The home laundry room goes hi-tech…Samsung has introduced its new WiFi-enabled WF457 washer and dryer at this week’s CES in Las Vegas. The washer’s Smart Control system allows consumers to stay connected to the washer cycle without having to remain in close proximity to the machine. Consumers can monitor and control the machine’s operation via Continue reading →
WiFi
Chip giant Broadcom has launched a new WiFi chip module for manufacturers to use to add connectivity to devices, appliances, energy management gadgets and other things that less commonly have Internet connections. The WiFi module, which the company is calling Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices (WICED), contains a processor, a WiFi radio, a connectivity API, Continue reading →
The American national anthem ends with the lyrics “Land of the free and home of the brave”. After two weeks in China, I suggest it be amended to read: “America, land of the free WiFi, and home of the easily irritated when not available.” Don’t get me wrong – I love China and my inaugural Continue reading →
The proliferation of electronic devices and appliances in homes and their impact on the efficiency and cost of smart-grid electrical power has given rise to a public debate over whether Wi-Fi or ZigBee represents the most energy-efficient way to deal with the situation. On one side is General Electric, which argues that ZigBee is more Continue reading →
The ZigBee standards lead to electronic systems that are inherently self organizing (self calibrating) and self healing and such devices use much less power and can be deployed in larger numbers than the original WiFi and Bluetooth options. However, we now have low power WiFi and Bluetooth and many proprietary protocols for wireless sensor networks Continue reading →
I caught up with Mike Butts, director of AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) and smart grid for Baltimore Gas & Electric to learn what its ambitious smart grid and metering system will look like. It’s about as close to WIFI without being WIFI. First off, BGE’s Smart Grid network is not the Internet as we think Continue reading →
Radio Thermostat Co. of America has a new smart thermostat that can be outfitted with so-called “U-SNAP” modules to let it communicate via ZigBee, WiFi, Z-Wave, or other protocols to come. In the tug-of-war between competing communication standards like ZigBee, WiFi, Z-Wave and others aiming to capture the market for the smart energy home of Continue reading →
