Dave Zatz

Home Control Curious? Staples Connect Drops To $50.

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If you’re just easing into home control and automation like me, Staples Connect is worth a look — moreso as the Linksys hub will shortly drop to a mere $50. With apps for most platforms, the hub communicates via 802.11b/g/n, Z-Wave, and Lutron wireless protocols. Along with the price reduction, broader retail distribution has been announced along with a second $80 D-Link hub $80 that will add Zigbee and Bluetooth LE communication. It seems pretty clear Bluetooth LE, aka Bluetooth Smart, will play a prominent role in this space (along with wearables), but its limited broadcast range may inhibit hub effectiveness and the existing model seems to do a fine job bridging most home automation silos. And we’re told the team is working through the process of Nest integration – which may be requisite these days.

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No You Don't Replace Aereo, Silly Rabbit

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In the wake of Aereo’s Supreme Court smackdown and cessation of service, CEOs from the likes of TiVo and SimpleTV have taken to the press to pitch their case as an over-the-air replacement. But Aereo’s primary benefits can’t be replicated by these guys.

First, Aereo positioned their rental antennas where the company obviously received a strong signal. Which isn’t necessarily the case for our dwellings located in urban canyons or on the far side of the digital cliff. Second, with a shared, centrally managed infrastructure, Aereo didn’t saddle customers with the expense of hardware (or long term commitments), running only $8-12/month.

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Amazon Fire TV Gets Musical (but it ain't Prime)

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A curious thing happened yesterday while perusing my Amazon Fire TV … scrolling thru the left-hand textual menu seemed more tedious than usual and, sure enough, several new items were present. A quick check to the (slightly re-ordered) settings confirmed the Fire TV had been updated (to 51.1.1). It appears the headliners are a kid-oriented FreeTime and native Amazon Music playback.

Of course, Amazon Cloudplayer was a bizarre and notable absence upon Amazon Fire TV launch and this update goes a long way towards filling the gap. Yet

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Mohu Channels Shipping Halted Admist Reception Woes

Via Mohu’s Kickstarter update: Some of our backers who have received and installed their Channels devices are commenting that they are receiving less OTA channels than they previously had prior to installing Channels. We are an OTA company and, as you would image, this is of great concern to us. Rest assured, the tuner inside … Read more

TiVo Launching "My Shows Categories"

As we revealed last month, TiVo’s summer update will bring a third column to the DVR interface. And, now via TiVo’s YouTube channel, we’ve got a name in “My Shows Categories” along with high res imagery and training. Beyond the new presentation, and in-guide recording detailed here, we’re told the TiVo Roamio UI will also make its way to Premiere … Read more