Perceptive Automation has announced the immediate availability of Indigo version 4.0, a major update to the company’s intelligent home control and automation server for Mac OS X. With Indigo, users can easily control lights, appliances, thermostats, lawn sprinklers and dozens of other items found in the home, thereby helping to reduce energy usage.
New with this release is support for Indigo Touch, a native iPhone and iPod touch application, which allows a user to control their home automation system from anywhere using WiFi, 3G, or Edge connectivity. Indigo Touch is optimized for mobile use by providing instant single-touch access to lighting, appliances, sprinklers and thermostats. Its unique use of both Bonjour and the GoPrism.com subscription service allows secure remote access from anywhere with no firewall or router configuration needed. Indigo Touch is available as a free download from the iTunes App Store.
Indigo is now available in two versions: Indigo Lite and Indigo Pro. Both versions share the same user experience, with Indigo Pro adding support of high-end devices and custom scripting. Indigo Lite gives even the most cost-conscious buyer an inexpensive entry into the Home Automation market, which can help them reduce their carbon footprint through more fine-grained control of electrical usage.
Along with the new release of Indigo, a new feature of the PerceptiveAutomation.com website is a How-To Wiki. This wiki contains detailed background information on various Home Automation topics and step-by-step instructions to implement many common home automation tasks. The topics range from entry-level information to sophisticated home automation scenarios. Anyone may view wiki entries and members of the Indigo community contribute information frequently.
“One of the major focuses of this release was to make home automation more accessible for the Indigo Lite class of customer,” said Jay Martin, a partner at Perceptive Automation, in the press release. “With the addition of the How-To Wiki, we believe that our customers new to home automation will be able to more quickly implement the basic home automation features. Combine that with Indigo’s new usability improvements and it’s easier than ever to realize the many benefits that a good home automation system can provide.”
Other enhancements to Indigo remote access and control capabilities include advances in the built-in Web interface. New out-of-the-box user interface controls offer intuitive remote control of sophisticated hardware such as thermostats and sprinklers without the need of any user-developed controls. Additionally, support for access from a variety of mobile hardware platforms, including mobile Web browsers that do not support JavaScript, has also been introduced to Indigo. Lastly, for developers wishing to integrate their Indigo smart home with other applications, RESTful compliant Web APIs have been added to Indigo’s built-in Web server.
Indigo’s new folder management feature allows users to more easily organize their devices, schedules, trigger logic, actions and variables. Users can easily specify which folders are visible/hidden to remote clients, like Indigo Touch or Web browsers. Other new functionality introduced in Indigo v4.0 includes Bonjour support for Web browser access, improved Indigo Server and Web server performance, refinements to the user interface, improved AppleScript support, automatic version checking and support for several new INSTEON hardware modules: IR-Linc Transmitter, I/O-Linc, and Motion Sensor.
Indigo provides native support for the INSTEON-enabled PowerLinc V2 (2414U), CM-11, LynX-PLC, MR26, and W800RF32. These computer interfaces allow Indigo to remotely communicate with INSTEON and X10 devices throughout the home over existing power lines, giving users remote programmable control over lights, appliances, thermostats, and sprinkler controllers. Additionally, the Indigo Touch native iPhone and iPod touch application allows mobile-optimized remote home control from anywhere.
Indigo Pro v4.0 is available now for US$179.95 and Indigo Lite v4.0 for $89.95 through the Perceptive Automation website, www.PerceptiveAutomation.com. Upgrade discounts are available for all previous Indigo customers. Also available online is a 30 day trial copy of Indigo Pro. Indigo runs on Mac OS X 10.4.11 or greater, and requires a supported INSTEON or X10 computer interface for controlling home lighting and appliance modules.
Indigo Touch is free and can connect to Perceptive Automation’s demo server, but requires Indigo Lite or Pro v4.0 for actual home control. It is available for immediate download exclusively through Apple’s iTunes App store via www.PerceptiveAutomation.com/gettouch.
