SmartHome home automation systems are now part of the Electronic Partner product range, following a joint distribution agreement with RWE Effizienz.

The SmartHome system as an easy to use wireless home automation solution, linking any number of appliances with a central control unit.

It also carries out intelligent heating control and comes with a number of security features, including smoke and motion detectors.

Previously customers could only get SmartHome systems over the internet or at RWE customer care centres.

Go RWE Effizienz and Electronic Partner Distribution Agreement

Home automation pioneer X10 shuts down as it goes into receivership and stops production in its factories.

The announcement follows reports by Wired.com of the X10 protocol's vulnerability to hacker attacks-- even if the company insists its closing down has nothing to do with the news.

The company did face competition from newer home-control technologies such as Z-Wave, ZigBee, Insteon and wifi.

X10 was a pioneer in the home automation industry-- creating its powerline-based control protocol in the 1970s, before launching its offerings (and possibly the home automation industry) in the 1980s.

Nowadays X10 is just known for its trashy-looking website selling cheap wireless gadgets, and an appearance in nerd sitcom The Big Bang Theory. It will also continue selling its devices for the time being-- at least until either stocks dry up or consumers stop buying.

Go X10

Go Hacking Home Automation Systems Through your Power Lines (Wired.com)

Watch X10's Appearance on The Big Bang Theory

GfK says German customers are afraid of smart homes-- specifically technical demands and costs such an enterprise involves.

While the smart home market has high growth potential-- with the "vast majority" of retailers and contractors expecting growing sales in the next 3 years-- consumers still have doubts.

Customers' main fear involves finding smart homes' technical demands overwhelming, together with high costs and too small added value.

The analyst's study collates interviews with 180 representatives, retailers and contractors operating in the German market.

GfK says entertainment and security applications are the market's key success drivers, while retailers and contractors must improve their customer service and standards if they're to present smart homes' worth and advantages.

Go Consumers Remain Unsure About Smart Homes (GfK)

Niko UK offers free courses in installing and programming its Nikobus home automation system, as well as its Niko Home Control electrical installation.

The courses involve a day-long fully interactive experience, providing attendees with the knowledge and tools to program and specify their own lighting and home automation systems.

Interested qualifying installers and electricians are to visit Niko's UK training suite at its Toddington HQ, with courses going on select days in August, September and October.

Go Niko Training

Smart home installations total 0.44m globally in 2010, and are set to growth further-- reaching 5.38m by 2015 with a CAGR of 65%, according to Berg Insight.

Revenues will also grow-- from 2010's total of $2.3Bn to almost $9.5Bn in 2015, growing at a CAGR of 32.8%.

Berg Insight says times are changing for the automation industry, thanks to "...a perfect confluence of market, regulatory, strategic and technology trends”, with the days of smart and connected home technologies as the reserve for the very affluent and technophiles soon coming to a close.

The WW percentage of mainstream homes in 2010 with any form of automation amounts to 0.1%-- a number set to grow to almost 4%, according to Berg.

Current consumers want to use their devices-- smartphones and tablets-- to control their lifestyles via user-friendly interfaces, while governments push for better power generation, distribution and consumption in residences.

Broadband providers and their likes, seeking to increase ARPU, become complete solution providers through their solutions.

Technology-wise, manufacturers are focusing on interoperability, as module, chipset and software costs trend downwards. Vendors are also focusing on easy-to-deploy technologies (such as wireless) ideal for the retrofitting of existing housing (tying in with the current WW slummp in new housing construction).

Berg Insight predicts dealer-installers from traditional industries (such as security service providers) could soon crowd the market, together with entrants such as broadband, wireless and utility service providers-- meaning success will come through the right partnerships, business models and pricing.

Go Berg Insight

The HomePNA Alliance technology standard has been approved by the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) for incorporation into the next version of its Networked Device Interoperability Guidelines.

More than 200 DLNA member companies share a vision of an interoperable network of products throughout the home, enabling a seamless environment for creating, managing and sharing new digital media and content services.

“There are a large number of products available to deliver and consume digital content throughout today’s connected home. DLNA Certification gives service providers a valuable tool to simplify the deployment of services such as IPTV to consumers,” says Michael Weissman, president of HomePNA.

“DLNA and HomePNA share a common vision - to simplify the installation of networked products. HomePNA believes that DLNA Certified HomePNA products will help drive additional reductions in IPTV installation and operating costs, saving time and money for service providers and increasing customer satisfaction.”

“The digital home includes a wide range of DLNA Certified products – from products purchased at retail stores to those distributed by service providers,” says Nidhish Parikh, chairman and president of DLNA. “Certification of home networking technologies such as HomePNA is becoming an important component in the industry’s drive to make networked equipment in the home work together."

• Four of the top five largest telcos in No. America deploying IPTV have selected HomePNA.
• More than 20 million HomePNA chipsets have been shipped, worldwide.
• HomePNA is currently deployed across 5 continents around the globe.
• HomePNA has helped service providers reduce installation costs by more than $800 million.
• Telcos that have deployed HomePNA generally experience higher fixed line retention, higher ARPU, and greater customer satisfaction.
• HomePNA 3.1 has been standardized by the ITU as Recommendation G.9954 - a major factor in telco adoption of the technology for IPTV and triple play.
• To date, the addition of HomePNA-enabled IPTV has generated more than $1 billion in new revenues for service providers.

Go HomePNA