CE Pro

Homeowners want security systems installed to protect the family and safeguard the house. For an installer, that can be a springboard to more sales by incorporating home automation features into the equation, as shown by two recent studies conducted by Parks Associates.

Security systems have become more sophisticated. They can manage remote check-in, receive alerts and integrate IP cameras, lighting control and energy management. As a result, consumers are beginning to ask f ...read more

While the high-end of the market is driven by audio, video and control, the middle-income buyer appears to be driven more by security-related devices.

According to data Parks Associates in a survey of broadband households, the most “appealing” smart-home devices to connect are:

1. Smoke/gas/water leak detectors (appealing to about 50 percent)
2. Motion/door/window sensors
3. Appliances
4. Lights
5. Stove/oven
6. Thermostat
7. Panic button
8. Security camera ...read more

Skeptical integrators believe the mid-level market for home automation is all going to go DIY, with homeowners opting for apps that that give them silos of home control but not real integrated home automation.

But according to data from Parks Associates, money spent on home automation services, that is installation, monitoring and maintenance, is expected to nearly triple from 2012 to 2017. In all the data reveals that an estimated $30.5 billion (that’s billion with a “b”) w ...read more

Smart bulbs have always seemed like a dumb idea to me: Pay $60 to $100 for a screw-in LED and then control it with your phone. That’s a lot of money for a single light vs. a switch that can control a whole bank of bulbs. And then there’s the issue of having to keep the switch on at all times, not to mention the hassle of digging out a smart device to brighten the room.

I was having this very conversation at the recent Parks Associates Connections conference, and someone aske ...read more

One final point: In the U.S., energy is cheap. Utilities’ efforts to save customers a few bucks per month just won’t fly.

In a home automation panel discussion at the recent Parks Associates Connections conference, panelist Duane Paulson of home automation manufacturer 2Gig by Linear, and a former utility-industry exec who developed load management programs, said: “Utilities are incentivizing the wrong people. Individuals don’t care about saving $5 or $10 per month, but give ...read more

Microsoft has been quiet on the home automation front for about a decade, but the software giant is finally taking action with an unusual bedfellow: Insteon, the technology created by leading home technology distributor Smarthome.

During the Parks Associates Connections conference this week, Dada offered CE Pro the first glimpse of the new Windows 8 app, featuring the tile interface that so many people love … or hate.

From the article, "Microsoft Picks Insteon as Home Au ...read more

I haven’t been to a Parks Associates Connections conference in way too many years – since “home gateways” were all the rage – and I can’t wait to attend this one, May 13-15 in San Francisco.

This year will be all about the Internet of Things (IoT), home automation, connected A/V, cloud-based platforms and other interesting things related to the smart home.

From the article, "Questions I’ll Ask 28 Companies at Parks’ Connections Conference (A-L)" by Julie Jacobson.

After an unsuccessful attempt to revive video sales through 3D technologies, all signs indicate 4K video will ignite consumer interest in the video category. Following the anecdotal evidence of growing interest during the 2014 CES Show, a new study from Parks Associates should silence critics that suggest 4K will be another failed attempt by manufacturers to create buzz in new video products.

Parks newly released, “4K Today: Bringing Ultra HD to Market,” states 4K television ...read more