AMX, makers of home-tech integration systems – has released the ViewStat Thermostat. While it might be hard to get too excited about a thermostat – this one impresses. 3.5″ touchscreen gives you indoor and outdoor temperatures, the unit links to remote sensors throughout the house that calculate how much heat or cooling is needed to average out the temperature you are looking for. Also gives you 5 day forecast through complimentary 3 year weather service. Programmable up to 4 temperature points per day for each day of the week. Faceplate is even paintable to match the walls. We assume it has all functions of our previously mentioned unit. We don’t think they missed much on this. AMX

The Wireless PC locking device is a USB gadget you attach to your computer. place the circular button in your pocket. When the system is on, if the button travels outside a 6 foot radius of your computer, the computer is not accessible until you return. This means if you have any reason to suspect tampering with your computer while you are not near it (read: dorm, co-workers, pets) fear no more. Just keep the green button in your pocket. $31. BUY

Ambient has been making some pretty tech savvy gadgets – and we’re fans. The Scorecast monitors baseball game scores, team schedules, and division standings. Scores update every half inning and extra-inning plays are included. Runs, hit, errors – all included. You can even use the toggle button to switch to other games. Perfect for somewhere with no access to a computer – or if you don’t want ESPN.com open on your desktop all day. No PC or internet connection required. From what we’ve seen – no subscription required – just plug it in and customize your team preferences. Possible locations beyond desk? Kitchen, locker, boat, bedside table, bathroom…. Football Scorecast also available. $100. BUY

The ultimate computer and data storage device, is rightfully called a robot. The Drobo has room for four storage drives (meaning it can hold up to 32 Terabytes) – but the greatest feature is that if any of the drives fails or crashes, all data is automatically backed up on the others. This is the fail-safe, die-hard backup. You’ll have an NSA style backup system at your fingers. You can have 3 drives fail, and you’re data will still be there. Put your family photos on here, or mix it with Apple’s Time Capsule and wave goodbye to data loss forever. $500 BUY

Beyond the good looks – Samsung’s new Monochrome Laser Printer has some impressive bonus features. At just over 14 lbs it is actually portable, and it operates at less than 45 decibels (an average library operates at 40 decibels) so you’ll barely hear it. On top of that it is Energy Star Compliant, and only takes 15 seconds to go from sleeping to printing. Hook it up to your Apple router and print wirelessly. All you need. $200. BUY

Siedle makes the best looking, and well engineered intercom’s on the market. They’ve stuck with their classic style and come out with a whole line of home intercoms with any option you want, including fingerprint entry, cameras, card readers, code locks, lights etc. Big already in Europe, they are making their way over here to the U.S. If you’re in the market – don’t pass them up. Engineering at its best. From $250. BUY

Want great sound but don’t like the looks of huge speakers around your flatscreen? Artcoustic Loudspeakers has cleverly concealed speakers under almost any piece of art you want. From Getty image photography to a range of artists, you can now hide your speakers under better looking art. Between these and your hidden tv – the living room is looking pretty good. Speakers themselves are around $1500. BUY

While our obsession with lawns never seems to end – we think this might cap it out for a while. SoRealawn Poly Putt-Pro’s fade-resistant, ultra-violet nylon and polyethylene monofilament yarns. This means no watering, no fertilizing, and no browning. So that deck off the bedroom or rooftop? It needs a putting green. Get your short game on. $ Prices Vary. BUY

LG’s Steamwasher might make updating your washing machine worth it. The Allergiene™ technology kills 95% of dustmites and home allergens, and SteamFresh™ will steam your clothing – so no ironing is needed. Need that shirt ironed but don’t have the time? Toss it in for 20 minutes, with others as well. It even has optional remote monitoring – meaning you can connect a monitor through your phone lines so you don’t have to go anywhere to check time remaining. It also folds, puts your laundry away, and feeds the dog….or not – but the steaming is great. $2,500. BUY

Cyber-Rain has come up with something very clever. The Cyber-Rain XCI System for your sprinklers, will wirelessly connect to the internet to research the weather, then adjust your watering schedule accordingly. You can even adjust the schedule from your computer and see how much water you are saving (Cyber-Rain estimates 30-70% drop in watering bill.) The system also accounts for seasons as well as fertilizing. The Cyber-Rain can manage eight separate zones, meaning you can put different sections/plants of the garden on different watering schedules (as is probably best anyway). Why didn’t anyone think of this before? Combine this with your lawn-robot and forget about the lawn permanently. We love it – and it pays for itself over time. $340. BUY

Media Decor has upgraded their line of hidden television, with the “QC Elite“. The silent rolling canvas system creates a great look when the painting goes up and down to reveal the television behind it. You can choose from almost any art, and even provide your own. This is the perfect solution for incorporating your television into your home. Choose your art, the frame, and the painting – couldn’t get any better. $Prices Vary.

The TurboChef 30″ Oven does the unthinkable. Using high speed (60 mph heated wind) convection, it can cook your Thanksgiving Turkey in 42 minutes, not 4 hours; your Chateaubriand in 11 minutes, not 1 hour; and your steamed asparagus in 45 seconds, not 8 minutes. Not only that – it has a touchscreen with 500 pre-programmed profiles to determine cook time and temperature. So all you need to do is go the store, buy something – tell your oven what it is, and a few minutes later it’s cooked. So what’s stopping everyone? Price. It does come with a normal convection oven below the top magic unit. Amazing…as it should be for $7,900.

Not enough room for a designated wine cellar in the home?  Spiral Cellars has you covered.  They’ll build a winding staircase below your floor, as deep as over 9′ to hold as many as 1600 bottles.  Comes with an air cycling climate control system an optional sisal matting and rubber footing.  It also can be disguised in the floor of any room, including your kitchen or home office.  Put this in your walk-in humidor and you’ll never have to leave.  Around $10,000.

iRobot’s newest machine will be the Connectr, which essentially is pitched as a human replacement when you want to be somewhere to see someone, and you can’t. Meetings, checking on disabled or elderly, seeing family members etc. With a camera, speaker, microphone and wireless connection – you control it via the internet with joystick like instructions, you see what it sees, hear what it hears, and can talk to those near it. Does include a privacy button so you can’t just roll it into someone’s bedroom. We think a name like Rosie, HERBIE, or HAL might have been better.  If only it hovered, as in the photo (it rolls). Expected to run around $500.

Marantz RC9001 controls it all. Via Wi-Fi or Infrared, this touchscreen remote will command your home. It even comes with software to customize the layout and look on the screen. With 64mb of flash memory, it will store any sequence of commands for lights, speakers, even the shades if you have electronic ones (don’t worry – we’re already researching some) all at once with one push of a button. Get a fireplace with a remote, and you can link that into this one as well. Hell, you could hook the kegerator up to this…maybe that’s going a bit far. $1,500.

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