Episode 92 - CEDIA's Got Swagger

With the Holidays in full swing, and tech companies nose-down prepping for the Consumer Electronics Show, news on the home technology front was a bit sparse this week. No matter! We're still bringing you a pertinent, if slightly abbreviated, episode.

We start off with a brief chat about CES, making a few predictions about the madness about to descend on Las Vegas. Our conversation rounds out with a discussion about Control4's new consumer finance offering, and analysis of CEDIA's recent "State of the Association" webinar. 

We want to take a quick moment to thank you for a great 2016! It's been a pleasure to share our thoughts with you all year, and we appreciate your listenership tremendously! 

We'll talk to you next week (err... year)!

Show Notes

Episode 91 - The Technology.fm Holiday Fireside Chat

There is no better time than the Holidays to gather with close friends and reflect on the fact that another 12 months have come and gone (already?!). To that end we are excited to present to you a very special episode: The very first "Technology.fm Holiday Fireside Chat". 

Two long-time friends of the HomeTech podcast, Mike Wolf of the Smart Home Show, and Richard Gunther of Home:On, join us around the proverbial hearth for a lively and engaging conversation about the state of the connected home as 2015 draws to an end. So grab a glass of egg nog, put another log on the fire, and join us as we dissect this year's most relevant smart home stories, and make a few predictions about what 2016 has in store. 

As always we hope you enjoy the show! If you find the HomeTech podcast valuable please consider supporting our efforts by leaving us a review on iTunes, or by becoming a patron of HomeTech by visiting our Patreon page. 

Seth and I will be taking next week of to enjoy the Holiday with our families. We wish you and yours a Merry Christmas! Talk soon!
~JG

Episode 90 - Innovation, or Something Like It

After taking a week off to galavant around Germany, Seth returned just in time for us to bring you this week's show. Battling through a serious case of jet-lag, and nostalgia for the land of beer and brats, Seth joined me to discuss a number of stories about smart home innovation, or at least something resembling it. 

A key story in this week's show is highly relevant to anyone with a vested interest in the evolution of home-technology-as-a-trade. A large integration firm in my neck of the woods (Denver, CO) has launched a new venture called HAUS (Home Automation University). It's an ambitious undertaking, and no doubt a novel approach, but will it succeed? At least half of the HomeTech team is bearish. Tune in for the full run down, then let us know what you think.  

We round out the episode with conversations about Amazon's (speculative) interest in gesture control, what NEEO is doing right when it comes to old-fashioned infrared, some patent grabbing by Apple, and a highly anticipated update from Sonos. 

As always we thank you for tuning in! If you find our show valuable please consider supporting our efforts by leaving us a review on iTunes, or by becoming a patron of HomeTech by visiting our Patreon page. 

We'll talk to you next week!
JG

Episode 89 - The Smart Home Holiday Gift Guide

With this episode releasing on Black Friday, 2015's holiday shopping season is officially upon us. It won't come as a surprise to fans of our show that this year brings no shortage of gift options for the home technology enthusiast in your life. Join us for this special episode as we dissect the best smart home gift ideas of the 2015 holiday season. 

Breaking the conversation down into a number of broad categories, we discuss home automation hubs, home theater, media players, lighting and shade control, as well as a few odds and ends for the tinkerers and makers out there. Complete with a comprehensive look at the comparisons between similar products, as well as a handful of special sales we've spotted on smart home gear, this episode is a can't miss as we head into what promises to be a busy 2015 holiday season! As always we hope you enjoy the show! 

PS - We are going to do our best to get an episode out next week, (12/4/15) but combined holiday travel may prove too much to overcome. In any event please know that Seth and I wish you and yours a fabulous Thanksgiving! And that in this season of saying "Thanks" we want to reiterate our endless gratitude for your ongoing support of the show! 

Sincerely!
Jason & Seth

Episode 88 - Redefining DIY with Colin Marshall of Oomi

When a startup raises over 3,000% of its crowdfunding goal it's safe to say that they've struck a chord. The Chicago based startup Oomi accomplished this feat, raising a staggering $1.7million in a campaign that set out to raise a mere $50k. Surpassing their initial goal in just 37 minutes, the team behind Oomi has clearly found a winning formula for standing out in the increasingly crowded DIY smart home space. Home technology enthusiasts are voting with their wallets, and the numbers don't lie. 

"What makes Oomi so unique?" you ask. Claims of sleek industrial design, ease of installation, and robust software are, after all, the order of the day. Join us for our conversation with Colin Marshall, VP of Oomi, as we discuss what makes them different. The interview covers many unique facets of the company including their willingness to take on AV & Entertainment control, the decision to manufacture their own touch panel complete with physical buttons (yes... actual physical buttons!), their clever approach to device pairing, and much more.

As always we hope you enjoy the show! If you'd like to support our efforts to bring you more episodes like this one you could leave us a review on iTunes, or consider becoming a patron of HomeTech by visiting our Patreon page. 

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