The Official Smarthome Blog – All Things Home Automation

Prevent water damage from leaking sinks, basins, or any other items that use 3/8″ Compression fittings. This unit will detect a leak, sound an alarm, and automatically turn off the water supply to the offending appliance or pipe to prevent further damage. This unit can be easily installed in about 10 minutes.

Your sink may be a disaster waiting to happen unless you have protection. FloodStop protects your home 24 hours a day everyday. FloodStop automatically shuts off the water supply to the Sink, whether caused by a ruptured supply line, leaking garbage disposal or an overflow. Incorporate the Flood Stop into your INSTEON or X10 network – the control unit has two NC outputs and plugs with 6″ leads.

Features:

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The Onsite Pro FS1NPTW is a Wireless FloodStop system for your entire home. Enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that if any appliances, supply lines or drains start to leak, your FloodStop system will automatically shut off the water to the entire home. This system comes with everything you need including a full-port, solid brass motorized ball valve, FloodStop controller and four wireless water sensors. The sensors can be powered by four AA Batteries, (sold separately) or plug them in with the included wall adaptors. Note: If the sensors are plugged into AC, they also act as a signal repeater. Imagine, the more sensors you have the better the signal strength. The Floodstop monitor unit is powered by the included AC adapter or four C Batteries, (sold separately). Incorporate the Flood Stop into your INSTEON or X10 network – the control unit has two NC outputs and plugs with 6″ leads.

Don’t risk your floors, carpets and other personal belongings to costly and ruinous water damage! Prevent flood damage and avoid costly repairs with the easy-to-install whole house auto-shutoff valve. This system not only detects leaks early, but it automatically shuts your water off in the event of a leak, alerting you with the control panel’s alarm. You can also customize your whole home system with additional Wireless Sensor Modules and Wireless Sensor Pads each sold separately.

This whole home shutoff system is made for 1″ valves. A whole home FloodStop shutoff system is also available for 3/4″ and 1 1/4″ valves, each sold separately. Read More

Wirelessly Project and Use a Full-size Illuminated Keyboard on Any Flat Surface

I don’t know about you, but I for one am glad the future is finally here (minus the flying cars: Nevermind) and thus, behold the Magic Cube, from Celluon. This sleek little device can be used wirelessly or wired via USB and features two modes: Keyboard mode or Mouse mode. Wait, it gets better. This little device projects a layout for all your typing and mouse (mousing?) needs. Perfect for travel, typing, and well…showing off, it also works quite well if you’re keen on pretending you’re typing aboard a spaceship somewhere deep within the galaxy. I won’t judge you space cadet.

Here’s the essential information:

The Celluon Magic Cube is a compact, portable device that allows you to add a virtual keyboard and mouse to almost any Bluetooth-enabled device. It is compatible with the latest devices, including Windows XP/Vista/7, Windows Phone 7, iOS4 (iPhone3GS/4, iPad, iPad 2), and Android 2.2 or higher. While the real intent of this device is to be used wirelessly via Bluetooth, it can also connect via USB. There’s even a switch which allows you to easily switch from wireless connection to USB connection (USB cable included). The Magic Cube can be charged via the USB cable, and on a full charge you can enjoy over two hours of usage.

In Typing Mode the Magic Cube projects a full-sized perfectly operating laser keyboard that will work on any flat surface in front of it. An optical recognition mechanism enables you to type on the projected key images while real tapping sounds are generated, making typing texts or e-mails as easy as with an ordinary keyboard. In Mouse Mode you can use your finger as a mouse rather than typing when using with a laptop. Read More

• Supports Bluetooth HID, Mac/PC with USB 2.0 port, iOS 4.0 or later, and more
• Allows for 350 characters per minute
• Built-in Rechargeable battery
• English QWERTY keyboard layout with mouse functionality
• Compact size, perfect for on-the-go
• No mechanical or moving parts

• Trigger X10 devices based on temperature
• Designed to be submerged in water up to 5 feet
• Sensor connects to an X10 Powerflash Interface (sold separately)
• Set a specific temperature to activate X10 controlled devices

The X10 Variable Temperature Sensor provides a way to sense temperatures and trigger X10 devices based on user settings. It interfaces to a standard X10 Powerflash Interface, sold separately, and supports a temperature range from approximately 25° F – 106° F.

The sensor is completely self contained and uses a sealed solid state transducer preset at the factory. The sensor should be placed in a location that will protect it from being frozen in ice and from direct sun, as well as no deeper than 5′ in water (to accurately reflect the ambient temperature). The control unit (with the temperature adjust potentiometer) must be protected from the elements. Depending on your application, the user selection of leads determines turning on or off devices based on whether the temperature is hotter than the set value or cooler than the set value. The user selects two leads (based on the table included), sets the approximate temperature using a small screwdriver, connects the sensor to the Powerflash terminals, plugs in the wall transformer, and places the sensor in the appropriate location. Read More

• Real-time tracking & reporting
• User-defined “fence”
• Low voltage alert
• Battery monitor alert
• Bilge water alert
• Emergency alert
• 1-month backup battery
• Waterproof
• GPS jamming alert with cell tower triangulation

It would be great to hop on your boat and head out for a relaxing day on the water or weekend exploring a new port, but what if someone else had the same idea – take your boat out for a tour? Unfortunately, in today’s world, you can’t always count on your boat staying where you left it. The Guard Dog MarineTrac will protect your investment and let you know if something goes wrong. You can set up a virtual fence around its normal mooring spot, so if it moves beyond that area you will receive an alert message. It will transmit its present GPS coordinates, as well as three month’s worth of bread crumbs showing where it went. Tie it into your bilge pump circuit to be notified of bilge pump use. It keeps track of engine run time as well as battery voltage and system current draw, and can let you know of problems. A built-in backup battery will support MarineTrac for a month if your boat’s power goes out. Supports iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry smartphones. Many insurance companies will offer discounts based on a Guard Dog installation. Read More