LIFE|WARE By Exceptional Innovation Brings Home Automation Mainstream Via Media Center

An open, standards-based network utilizing Web Services for Devices allows Exceptional Innovation to maximize performance, functionality and stability of today’s Digital Entertainment Centers and Media Center Extenders.

July 6, 2006

With the widespread arrival of broadband networking into the home and the dramatic increase in consumer use and distribution of digital content, home automation has entered the forefront of the mainstream home. Just look at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 2005 State of the Home Builder survey that the Consumer Electronics Association conducted: -83% of all new homes included structured wiring -65% of new homes (over 899,000 houses) has distributed audio as a standard or optional feature -58% of new homes (nearly 725,000) included a home theater upgrade package -Nearly half of all new homes were sold with automated lighting, home automation and/or energy management systems. As home networks become the norm, software-focused solutions that can control a wide variety of home automation devices will deliver enhanced value and flexibility for homeowners. One company that is poised to capitalize on the increase of networked homes is Exceptional Innovation (EI). EI produces Life|ware™; home control software for lighting, thermostats, security systems, cameras and media management systems. Exceptional Innovation’s line of all-digital, high-definition touch panels and robust system controllers round out a complete Life|ware solution. Led by software industry professionals with extensive experience with distributed computing based on open standards and open architecture, Exceptional Innovation combines Microsoft™ development expertise with years of home control experience to deliver simple, seamless, life-enhancing solutions for the digital home. Exceptional Innovation recently launched Life|ware 1.0.1, home control software that seamlessly integrates with Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005 to support MCE-based installations better than any other company in the industry. Unlike other home automation solutions that tie the homeowner into a single-branded, proprietary solution, Life|ware by Exceptional Innovation is hardware-neutral, giving homeowners more choices and flexibility. Life|ware can be run on a Media Center PC, digital entertainment center, Media Center extender or EI’s own Life|touch™ all-digital high definition touch panel. When teamed with HP Digital Entertainment Centers (DEC), televisions, and other digital products, Life|ware provides a powerful combination of home automation and digital entertainment in a stable and flexible home control solution. Two great hardware choices for Life|ware are the HP Digital Entertainment Center z556 or z558 series. Both come with the latest version of Microsoft Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005 with Update Rollup 2 and offer HD digital video recording capabilities. Prices start around $1,499. Both of these DECs can be quickly configured with Life|ware software to maximize performance, stability and robustness for whole-home automation and entertainment functions. The key to Life|ware’s flexibility is its use of Web Services for Devices (WSD) to communicate between different home systems. Instead of writing proprietary drivers, Exceptional Innovation builds software bridges to all Life|ware compatible partner products that make each subsystem fit the flexible, cross-platform Web Services for Devices standard. The WSD approach enables rapid two-way communications that are reliable and robust. By taking an open, standards-based approach to home automation, Exceptional Innovation not only created a system that is affordable and scale-able, but also a system that can easily be expanded as new vendor partners are added. Exceptional Innovation’s approach of building sub-system partnerships and offering control over the MCE interface positions Life|ware for mainstream applications. Increased flexibility and scalability allows users to adapt EI’s home control solution to meet their specific needs, whether it is a single media room or a fully-automated 12,000 sq. ft. luxury home. Exceptional Innovation’s home control solutions are described below. Life|ware™ Life|ware is Exceptional Innovation’s groundbreaking software that seamlessly merges control of your home with your world of digital entertainment. Life|ware is integrated into Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005, which means you get all of Media Center’s great functionality – you can build and manage a music collection, enjoy slideshows of your digital photos, schedule and record your favorite television programs, call up your home videos, watch DVDs and more. Using the same remote control – the same six buttons – and the same Media Center look and navigation, you can control your home’s lighting system, thermostats and security systems. You can distribute and control your music around your entire house, check your cameras, enact user-defined Life|scenes™ or share media across the network. Life|touch™ Life|touch is an all-digital, high-definition touchpanel for use in Life|ware home networks. Life|touch puts complete control of your home’s lighting, climate, cameras and security system at your fingertips, and gives you total access to your digital entertainment. Select and play your music, where and when you want it. Enjoy high-definition video or watch four television streams simultaneously. You can even pause live TV. Placed near an entry, you can use Life|touch to easily enact Home and Away Life|scenes™ that can adjust your home’s lighting, climate and security to levels you’ve pre-selected. Available in 8.9” and 12.1” screen sizes and in a variety of finishes, Life|touch provides an elegant way for you to do more with your home control systems and digital entertainment. Life|ware™ 1.0.1 is currently available; EI’s Life|touch™ touch panels are expected in Q3 2006. Exceptional Innovation has an extensive list of partners from leading manufacturers in the HVAC, distributed audio, lighting, audio component, network camera, window shade, security, and media management industries. In addition, Exceptional Innovation has longstanding relationships and aligned vision with Microsoft, HP, Intel, and other industry leaders. Pricing for Lifeware 1.0.1 will vary based on installation and scale. EI will also create custom and premium versions for custom installers. About Exceptional Innovation Based in Columbus, Ohio, Exceptional Innovation produces Lifeware, home control software for lighting, thermostats, security systems, cameras and media management systems. Exceptional Innovation’s line of elegant, all-digital, high-definition touch panels and robust system controllers round out a complete Lifeware solution. Led by software industry professionals with extensive experience with distributed computing based on open standards and open architecture, Exceptional Innovation combines Microsoft development expertise with years of home control experience to deliver simple, seamless, life-enhancing solutions for the digital home.

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