It is 2012 and home automation may not be quite what we thought it would be 20 or 30 years ago. Though we don’t all have a household iRobot, our homes are becoming more automated as the technology continues to go mainstream. Lowe’s Home Improvement has introduced a new cloud-based smart home solution called Iris. The Iris home system allows you to monitor and control system devices from your smartphone, computer or tablet.

Though Iris is not new technology, and home automation is not new to the big box stores, Iris is one of the first home automation systems offered by a big retailer. In addition to offering the hardware, Lowe’s provides a free basic self-monitoring service.

Iris Home Automation Kits

Iris helps make home automation simple and affordable for more consumers than ever before. It can be customized to fit your lifestyle needs and is available in three different starter kits.

Iris Safe & Secure Kit ($179) - Safe & Secure gives you a basic level of home security including a motion detector, contact sensors for doors, windows or Continue reading →