For the event's 29th year, Architectural Electronics will install the Clare Controls system.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is getting revved up for its 29th year of the New American Home—and home control will certainly be a part of it.

Clare Controls has been selected by Architectural Electronics, Inc., to be included in the project. The annual event showcases industry construction technologies and products, and serves as the NAHB’s official “show home.”

Architectural Electronics will use the ClareHome system to “configure, deploy, service and monitor from the cloud, while the system runs locally in the home.” The end-users, on the other hand, can customize that interface on their own, by adding audio, video, lighting, security, and other services from the cloud-based Applet library. No installer is needed.

Wi-Fi music system uses voice activated Android app to control your music.

Today I received a press release for VOCO, an IP music system operated by voice control.

I was skeptical at first. OK, I’m still skeptical because I haven’t actually seen the system yet, but the more I think about it the more I like the idea.

Imagine walking into a room where your kids are blasting the Glee soundtrack and all you have to do is shout, “Turn that down,” and voilà, the volume goes down.

Of course it’s not as simple as that. The voice control comes via an app on your Android smartphone or tablet (iPad/.iPhone app coming later), so you still have to pull out your device, open the app, and then tell it what to do. You probably have to speak slowly too, but I really don’t know yet.

The VooMote One is now selling at Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, BrandsMart, and other retailers.

Now you have another reason to justify that new iPod or iPhone purchase. Berlin-based company Zero1.tv has announced that its VooMote One control solution is now available nationwide.

The VooMote One snaps right to your portable, and uses a compatible (and free!) app to turn that device into a remote control for devices all over the house. No PC is necessary to control TVs, DVD players, and other electronics. According to the company, it can be paired with almost any infrared-controlled device.

From there, you can create personalized remote control layouts, which allow you to create a chain of commands with one click.

The DEV-3 and DEV-5 include HD recording, 2D and 3Dⁱ capture and playback, and more.

There haven’t been too many thrilling innovations in the world of binoculars. Sony is giving the outdoor accessory a high-tech twist, adding 2D and 3D recording to the DEV-3 and DEV-5.

According to Sony, these are the world’s first digital binoculars to record in the AVCHD 2.0 format. Both models use G Lens optics by Sony with Exmor R CMOS sensors and BIONZ processors to capture in full HD, with stereo sound to boot. There’s also a 3D mode, to make your video capture just a teeny bit more lifelike—and compatible with your 3D TV.

Each one has options for electronic and manual autofocus. The DEV-3 can do magnification of 10x optical (5.4x in 3D mode), while the DEV-5’s magnification range can go from 0.9x up to 20x digital.

An alternative to large flat panel TVs.

The ultimate home theaters are based around projection systems, but many people mistakenly believe putting a big screen in their room will look terrible. At the same time, those people are very willing to hang a big flat panel TV that protrudes several inches from the wall and requires heavy mounting hardware and new wiring (well, Ok, projectors require wiring too).

Anyway, Screen Innovations, a projection screen company, has come up with a screen designed to satisfy the aesthetic complaints and also work perfectly in a normally lit room rather than be restricted to a dark theater

The Black Diamond Zero Edge screen is billed as an “affordable flat-panel alternative.”

When paired with RedEye hardware, the new app can control AV, lighting, HVAC and more.

Android users can officially start seeing red—in a good way. ThinkFlood has announced that its RedEye home control app is now available for Android.

RedEye first launched for the iPhone and iPod touch in 2009. The app does not work alone; it needs to be paired with RedEye or RedEye Pro networked products to provide control over home theater products, as well as lighting, HVAC, and other equipment.

“The iPhone was a great start for us because it is such an elegant and popular device. But it was never our goal to have an exclusively iOS platform,” said Matt Eagar, founder and president of ThinkFlood. “Instead, we designed RedEye with the idea that you can pick up any networked device—iPhone, PC, Android device—and control your system from anywhere you have a network connection.”

The new speaker line aims to be as aesthetically pleasing as they are aurally pleasing.

This week Paradigm pulled the wraps of its new Monitor Series 7 speakers, a redesign of the monitor series that incorporates both aesthetic changes as well new acoustic tweaks. The Monitor Series full line covering towers, bookshelf and centers.

Did you know that speaker grilles can capture some of the sound before it hits your hears? To address that Paradigm designed a honeycomb architecture to help retain more of the acoustic integrity. The new grilles also are magnetically attached and self align. Overall, the speakers have taken a 20 percent reduction in footprint—meaning they’ll take up less room while still making as much noise, um, music.

This seating option is designed to be a couch, chair and even a row of straight or curved media/theater seating.

Need that home theater experience to be more horizontal? CINEAK can make that happen with its Strato seating option.

At the touch of a button, the Strato can go from a sofa to media seating. Designed to be a couch, chair and even a row of straight or curved media/theater seating, the Strato includes a “Relax” mechanism that allows loungers to adjust the footrest and backrest independently.

Besides all of the different options, you can also get the Strato in a variety of sizes. There’s a standard 90-degree corner unit, as well as custom corner pieces to match the curve of your wall or riser. Also, multiple widths in seating parts and armrests can make this model even more sectional.

Other options include the Strato chaise seat, or you can specify your Strato layout with your own material—in either fabric or leather.

Optoma has a reputation for offering full-featured DLP home theater projectors at prices for the budget-conscious and DIY consumer. Though the company says these new products are focused on the custom installation market, the prices are probably going to make them appeal to a much wider audience.

The first is the HD8300 ($4,499), a 1500 lumens, 30,000: 1 contrast ratio projector with built-in frame-interpolation processing and a new color management system the company calls PureColor, designed to fine tune primary and secondary colors.

To make installing a little easier, the HD8300 includes lenshift and a 1.5x optical zoom. Also keeping with the videophile theme is the inclusion of ISFccc controls with day and night modes.

Whether you are looking for top-notch clarity or affordable entertainment, these 5 projectors are worth keeping in mind when choosing your equipment.

Home theaters, real home theaters, are built around a big screen, not a puny flat panel TV, and those big screens need a high-performance projector to make them shine. The market is loaded with projectors of all types, from pocket-sized pico projectors primarily for business or gaming to tank-sized large venue projectors. In between are DLP, LCoS and LCD projectors for home theater use.