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If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to check out our President and CEO, Martin Plaehn on Bloomberg's "Money Moves" segment, discussing the state of home automation, Control4's integration with over 7000 3rd party devices, and delivering on a promise to provide the best solutions for the connected consumer.
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...The rapid expansion of these connected devices, or “Internet of Things” technology as it is often called, is very exciting. By connecting these devices, we are gaining more control than we have ever had before. We can adjust the thermostat from the office, check the security cameras from the movie theater, or turn the lights off or close the garage door from just about anywhere—whether you’re next door or across the world.
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This year’s CES showcased a lot of new and enticing technology products. I had the opportunity to spend some time walking the show floor and here are the top five products that caught my eye. 1. Panasonic AX800 4K LCD TV Panasonic has always had a reputation for producing some of the best plasma TVs on the market. However, just a couple of months ago they announced the discontinuation of their plasma product line due to declining profits, leaving TV picture quality enthusiasts (myself included) to wonder how they could ever replace those amazing black levels and smooth motion with an LCD display. Enter the AX800 4K LCD TV.
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As mentioned in yesterday's blog post: "What it Means to have a 'Truly' Connected Home," we talk about how home automation is not one app to turn off one light, a different app to set the thermostat and another app to arm your security system. Home automation is hitting an “Away” button on a Control4 Keypad as you leave the house and your garage door closes, the exterior doors lock, the security system arms, the lights turn off and the thermostat lowers the heat into energy savings mode. It’s programming all aspects of your home to act in a way that matches your lifestyle and your family’s needs. It’s a personalized system that’s customized for YOU. That’s what makes a truly smart and connected home. We have created an infographic to help demonstrate just what it means when it all works together. It's simplicity at its best: One smart home app to run your entire smart home. Enjoy!
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This year at CES, there’s a lot of buzz around the “Internet of Things” and the “Connected Home.” The big guys are dropping announcements that detail how they’re playing in this hot space and some new start-up point solutions are jumping into the fray, using the show to broaden visibility. It’s exciting to see so much attention paid to what we at Control4 have known all along—the home automation space and the connected home are not a fluffy futuristic promise, but a grounded reality that consumers are embracing and investing in today.
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The 2014 International Consumer Electronic Show (CES) is upon us. Leading up to this year’s show I’ve been paying close attention to the rumors about new products and technology, and here is what I’m expecting we’ll see or hear buzz about at 2014 CES...
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As 2013 comes to an end, we wanted to take a look back at some of our favorite video projects from the past year. We have had the joy of experiencing some pretty amazing places with some incredible Control4 customers. Their stories have been interesting, heartfelt, or just plain kooky—but all of them have been theirs—simply one-of-a-kind—and their home automation systems have been built to complement their individual lifestyles. Feel free to travel with us down memory lane...
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Unlike most parents who hope to just sleep in as long as possible on Christmas morning until their kids come to wake them up to open presents, we have the opposite problem. Our 2 and a half-year-old son loves to sleep late and we actually have to wake him up on Christmas morning so that we have enough time to open presents before we head out to an annual family Christmas breakfast that starts at 9am. Way too early, in my opinion, but that’s our family tradition. In my opinion we should have moved on to family brunch some time ago, but I’ve been outvoted so we start our mornings earlier than most. Luckily, our Control4 automation system has allowed us to have a little bit of fun while waking up and helps us all remember that this day is a little more special than every other day of the year.
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Thanks to Control4 home automation, Santa gets a little treat this holiday season—and it's not just milk and cookies this time around...
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In a previous article, Jim Arnold referenced smart lighting in the home with Control4, and it got me thinking about other smart home devices that would make unique Christmas presents. Here are some fun, and practical, smart home gadgets that a tech-savvy person would love. But before you add more smart devices to your home, make sure you have the Internet bandwidth to support them. With so many devices vying for an Internet connection, your other web-enabled devices might suffer from latency.
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Incandescent bulbs will soon be a thing of the past. So what does that mean for the future of lighting? It means smart, energy-efficient lighting options -- and as smart lighting continues to be an increasingly growing market, it is becoming more and more desirable to homeowners. Take a look at this infographic that shows the end of an era and the birth of a new one.
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As “the lighting guy” at Control4, I get a lot of questions along the lines of: Have incandescent light bulbs been outlawed? What kind of light bulbs should I be using? And…What can I expect from these newfangled CFL and LED lights?
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Looking for a little control this holiday season? Jonathan Ping at DataSmart, a Control4 dealer, gives us a little insight on how your Control4 home automation system can handle the scheduling of your Christmas lighting each day of the season—and year over year—as well as some other fun things to add a little extra festive fun to your home. Check out the video below! And be sure to visit our video page for more great tips and tricks from other cool projects.
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Thanks to our newest issue of Home Smart Home, we shared some suggestions on how to make both your Thanksgiving and Halloween a bit more fun and entertaining with your Control4 home automation system. And to wrap it all up (pun intended), we are closing with our Christmas holiday automation suggestions. We wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season.
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When you think of India, what comes to mind? The Taj Mahal, Gandhi, Tikka Masala? How about Control4 home automation? If not, it might now.
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For the second year in a row, employees of Control4 participated in Movember to raise money and awareness for prostate and testicular cancer research and general men’s health. The team, Fans of Control4, was created as an open group for anyone who wished to join in and help with this worthy cause. Men (Mo Bros) and women (Mo Sistas) were welcome to participate in the fun and fund-raising efforts by growing a distinguished moustache. Or not.
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So many technological products and features have become such a staple in our daily lives, that we tend to forget just how much we appreciate the little (or the big) things that help to make our lives more enjoyable and convenient. Being that it is the eve of Thanksgiving, we thought we'd catch a few of our employees to find out what technology they are the most thankful for this year.
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Most homeowners who are looking to invest in a home automation system tend to put a major focus on security and peace of mind. Therefore, one of the many products they consider a major benefit to their home automation systems are smart door locks. We have compiled the top five reasons our customers love having door locks incorporated into their Control4 smart homes.
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As we head into the holiday season, it's time to revisit a few favorite family traditions. We are hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year, which should be interesting since I managed to get my Control4 system installed but I still have no furniture in my formal dining room. Card tables it is, people! I'm not too worried about the turkey and potatoes and I make a killer gravy. Baking, however, is not my thing. A somewhat touchy subject since my mom is famous for her homemade pumpkin pies. I have never ever been able to emulate her perfectly flaky, perfectly designed pie crusts no matter how many hands-on lessons she gave me.
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Thanks to our newest issue of Home Smart Home, we shared some pretty cool Halloween home automation tricks-and-treats with you. And with Thanksgiving just around the corner, we have a few more tips to delight the household or your dinner guests. Below are our suggestions for November, but click on the image below to see some great ideas for December as well to prepare you for the Christmas holiday.
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As the housing market continues to heat up, it's interesting see what trends are changing. Are people still looking for big walk-in closets, stainless steel appliances and spacious kitchens? Sure. But there are signs that times are changing. Earlier this year, Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate published a survey of the next generation of homebuyers, 18-35 year olds who are challenging the traditional norms surrounding home purchases. It turns out high-tech features are top on the list of features homebuyers are seeking.
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Check out these fun facts in this infographic featured in our most recent issue of Home Smart Home magazine. Be sure to download this issue (and past issues) for more fun, inspirational and entertaining articles and stories about automation and technology.
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Control4 recently launched a new HDMI Matrix Switch to distribute video throughout your home or business. We wrote about how video distribution can really benefit you but always wanted to provide an image to explain how it works. Take a look!
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We often use the phrase "Start small, dream big" to explain that one of the best things about a Control4 home automation system is that you really can start off with just a small piece of the entire puzzle and then build on it from there. For example, you can start off with just a universal remote solution and then in time add lighting and a smart thermostat so that you can control all of that with your initial remote. Or you can start with a security system integration and then down the road add in whole home audio so you can enjoy music in any room of your home.
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My daughter is a bit of a midnight mischief maker. We tuck the little angel into bed every night around 8:30, kiss her sweet little head, make sure the nightlight is on and the Dora Pillow Pet snuggled by her side. Then my husband and I close the door and head downstairs to tidy up the house and watch some TV or go sit on the patio to enjoy a little catch-up chat after our busy day.
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