The HomePlug Powerline Alliance showed new and innovative products and technologies from multiple member companies at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show (January 7-10, 2008) in South Hall 2, Booth #26115.
     Surpassing initial estimates, HomePlug member companies have now shipped over 15 million Powerline communications (PLC) devices worldwide, more than doubling the number of shipments since 2006. This marks the end of a very momentous and productive year for the HomePlug Powerline Alliance and heralds continued growth in multiple market segments as highlighted by In-Stat principal analyst Joyce Putscher, who stated in a November report that broadband powerline (BPL) networking is emerging as a winner in the race for multimedia home networking worldwide, followed by the global growth for BPL networking equipment approaching 100 percent in 2007.
     The HomePlug Powerline Alliance continues to compile an impressive list of significant technological milestones, growing market share and industry achievements that will ensure the place of PLC technology in a variety of markets. HomePlug member companies are dotting the CES landscape with solutions that use HomePlug technology in surprising new ways.
     The HomePlug Powerline Alliance saw incredible momentum in the number of member company products that participated in the HomePlug 1.0 and HomePlug AV Plugfests, which is the final stage of the Alliance’s certification framework. In 2007, more than 50 new products passed the HomePlug Powerline Alliance’s compliance and interoperability (C&I) product certification testing. Many of these products will be on display at the Consumer Electronics Show this month in Las Vegas.
     “When the final tally is done for 2007, we expect to see global growth for broadband powerline networking equipment approach 100 percent. We also anticipate robust growth in 2008, with HomePlug continuing to garner the lion’s share,” said Joyce Putscher, principal analyst at In-Stat.
     In-Stat’s report notes that management and conservation of energy has become the overriding driver for smart grid utility applications, where both broadband and low-speed powerline communications will play a role.
     In-Stat expects solutions using HomePlug Command and Control (C&C) solutions to emerge in a big way. Having always sought to provide open specifications for all uses of PLC technology, the HomePlug Alliance Board of Directors recently ratified the HomePlug C&C 1.0 specification.
     Based on technology developed by HomePlug member companies focused on command and control applications, HomePlug Alliance member companies are expecting to ship their first million HomePlug Command and Control specification compliant chips in 2008 to major companies like Endesa in Spain, LG white goods, Hitachi A/C, and various energy and metering companies in Russia, Europe, China, the United States and more.
     With this momentum and many regional mandates for energy management and savings, the worldwide market for HomePlug Command and Control based products is expected to grow substantially. The HomePlug Powerline Alliance has also taken huge strides in establishing a worldwide standard through their merged proposal with Panasonic for the IEEE P1901 work group.
     This joint proposal is the sole proposal remaining for the in-home and broadband access clusters.
     At the 2008 International CES in Las Vegas, the HomePlug Powerline Alliance featured exciting new products from various member companies, including Arkados, Asoka USA, GigaFast, Intellon, ST&T, Yitran and ZyXEL.
     “In 2007, we saw many great products from HomePlug member companies come to market in retail and service provider channels, and as we head into 2008, this surge will only continue with many more HomePlug solutions on the horizon,” said Matthew Theall from Intel Corporation, who serves as president of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance.
     “We’re also seeing the increasing use of HomePlug technology for smart grid applications as consumers and businesses become more conscious of technology that can assist with reduction in energy consumption. With this increasing momentum, HomePlug powerline technology continues to proliferate in a broad range of new applications,” said Theall.
     One new product, a CES Innovations 2008 Design and Engineering Honoree in the Home Networking Product category, is ZyXEL’s P660HWP all-in-one ADSL2+ gateway with built-in HomePlug AV and Wi-Fi. ZyXEL also demonstrated the industry’s first and only digital media streamer with built-in HomePlug AV adapter, the DMA1100P.
     Asoka USA highlighted several 200 Mbps HomePlug AV products, including a PLC-to-wireless access point, and introduced two new performance test tools. Arkados demonstrated products that are quickly coming to market, including whole-house audio systems that use HomePlug technology to distribute synchronized digital audio.
     The HomePlug Powerline Alliance, Inc. is an industry-led initiative established to create specifications for high-speed powerline networking products and low-speed command & control among platforms within the home, and broadband access services to the home.
     The Alliance accelerates demand for HomePlug enabled products and services worldwide through the sponsorship of market and user education programs. Membership in the Alliance has grown to include more than 75 industry-leading companies.
     HomePlug Sponsor companies include Cisco (CSCO); Comcast (CMCSK); GE Security, Inc., an affiliate of General Electric Co. (NYSE:GE); Intel Corporation; LG Electronics (Korea Stock Exchange: 6657.KS); Motorola (MOT); RadioShack Corporation (RSH); Sharp Laboratories of America; TCL Group Holding Co., Ltd (TCL Group); and Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE:TXN) (TI). Contributor members include Arkados (OTCBB:AKDS); Conexant (CNXT); Corporate Systems Engineering; Gigle Semiconductor; Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.; Intellon Corporation (ITLN); SPiDCOM Technologies and Yitran Communications.
     Additional information about the Alliance, including a complete listing of certified products, is available at http://www.homeplug.org.

ECOshot waterproof camera with spy mode

     SeaLife Cameras’ new ECOshot is specifically designed for those who love any type of outdoor diversions from the serene to the extreme. Its durable fully rubberized exterior allows users to take impressive photographs under tough outdoor conditions.
     Large accessible shutter and menu buttons make using this camera a breeze, even when wearing gloves. Whether kayaking, skiing, rafting, snowshoeing, hiking, scuba diving or snorkeling there’s no fear that water or ice will damage or ruin the camera. And its compact size makes it the ideal camera for all outdoor and watersport situations.
     SeaLife Cameras is a leading manufacturer in digital dive cameras, with over 25 years of experience designing durable waterproof cameras to the specific needs of outdoor and watersports enthusiasts.
     This camera utilizes the latest in digital camera technology and made for fast action use under varying elements. The ECOshot has virtually no shutter lag and a fast recycle time so you won’t miss capturing your memorable moments.
     The new SPY mode allows the camera to take continuous pictures at set time intervals so you capture the perfect shot of hard to photograph subjects. Select the desired time interval between pictures from 5 seconds to 5 minutes and push the shutter button. The camera will automatically take pictures until the memory card is full or you push the shutter button again. Capture rare photos of animals and sea creatures that would normally be difficult to photograph. The SPY mode has endless applications limited only to your creativity.
     The ECOshot also features unique Land&Sea exposure program so the camera automatically takes sharp, colorful pictures in a variety of applications. Set the camera to Sea mode for optimal exposure control and color correction of underwater pictures. The External Flash mode allows scuba divers to take bright colorful images when using the SeaLife optional external flash accessory. The ECOshot also offers 6 modes for land-based photography, including Auto, Sports, Night, Portrait, Backlight and Landscape modes.
     Guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 75 feet/23 meters, the ECOshot is small enough to fit in your shirt pocket and weighs 10.4 ounces/295 grams (with 2AA batteries and an SD memory card). The camera is fully rubber armored for sure-grip handling and shockproof to 6ft/2m. The camera also includes a self-timer and features a video mode, allowing users to capture high-resolution Motion JPEG digital video with audio.
     For more information, visit sealife-cameras.com.