Verizon is no slouch in the technology field when it comes to their services. We appreciate some of the flexibility and bar raising techniques they have used albeit marketing or hardware. So we aren’t surprised with their new relationship with Motorola’s 4Home solution and we are interested to see how it spreads.

The 4Home solution is a basic home automation software provided by Motorola and in this case brought to you by Verizon. They have developed some basic hardware for this starting with 3 camera options 1 Outdoor and 2 Indoor including a pan/tilt choice. The range of door locks in good and covers most of the usual pieces you see with a Control 4, Elan, or other automation system priced about $159.99 each. Other options include indoor lighting modules($39.99), door and window sensors ($39.99), appliance modules (power switches $39.99), a smart thermostat($129.99), energy reader ($99.99), and remote control($29.99).

Control capabilities are left to your mobile device, your not going to run around changing channels on your TV with THIS software but you could turn the lights on in the room and view your security via your Verizon Fios system. The app does look simple to use though and using our mobile devices including tablets is always preferred this day and age.Some of the product is recommended to be installed by a professional and when presented with the number of pieces you might need to monitor or control your whole house expect to have him there for a little while. Verizon is offering packages of equipment as well as purchasing add-on hardware via their website and it looks like they are built to give you a basic fix and leave room for more binge “connecting”.

Source: Engadget, Verizon, Motorola

Press.Release.Follows

Motorola and Verizon Collaborate to Deliver Connected Home Services

HORSHAM, Pa. – Oct. 12, 2011-Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) has teamed up with Verizon (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) to bring you the connected home. Verizon announced its Home Monitoring and Control service- today. The new service leverages Motorola’s 4Home technology to make your home smarter and provide useful insight into energy use.

See who’s at the front door, on your phone. Turn off all the lights with the push of a button. Automate your thermostat to keep your utility bills down. A smarter house. Informed energy use. Peace of mind. Courtesy of Motorola and Verizon.

“We share Verizon’s vision for a digital home that makes practical sense to the consumers,” said Leon Hounshell, division general manager, Managed Home Solutions, Motorola Mobility. “With Verizon’s service launch we’re making this a reality for millions of households.”

Motorola’s 4Home software platform is powering Verizon’s new services. It’s the most versatile and practical way for Verizon and other digital home innovators to offer connected home services. No complex systems. No custom hardware. Just expertise from the team that pioneered the home automation industry and the company that has been helping carriers deliver new and innovative services for over 50 years.

The software platform is embedded into the gateway included in each Verizon service kit. The software communicates with Motorola’s portal server solution to provide real-time support for the home monitoring, control and energy management services. The result is reliable connected home services for consumers that can be hosted and managed in real-time.

“The bandwidth-rich ecosystems Verizon networks create are enabling more and more connected devices in the home than ever before,” said Eric Bruno, Vice President of Product Management, Verizon. “We’re collaborating with partners like Motorola to design new services that can help people save time and deliver the borderless, digital lifestyle.”

For more information on Verizon’s Home Monitoring and Control service, visit:http://shop.verizon.com/monitoringcontrol

To learn more about Motorola’s 4Home connected home service, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4pOGQHlkZw

To view a video of how one family is already using the service, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXa92FRptBM.

Overview: The Motorola 4Home Solution

Adding new services like home monitoring, control and energy management is easy with Motorola’s 4Home Solution.

The solution is composed of two main elements: client software and a portal server.

The client software sits locally on the home network, embedded into a device. The server software resides in the cloud. These two components maintain real-time communication to allow carriers to remotely manage installations to their user base and to allow consumers to manage their home from anywhere with multiple user interfaces.

For more information on the Motorola 4Home Solution, visit: www.motorola.com/4home