Have you always had a hankering for some home automation, but felt that the technology was either too expensive or too complicated to install? Throw that excuse out the window. Starting today, Verizon is offering a $10/mo. service (plus the cost of the installation kit) that will let you remotely change your house’s temperature, track energy usage, turn lights and appliances on and off, watch a video feed of your home, and heck, even unlock the front door if you want – all via your web-connected PC, smartphone or FiOS TV. Sigma Design’s Z-Wave technology powers the system. 
As often happens, the first product in a new product category is pretty good, but the second and third entries bring the wow. This is certainly the case with the category of keyless deadbolt locks and Yale’s Real Living Touchscreen deadbolt. Schlage has a good lock, Kwikset’s is better, and Yale’s is fantastic. Modern Home Control Systems: Effective, Inexpensive, Easy to Install
If you ever saw a “Home of the Future” exhibit and thought you’d never be able to enjoy such awesome levels of home automation, well, your wait is over. With equipment available right now, you can assemble a do-it-yourself home-control system capable of managing everything from your lighting and ceiling fans to your heating, air conditioning, door locks, security cameras, and even your garage-door opener.
