indoor lights on automatically, thereby warding off intruders with the appearance of a busy home.

Automating and Controlling the Home
The HomeRemote™ System allows homeowners to customize controls geared towards their specific lifestyles. Besides actuating individual appliances, such as lights, televisions, radios etc., HomeRemote™ can schedule a group of events to occur at a specific time of day. Whether it’s turning all lights on at a specific time or simply turning the television on when a person is detected in the room, the HomeRemote™ system is custom-tailored to meet the needs of the homeowner.**

Knowing What Really Matters
When on vacation, keeping an eye on the kids won’t be an issue anymore with the HomeRemote™ System. The system allows homeowners to watch video and listen to audio in real-time from within your home.* Monitoring the kids and important utilities, such as the status of your water supply, air quality and temperature is easily done through Hawking’s HomeRemote™ System, giving you the peace of mind that your home is under control.

Do-It-Yourself Installation
Installation of the HomeRemoteâ„¢ System is very simple and requires no professional assistance. Included in the package is a Setup Wizard which will quickly guide you through the initial setup of the Gateways and devices associated to your system. Once this has been completed, simply place the devices in their desired locations and they will wirelessly communicate with the Gateway, which in turn, will provide the controls to your home from a user defined, easy to remember, web address such as www.HawkingDemo.HomeRemote.net.

The System
The system offerings consist of two gateways: The HRG1 Wireless Home Automation Gateway, and the HRH1 Wireless Home Automation Hub. The HRG1 combines the Wireless Home Automation Gateway with a Wireless-G Router for a total home internet access package. In the case that you already have a broadband connection at home with an existing router, the HRH1 is a standalone Home Automation Hub that simply plugs into the Ethernet port of your current network. A slew of wireless sensors and devices are also on the product roadmap to support the system and its applications. The following products will be ready to ship during the launch of the HomeRemoteâ„¢ line:

HRG1 – Wireless Home Automation Gateway (Includes Wireless-G Router)
HRH1 – Wireless Home Automation Hub
HRDS1 – Wireless Door/Window Sensor
HRPO1 – Wireless Power Outlet
HRPO7 – Wireless 7-Outlet Power Strip
HRSE1 – Wireless Signal Extender

* Audio and Video integration is available as a Phase 2 addition.
** Motion Detector device required and is available as a Phase 2 addition.

Pricing and Availability :
The HomeRemoteâ„¢ System is slated to ship in Q2 of 2006. Pricing is TBD. (Starter Kit will be at a sub $299 price point)

Display and Demo:
- The HomeRemoteâ„¢ System will be on display at CES from January 5th to January 8th, 2006 in the Freescale Semiconductor Booth located in the South Hall #3, Booth # 30718
- Hawking will also be having a live demo of basic features at the ShowStoppers media event at the Wynn Hotel January 5th, 2006.

About HAWKING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Hawking Technologies, Inc. is a leading developer and marketer of innovative wired and wireless networking solutions for home, workgroup, and corporate users around the world.

 

[electron]

ZigBee!

More information about the product:
http://www.hawkingtech.com/homeremote.php

 

[ChrisWalker]

electron:

Do you have any idea if this product is interoperable with any other devices "based on Zigbee"? There's no interoperability statement that I see, or Zigbee logo, so I'm curious. They do say that it uses "Zigbee," instead of being "Zigbee ready" or "802.15.4" which is a pretty nasty marketing move if it really isn't interoperable.

Sorry to keep bringing up this question, but if someone says that are making "Zigbee" devices, we really want to get them to test them out and see how they perform. But just like "pre-N" devices are not 802.11n devices, "Zigbee ready" devices do us no good.

Also, I'm assuming that their "wireless power outlet" isn't really a battery-operated unit with a huge antenna like it looks like in the graphics on that page Hee hee.

Chris

 

[electron]

I contacted them for more information, but I would assume that this is really ZigBee, and not pre-ZigBee. I'll do some more digging as well.

 

[ChrisWalker]

Electron: thanks!

 

[rocco]

I noticed that it won't be available until June.