[via Lloyd on Twitter, via Chris Brogan]

Basically I want to try out some home automation. I want to be able to dial into my house. I want to be able to check on an IP cam, turn the lights off remotely and generally get all geeky and do lots of cool stuff in the house – control everything via Twitter?!. Maybe that’s just getting way too geeky, but I’m adamant that home automation is the future and I’d like to get in there early. Besides, now is a great time for me to install some of the infrastructure for it as I’m building an extension and have the opportunity to rewire and mess around with 4 rooms at the same time.

Anyway, I’ve narrowed my search down to using the Insteon system (it already appears to have a community – good early signs) , potentially Indigo to control it all and ideally this latest bit of kit from Insteaon that web enables the whole lot and is iPhone optimised. However – the Insteon kit is from the US, not available in the UK yet (but coming soon, yay). Oh and even if you do get hold of it over here right now (which to be fair is easy) then it operates on the wrong voltage/frequency. Grrrrr.

So, I’m still hoping that I’m find a way of making all my geeky home automation dreams happen. Until then – here’s what could be.

That also got me thinking about lots of other things that could, should and will happen. As hardware gets more and more connected and connectable, things like X10 get more mainstream and Maplin keeps on having sales – then who knows what we’re going to come up with. And I’m not just talking about brands/companies. I mean us, the geeks, the ones tinkering with things and doing all that stuff that voids warranties, infringes copyright and breaks new boundaries.

Final Product // ATTIGO TT from Scott Hobbs on Vimeo.

UPDATE – Just looked more closely and it looks like Mac OS X in action, using touchscreens with the software action running on the side.

[Via here, source of much goodness]

With the iPhone/iPod Touch SDK out and Nintendo showing all the right signs – mobile music is getting even more exciting all the time. New Macbook Pro for me next week – means I can crack open my copy of Logic Studio and get Live and Reason up and running again. I haven’t done any tunes for a couple of years and now the potential to do so is just round the corner . . . I’m really rather excited about the whole prospect.

Via Wired (one of the only magazines I still absolutely have to go and buy in print, which actually gives me an idea – say you were reading Wired whilst clutching a mobile device, then let’s say that the cover had an RFID device in it and your phone could read it, wouldn’t it be cool if your web device served up supporting multimedia content whilst you were reading the mag? Hmmm, back to thinking about making music again.)

My dad (self-confessed technophobe) has just set up his brand spanking new internet radio (Roberts WM201) – using the easy to use Netgear browser interface and adding the radio manually by MAC address to the trusted access list. I was able to go to the Roberts website, download the manual and run through the whole set-up procedure with him.

He’s now happily surfing over 6,000 internet radio stations and checking out on demand content from BBC Radio 4 from his study in the Northumbrian hills (where he can’t get FM because of said hills and only just gets broadband because of the distance to the nearest exchange).

And for I think perhaps the first time ever, dad’s got a piece of kit I haven’t got! Bit jealous really . . .

Nice one dad and thank you Internet.

Check out the official site here if you’re thinking WTF (or watch th video below).

Can’t get enough of stuff like this. Mobile phone projectors are just round the corner too.

Also want to be able to use my mobile to actually graffiti posters – would be great to stand on a tube platform and write on an ad across the tracks . . . (not that I would because that would be illegal. But just want to know that I could).