Securing Your Connected Life.

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Control4 Guest — No Comments ↓

This post comes from Paul Williams, Vice President of Security & Communications Products at Control4.

How safe are you in your home? Let’s make the assumption that you have a security system and you lock your doors at night, so as you tuck yourself in bed you feel secure. Should you though? While you sleep peacefully (and frankly anytime during the day) your home may be under constant attack, not from burglars in masks trying to pry open windows, but from something potentially equally as devastating and intrusive.

The attacks are cyber attacks. The goal of the attack? Gaining access to your personal information, access to your home systems, and any information that can be used to the financial gain of others. Sometimes the attacks are meant just to cause havoc, as in the case of computer viruses. In today’s digital world, consumers are continually adding more and more devices to this connected world, a world where even refrigerators are being connected to the cloud. That means we are increasingly creating more and more points of infiltration into our “homes” and personal lives.

A recent CNN report (http://money.cnn.com/2013/04/08/technology/security/shodan/index.html) documented how new search engines like Shodan can expose poorly secured networks and network connected devices to unscrupulous individuals. It’s a good read, but also can scare you when you see that even governmental agencies have had their systems infiltrated.

Thankfully for most of us, we aren’t a large target like a government agency, but it does not decrease the need for us to be vigilant when it comes to truly securing our home.

So, what can you do? Here a few tips and suggestions:

Check your passwords on all Internet connected devices, especially routers and WiFi access points. If your password is “password”, “password1” or any other default password, change it IMMEDIATELY!
On WiFi access points, many allow you to “Broadcast SSID”. This is often the default. Since this is your personal system network, unless you really need to be broadcasting your SSID, turn off that feature. NOTE: This means that when you want to connect a device to your WiFi network you will need to enter the SSID name into the device, but this adds another layer of security.
Install a Firewall. There are many software and appliance options out there. The important thing is to have one.
DO NOT enable port forwarding on your network router unless you truly understand how to set up port forwarding securely. Unless it is setup properly behind a firewall and with intrusion detection software, port forwarding can open up your home to outside attack.
Be wary of email you receive from people you do not know. Many intrusions into systems and computer viruses come from email attacks.
Maintain good passwords for everything you access on the web (bank accounts, school grades, security systems, etc.) Change passwords occasionally and make sure they cannot be easily guessed. Names of family members or pets are not secure passwords.
Be vigilant! Make sure you evaluate your security on a frequent basis, and as you add new devices, make sure they are have adequate security to protect your systems.

While all of this can be scary, properly connected and configured devices can provide you with a secure environment while allowing you to live a connected life. That way when you tuck yourself in bed, you truly can feel fully secure and dream about some warm tropical beach, instead of the constant barrage of cyber intrusion attacks on your home.

Posted in Home, Tech

Speech-Enable Your Home and Expect the Unexpected!

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Control4 Guest — 1 Comment ↓

This guest post comes to us from Ted Rosenberger, Founder & CEO, HouseLogix.

If you’ve heard about VoicePod – the new device from HouseLogix that adds voice recognition to Control4 – it’s easy to imagine situations in your home where having completely “hands-free” voice control of lights, temperatures, and security could be handy. However, since VoicePod both listens and talks, it can take your Control4 system to a whole new level. Here are a few of the unexpected benefits of our revolutionary product:

INCREASED SECURITY AWARENESS. Each night as you crawl into bed you probably push a “Good Night” button using a touch screen or keypad and assume that your standard good night actions happen. But what if the garage door doesn’t close or the security system doesn’t arm? With VoicePod, you simply say “Good Night” and if anything goes awry, your house will tell you. VoicePod can verbally confirm each action as it happens or notify you only when something goes wrong. I’m sleeping better already!
SAVING BRAIN CELLS. Quick – what is the channel number for National Geographic in hi-def? What about Cartoon Network, or ESPN2? With VoicePod you don’t have to remember TV channel numbers or spend time scrolling through mile long channel guides. You simply press the blue button on your Control4 remote. VoicePod says “Please say a channel name,” and you reply, “ESPN Two.” The TV turns on and instantly tunes to ESPN2. Want to change the channel? Press the blue button again and speak another channel name. Save your brain cells for remembering more important things.
MORE GREEN. Unfortunately some of the finer things in life, like spas, can cost you more green and make your home less green, in terms of energy use. With VoicePod, your home can verbally remind you of normally scheduled events that are about to happen, like heating a spa, and ask if you want that event to occur. For example, while you’re getting ready for a lunch date your house announces “Would you like to heat the spa as scheduled?” If you say “yes” or don’t answer, the spa heats as normal on schedule, but you say “No” since you’ll be gone for the day – the spa doesn’t heat and you save energy and money!
WEATHER PREPAREDNESS. Upon awaking you say “Good morning” and while the shades open and soothing music begins to play, your house quickly checks the day’s weather forecast. If inclement weather is impending, your house alerts you and reads the full forecast to you. You haven’t even had coffee and you already know if you’ll need your raincoat!
INVISIBLE NANNY. While VoicePod provides hundreds of commands that function for everyone’s voice right out of the box, you can also set up custom voice commands that only work for your voice, by design. Don’t want the children messing with the thermostat or accessing the wine cellar? You can effectively put a “voice password” on these functions making them accessible only when you speak. Just don’t let those clever kids secretly record you!
REDUCED WALL CLUTTER – Home automation systems need a lot of buttons to make things work and the more control you want, the more buttons you need. Imagine trying to use a typical 6 button keypad to control music, lights, temperatures and house scenes in a room. Most rooms need dozens of buttons or a full touch screen to effectively give you the control you want. VoicePod delivers the equivalent of hundreds of buttons in one small, discreet device (which you can even hide under a couch and use through a hidden microphone). What’s more, VoicePod can help you maximize the usefulness of the keypads you already have. Imagine pushing a single “Music” button on the wall – the room mutes and a voice says “Say type of music,” you say “Rock and Roll” and that’s what plays.
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE – You trip and fall and you need to get some help. Say “Hello VoicePod” -”Emergency” and VoicePod gives you the option of calling 911 or notifying neighbors or family members by text message that you need some help. No unfashionable necklaces, bracelets or chip implants needed!
MORE UNINTERRUPTED COZINESS – It’s late and you’re snug in bed, but you’d like to lock the door, arm the security system or turn off that outside light. No one likes to sleep with remotes and iPhones, nor fumble in the dark for controls on the night stand. With VoicePod’s COMPLETELY HANDS FREE CONTROL, you just say “Hello VoicePod” and your whole home automation system is at the tip of your tongue. Secure the house and adjust the lights, but don’t budge one inch from that cozy warm spot under the covers!

By now, you’re probably imagining many other intriguing possibilities for VoicePod in your own home. Together, VoicePod and Control4 can literally transform your home into the home of the future! You definitely want to check out the new lifestyle videos on voicepod.com and contact your Control4 dealer for more information on this exciting product.

Posted in Automation, Lifestyle, Tech

Mothers in Control

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Crystal Watts — No Comments ↓

As a full-time working mother, I’m always up for anything that helps to make life just a smidge easier. Truth is, I only have one child, a very helpful husband, live pretty close to work and the babysitter is a stone’s-throw away. So I really have it pretty easy in comparison to a lot of others (and stay-at-home mothers work just as hard, I must add). But still, I find it hard to keep up with the numerous daily annoyances that tend to pile up—similar to my many loads of laundry—on the weekly to-do list. Bills, dishes, grocery shopping, and so forth. Sometimes I’m not even sure I remember how to adequately apply makeup, because I never seem to have time for it these days.

However, there are a few things that I find great joy in that I have taken for granted in prior years. For example, going to the grocery store unaccompanied is no longer a tedious task, but a short (and VERY enjoyable) mini-vacation.

Since Control4 has entered my life, many features in my system have helped to make my life a bit easier. However, my very favorite is one that has just helped to make it a whole lot more enjoyable. My “Mom Time” button on my bathroom keypad (yes, that’s the real engraving), triggers my pre-programmed Rhapsody playlist to play at 30% volume over my bathroom ceiling speakers as the lights dim to 25% over a 15-second span of time. It also adjusts my thermostat so that I don’t freeze when getting out of the tub. The only thing it doesn’t do is pour my wine. But I can deal with that.

I asked around to discover some favorite Control4 features of fellow moms, and these are their own “simple pleasures.”

“My three-button keypad on my nightstand! Can’t live without it. One button to turn off the house, one button controls my bedside lamp, one button turns off the master bedroom and a double tap illuminates the kids bathroom light to 10%.”
—Christi Nelson, Senior Channel Marketing Manager

“As a mom, this system has truly made my life easier. I have an ‘All Off’ button I can hit on the way out the door, so I do not have to go room-to-room on my way out, turning out the lights and TVs. I have a button in my kitchen that announces ‘Dinner is ready’ all over the second floor and it automatically turns off the kids’ TVs. So, less yelling. Another button announces ‘Get your butt out of bed’ to remind my teenager that it’s time for school. I have a camera at my front door and when someone rings the doorbell, their image comes up on my Control4 Touch Screen and I can talk to them from there. I do not have to open the door for anyone if I do not want to. Goodbye unwanted solicitors! I use the Control4 system to play Pandora throughout every room in my house—it makes chores like laundry, dishes, and cleaning so much more enjoyable!”
—Marla Glabman (wife of Control4 installer at Glabman Technology Solutions)

“Our son, Brody, will open the door at night—I’m sure like a lot of 2 or 3 year olds. But with kids with Autism, especially our son, he makes no sound. If he opens his door, it will turn on the lights in our master bedroom and it will say something over the speakers. I absolutely love it. I don’t know what I would do without automation and Control4.”
—Robin Buzzard (check out “Automation for Autism” here)

“What’s not to love about Control4 for a busy mom? One of my favorites is the Yale door lock controlled by Control4. No fumbling around for a key with groceries or the dog’s leash in my hand; I just touch the keypad with my personal combination and the door opens. I also love that the bedroom touchscreen shows the outside temperature. The ‘Goodnight’ button locks the garage door, turns off lights and whatever else we want so no worries there!”
—Diane Hirsch (wife of Control4 installer at Horizon Install Group, Inc.)

“I dig being able to play my music or change my lighting from my iPad, anywhere in the house. I also like being able to use MyHome on my mobile device while I’m sitting on the patio enjoying a cocktail … or having friends over. My husband’s hooked on the single remote. Oh, and I love it when my grandkids come to visit. They like to sleep in, and I love to play loud rap music in their rooms to wake them up. Mean g’ma, eh?”
—Bev Noyce, Senior Technical Writer

“A few weeks ago my husband and I heard our 3-year old son get out of bed and go into the living room. We hear both the TV in the living room and kitchen light turn on. I quickly grabbed the iPad and opened my Control4 app, turning off the television and the light. He obviously doesn’t realize we are doing this, so he turns the television back on and I see (from the iPad) that the light is turned back on as well. I turn them back off. I can hear him trying to figure it all out, and he tries another light. I quickly turn it off. Then we hear him run up into his bedroom (we leave our Control4 7-inch In-Wall Touch Screen on to hear him at night). I walk in there to ask him what’s going on. He says, ‘Mom it’s broken, the TV and lights need new batteries, they aren’t working.’ I proceed to tell him that they don’t work well after dark when it’s time to sleep. Problem solved. Control4 helped me avoid a toddler meltdown, as he now thinks the TV and lights won’t work late at night. He hasn’t done this again. It was nice to have that control.”
—Shannon Schritter, Human Resources Generalist

“My favorite is of course my own music that I can access anywhere in the house and the fact that each kid can have their own music in their own rooms. This also helps with the morning wake-ups for the kids because they wake up happier than if I were to wake them up. I like the button by my bed to turn off the living room light when I forget before climbing in bed. Lastly would be the pantry door sensor because I never have to walk by the pantry door open anymore. We have an announcement that plays a repeating reminder to close the pantry door if it gets left open for more than a minute.”
—Kimberly, wife of Todd Miller, Director of Training

“My wife loves the fact that the light in the pantry automatically turns on when the door is opened (and off when it’s closed). Same for the light in the garage at night. Her next favorite feature is intercom to get the kids out of bed in the morning or to call everyone for dinner. And finally, seeing who’s at the front door with the door station.”
—Kordon Vaughn, Director of Control4 Listen & Watch Products, of his wife, Rachelle

“My wife’s favorite button is the one next to the recliner that allows her to turn off the kitchen lights when the kids leave them on. That’s the one she says is going to turn her into one of those chair-bound orca people from WALL-E.”
—David Baker, Online Marketing Manager, of his wife, Melanie

“My wife double clicks the dimmer in the nursery to start our son’s playlist that he takes naps to. Makes nap time very easy.”
—Tyler Reed, Manager, Demand Generation & CRM, of his wife Jennifer

What are your favorite features of your Control4 system? What helps make your life a bit easier?

Posted in Automation, Home, Lifestyle

Control4 Lighting Control Is Now Better Than Ever!

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Susan Cashen — No Comments ↓

Today, we issued a press release announcing our next generation, amazingly fantastic new lighting solutions. The product family represents one of the most significant product rollouts in our company’s history. Consumers are getting their smarts-on with regard to intelligent lighting (the industry muckety-mucks say we’ll spend about $4.3 billion on smart solutions by 2020)—and we’re delivering elegantly “brilliant” solutions that will help facilitate this trend.

Up until recently, many consumers who have embraced home automation did so with the intent to trick out their family room—most likely because they just bought a new flat panel TV, or to drive multi-room audio throughout the home, or to automate climate control to better manage energy consumption in the house. Lighting control was not often the driving factor for a consumer to seek out a Control4 system. In fact, most consumers only “try” smart lighting to complement another automation application. I know for me, I got “hooked” when my dealer explained how cool it would be if the lights in our family room dimmed automatically—every time we hit “play” on the remote to start a movie.

But here’s a surprising tidbit. When we asked our customers what’s the one home automation application in their system that they cannot live without, the answer is unilaterally, “lighting.” Once you live with smart lighting control, you really can’t go back to the “old-fashioned” way. For me, lighting is the application that best showcases the delight and surprise of automation. Control4 integrates lighting control with other automation functions to create “scenes. A “Home” scene creates a lighting path from the entry to the kitchen and disarms the security system; an “Entertainment” scene which dims the lights and tees up music; an “Away” scene which lowers the shades, places the AC into energy savings mode, shuts off all but a few select lights, and activates the security system. When my husband travels, I know if necessary, I can press my bedside “panic button” and the alarm would sound, the lights would flash on and off inside my home and out—alerting an intruder to leave the premises before help arrives.

Today, Control4 launches a brand new line of lighting control products—a broad range of elegant and energy saving lighting solutions, featuring a diverse palette of color and finish options and lots of cool “personalization” features that ratchet up the lighting experience in your home to a whole new level. Working with your dealer, you can program your smart lighting to enhance the aesthetic of your home (think dramatic lighting effect that turns on automatically in the evening illuminating your pool, front yard or walkways, or a stunning spotlight to showcase a central art piece in the living room or a bank of lights to highlight family photos along a hallway) and combine your new lighting with other automation applications to create the scenes that are most relevant for your family and lifestyle.

Embrace smart lighting and you’ll never go back. We, who enjoy, reflect on the old days when a switch on a wall could only turn on a light. With Control4, one button press does a whole lot more!

Posted in Automation, Home

May the Fourth Be With You: Celebrating Star Wars Day

Posted on May 3, 2013 by David Baker — No Comments ↓

I was seven years old in early 1977 when the first Star Wars movie came out. Back then it was just “Star Wars,” of course, but today fanboys around the world know the movie as “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.” When you think about it, I’m a member of the youngest generation that has been able to see every Star Wars movie in its original form, during its original release, in an actual movie theater. Like most other males (and quite a few females) my age, I can hardly remember a time when I didn’t love Star Wars. I literally grew up with “the Force.”

I actually remember the day vividly … Standing in line in the early summer heat with my dad and older brothers outside Phoenix’s old Cine Capri theater … My dad buying me the biggest Mr. Pibb the concessions stand would sell … Watching the gold curtains rise as the theater lights dimmed … Hearing the drum cadence and trumpet fanfare as the 20th Century FOX title screen appeared … And of course, the much-loved, much-parodied “opening crawl” that caught us up on events that wouldn’t be turned into actual movies until I had children of my own.

From the very first scene—Leia’s Blockade Runner running from Vader’s Star Destroyer—I knew that this was an entirely new type of movie. I felt a visceral thrill as Darth Vader appeared for the very first time on the silver screen. I developed my first crush on Princess Leia (who is now, inexplicably, a “Disney Princess”). Regardless of how you feel about George Lucas, he redefined an entire genre of film. He reinvented special effects. He added words and idioms to our language. He made John Williams a household name. (Or is it the other way around? Tough call.) By the time the final credits rolled, I was an instant convert. I was also sprinting up the aisle to the lobby, thanks to that jumbo-sized Mr. Pibb.

Today, my teenaged sons still watch at least one of the seven Star Wars movies once a week. Back in 1977 I had to stand in line in 100-degee heat to see Luke and Leia and Han and Vader. Now we watch them in full 1080p glory at home, streamed over the network through my Control4-connected Boxee media player. We can all quote movies word for word. In fact, if I “drop the needle” (a classic 1977 term, to be sure) anywhere in the soundtrack of any of those movies, my 13-year-old can tell me what’s happening at that exact moment in the movie. He can also wear a Star-Wars-themed tee-shirt every day for two weeks without recycling.

You may not realize this, but Saturday (May Fourth) is “Star Wars Day.” The fourth day of May is celebrated by fans around the world because of the phrase “May the fourth be with you.” Since 5/4 falls on a Saturday this year, I’ll be taking this opportunity to gather my children, queue up the movie that started it all. We’ll dim the lights and turn up the sound until the neighbors complain.

Hope your Star Wars Day is as great as mine. May the fourth (and the force) be with you!

Exit question: What’s your favorite of the seven (yes—seven!) Star Wars movies? And more importantly, what’s the best beverage to enjoy while watching one? (Hint: There is a correct answer.)

Posted in Automation, Control4 Employees, Home, Lifestyle, Media, Uncategorized

Saved By The Charge.

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Lisa Harmer — No Comments ↓

Like most parents, I’m used to changing my fair share of batteries. We buy Costco-sized packages of all shapes and sizes of batteries and go through them at an alarming rate. The amount of time and money I spend changing batteries is almost as unnerving as the vision I have of all of those worthless, metallic cylinders rotting in a landfill, leaking toxic chemicals into the groundwater.

While I have never personally had an issue with the battery life of my Control4 remotes, thanks to Murphy’s Law or my bad luck, the batteries miraculously croaked right before the Miami game with a house full of rabid Heat fans hopped up on sliders and nachos.

So I ran to the closet for replacements and, of course, I’m out of double-A’s. Curse you, obnoxious children’s toys! After about 10 minutes tracking down the proper battery-operated device from which to harvest functioning batteries, we were back in business. Needless to say, when I heard that Control4 now has a recharging station for its SR-250 and SR-150 system remotes, I was thrilled. Not only can I reserve those precious AA batteries for my kids’ toys and maybe a flashlight or two, but I can also rest assured that whether we’re entertaining for the championship game or a red carpet awards show, my remotes will be ready to control everything.

Posted in Events, Home, Tech

TuneIn to Internet Radio Variety

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Control4 Guest — No Comments ↓

This post comes to us from Glenn Clapp, Director of Embedded Software for Control4.

I have been listening to Internet radio for years. There have been a number of websites and services that provided lists of Internet radio stations, but Internet Radio has generally been hit-and-miss and a pretty geeky way to listen to the radio. Keeping up on what stations were alive and what had gone “off the air” is too much effort.

When TuneIn came along, all that changed. TuneIn has set the standard for scouring the globe for Internet radio stations and keeping the ever-changing list current. TuneIn changed the way I listen to almost everything. I haven’t bothered to hook up the AM/FM antennas to anything in my home in years and only listen to over-the-air radio in the car.

I like certain radio shows that are aired when I can’t be around to listen. I used to pay a subscription fee to listen to some shows from the show’s website when I had time to listen. Those subscription fees can add up fast. TuneIn tracks radio shows along with the stations that play them so, I can usually find the show I want to hear playing somewhere almost any time of day. It felt good to let my paid subscriptions lapse.

Before I had a Control4 system, I used Logitech Squeezeboxes in almost every room for TuneIn. When I installed whole-house audio with Control4, I kept the Squeezeboxes for the TuneIn radio and had a bit of a mixed listening environment. The Control4 system did everything else, but I couldn’t give up having TuneIn. At last with OS 2.4, Control4 brings TuneIn Internet radio to my home audio and the Squeezeboxes can find their way to family and friends. Christmas shopping…done!

Most of the music and talk radio shows I listen to in the house now come from TuneIn via Control4. The morning starts with my wife’s favorite station. A quick tap of the “Dog Music” button as we leave for the day keeps the pups happy in their kennels (or so they claim). When arriving home, some nostalgic blues from a French radio station starts up in the garage (the French seem to really like John Lee Hooker, and who can blame them?). As the night wears on, some mellow Jazz or standards set the mood. My wife Kara and I enjoy browsing stations from around the world and saving favorites when we find something we like. Neither of us could have guessed that the first radio favorite we saved in our Control4 system was an Indian music station from, you guessed it, India. Kara said “Oh, that one is cool! Can we save it?” Yes, we can.

Internet radio has provided Kara and I with a great deal of enjoyment with diverse music and programming from around the world. Internet radio is no longer a geek-only way to listen to the world’s radio streams, but is now simple everyone. TuneIn with Control4 OS 2.4 gives my family a level of variety and enjoyment we have not had before. If you ask me what I’ll listen to next, I can only say “I don’t know. Let’s try something new. It may be a new favorite.”

Posted in Automation, Home, Media

Amp Up Your Energy IQ for Earth Day!

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Crystal Watts — No Comments ↓

Did you know it’s better to leave your faucet in the cold position? That a desktop computer uses quite a bit more energy than a laptop?

Just in time for Earth Day, we thought we’d share some tips and tricks for energy conservation as well as some interesting facts on how energy is consumed in the world. Feel free to pass on and share the knowledge with your friends and followers!

And Happy Earth Day!

Posted in Control4 Gives Back, Events, Lifestyle

Protect Your Cheese!

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Jenn West — No Comments ↓

A few years ago, a woman in Florida was sitting at work and decided to check in on her house using a camera she had recently installed. She just happened to check in at the exact time two men were walking around her house, helping themselves to her CDs, Nintendo Wii, flat-screen TV, etc. Oh, and she even saw one man pull a bag of cheese from the fridge and start eating it as he walked around grabbing more stuff. Apparently, thieving is hard work, and sometimes a bag of cheese just hits the spot. The woman called the police and they easily apprehended the crooks. This is solid proof that getting a surveillance system is a good idea—if for no other reason than protecting your cheese! (http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/weird/Woman-Watches-Her-Home-Robbed-On-Web-Cam.html )

“Can it get any cooler?” you ask. Why yes, yes it can. This woman got lucky because she happened to check in at the right time. If she had looked an hour earlier or an hour later, this story would not have had a happy ending. Let’s re-write it a little bit and make the surveillance system a lot less reliant on chance by adding Control4 to the mix.

1) Apparently the thieves got in through the doggy door, so let’s add an email or SMS notification every time the doggy door opens or closes. Hopefully the fact that it opened twice within a minute or two would alert the owner that something was up and would prompt her to check her security camera.

2) Let’s say she doesn’t want a notification every time the dog door opens. How about an alert if there’s motion in a part of the house where Fido wouldn’t be? Fido isn’t allowed to be in the master bedroom when the house is in “Away” mode, so if the motion sensor in there senses anything, an alert is sent off indicating someone is in a place they shouldn’t be. If it’s the dog, she could play a recording of her voice saying, “Fido, get out!” which would hopefully do the trick. If it’s not Fido, more drastic measures can be taken, such as calling the police.

3) Now you tell me you love your dog and there is no room that is off limits. Your pets must be a lot more well behaved than mine, but we still have a solution. You know what items in your house are going to catch the eye of a would-be burglar so let’s just focus on those. Whether it’s your flat-screen TV or your secret jewelry drawer, stick an asset protector (a sensor which detects vibrations) on or near it and get an alert when it moves.

4) There are lots of alert possibilities. But what if you’re in a situation where you can’t check your cameras. These alerts can not only send notifications to you, but also tell the camera system to start recording. You may not want every minute of every day in your house to be recorded, but there are those crucial moments where having that recorded footage matters. If something is not right in your home, you want those cameras capturing everything—and that’s easy with Control4.

5) Finally, why not have a little fun with the surveillance system? Let’s say you check in and are watching burglars collect valuables from your house. Calling the police should be the first priority, but then why not play a recording of your voice saying, “Freeze and drop the cheese!” Integrating your surveillance system with a multi-room audio system provides all kinds of possibilities. At that point you could also put the house into “lockdown” mode … lock all the doors, lower the shades, flash the lights, play a siren sound—all by clicking one button from your smart phone, tablet or computer.

The possibilities are endless, I could go on and on.

If you have a surveillance system, consider adding some automation to make it as effective as possible. Control4 recently formed a partnership with LILIN, a leading security manufacturer, to offer fabulous surveillance systems for our customers. With LILIN products, not only can you get crystal-clear 1080p picture, night or day, inside or out, but you can also record every minute of footage. If you’ve got automation, check out these cool surveillance products and secure your home or business! http://www.meritlilin.com/en/

Posted in Automation, Home

Control4 just got a whole lot simpler and sexier than ever before.

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Control4 Guest — No Comments ↓

This editorial is written by Dennis Burger, Editor in Chief at HomeTechTell and contributing writer at Residential Systems.

If there’s one thing in this world I love nearly so much as electronics and home automation, it’s the Corvette. I couldn’t care less about cars in general. Sports cars? Meh. And before you think you’ve accidentally clicked on a link to Car & Driver, no, I assure you this is a blog about Control4. But there’s something about the Corvette that just captivates me. I love nearly everything about that souped-up slice of Americana—everything, that is, except for the excruciatingly agonizing long-drawn-out tease associated with the introduction of a next-generation Vette. In that respect, I really wish Chevrolet would steal a page from Control4’s new playbook.

In the lead-up to the introduction of this year’s new and radically redesigned seventh-generation Corvette (aka C7), Chevy teased its slobbering fans with tantalizing glimpses of a contentious new taillight design, sneak peeks at new headlights, vague and rumor-y sounding quips about its engine, fueling months of intense debates that led right up to the new Corvette’s official unveiling, which left most of us fans thinking, “Wait, that’s it? Where’s the convertible?”

Control4, on the other hand, just quietly stepped onto the virtual stage, tapped the mic, and nonchalantly said, “Hey, you guys, we’re about to seriously shake things up. Like, right now. Enjoy.”

Granted, we Control4 fans have known for a while now that OS 2.4 was on the way, delivering native TuneIn support right from the Control4 UI. What I don’t think any of us could have imagined was that said OS update would bring with it a radical re-envisioning of what a Control4 Controller is and ought to be. Starting now, new HC-250 and HC-800 controllers include—out of the box—licensing for MyHome app connectivity and the Intercom capabilities of Control4’s touchscreens and door station. And you may not think that built-in licensing for apps and intercoms has quite the same marketing sparkle as a 6.2-liter V8 with 450 foot-pounds of torque, but this really does change everything.

Because, let’s face it, we live in a mobile-driven world. Separate licensing for the MyHome app really made mobile connectivity seem like an option for Control4 customers before. And really, it isn’t an option. It shouldn’t be, anyway. It’s like trying to drive a Corvette without power steering. (Which, by the way, wasn’t part of the standard package until the ’77 model. No, I didn’t have to look that up.)

Not only that, but the addition of out-of-the-box licensing for MyHome and Intercom vastly simplifies the whole Control4 experience. No longer is the message a sort of wishy-washy, “Control4 can do this” or “It’s capable of that.” Instead, dealers will be able to look customers in the eye and say, “The system does all of this.” Bam! I love it.

In addition to the whole selling experience, this greatly simplifies the customer experience, as well. By taking the dealer-managed licenses out of the equation, Control4 users who replace their phones and tablets on a regular basis—and let’s be honest, that’s most of us—won’t have to wait around to get our new toys re-configured to work with the system. Instant gratification! I dig it the most.

I’m saving the best for last, though, because in my opinion the biggest new stealth-bomb change coming with OS 2.4 is Anywhere Access, a new feature included with Control4’s 4Sight subscription service. If I’m being completely blunt here, it took me a while to get the whole point of 4Sight even after I got my own Control4 system at home, so I can only imagine how hard it was to sell to less tech-obsessed customers. Email alerts? A neat feature, to be sure, but not one I ever use myself. Remote dealer access for programming tweaks and updates? Definitely a little neater, but not really necessary for me. The ability to log in from a remote computer and check on my home while I was away? Way neater still, for sure, but who has time to find an actual computer on the road? Remote mobile access was where it was at for me, but that required all sorts of convoluted network configuration, including opening ports on my router—a security hole that still gives me the heebie-jeebies.

With Anywhere Access, though, I’ll finally be able to close those ports and still access my Control4 system on the go via the 4G connection on my iPhone, which really makes a 4Sight subscription a no-brainer now.

Seriously, I hope someone at Chevrolet is paying attention to this. The lesson learned is that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to get customers excited; you just have to make it a lot easier to drive.

Posted in Automation, Lifestyle, Tech

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