Inside an iPad-Controlled Home
By Steve Crowe
Lifeware system can be controlled via two iPads for lighting, security, entertainment and more.

Apple sold more than 300,000 iPads on launch day, and reports say more than 600,000 have been sold in the first six days.

But how many iPads are being used as the primary interface in a fully automated home?

Paul Hughes, president and founder of Lincroft, N.J.-based HomeBase Systems, claims to have installed the first "fully deployed, working" iPad-controlled home automation system.



The residence in Ringwood, N.J., employs a Lifeware automation system that can be controlled via two iPads and one iPhone. The devices can command lighting (individual lights or lighting scenes), security, HVAC, cameras, the pool, two iPod docks, two tuners, three media servers and a Russound audio system.

Hughes says that after the control system was functioning properly, it took only three hours to get basic functionality working on the iPads. He finished the iPad programming by 11:30 on Monday morning, only about 48 hours after Apple's product launch. "We're going to go back, of course, and tweak the [iPads] since it's the first time out of the gate," says Hughes.

Hughes says the client doesn't see the value in a dedicated touchscreen. Cost, multitasking and aesthetics were the main reasons for going with the iPad.

Click here to continue.