Smarthome announced today a new home automation networking protocol, “Insteon” (pron: “instee-on”). It combines the home’s existing wiring, or powerline, with radio frequency (RF) communications to deliver a secure, reliable and fast connection for automatic or remote control of lighting, security, entertainment systems, appliances, climate and more. They have been working on this technology for the past four years and the result is that it works 30 times faster than X10, which has been the home automation standard for the past 30 years. By combining the powerline with RF, Insteon offers the cost benefits and efficiencies of powerline communication and the wireless connectivity required for certain applications in or outside the home. I checked out their website, but didn’t see anything mentioning Insteon. I can’t wait to check it out for myself.