ORLANDO - Hello, Everybody. Nice seeing you again.

Day One of the International Builder’s Show, and we can finally take the wraps off our new Life|ware Builder program.

I’m pretty excited about this. See, all the research and market analysis tells us that automation and electronics packages are ready to burst on the new home scene. Life|ware is the perfect product to manage these offerings. Because it’s hardware neutral, in many cases it can manage the systems Builders are already installing.

The Builder Program makes it easier for Builders to get started offering Digital Entertainment and Automation upgrade packages. We’ve spec’d out five different packages for five different types of budgets. If a builder doesn’t have an integration team in place, we’ll hook him up with a Life|ware Certified dealer to install the solutions.

It’s a win-win-win kind of thing. Builders can offer the packages the market has been seeking, installers can drive more business with more integrations, and customers can get kickin’ digital entertainment and automation systems for their new homes.

Good times.

ORLANDO - Here is what it takes to build a two-story smart home, in a parking lot, in just a few days time:

• A lot of people
• A lot of commotion
• A lot of dust

Today we give you a sneak peek at the NextGen home being built in the West Parking lot (outdoor exhibits area) for IBS. The home opens with the show tomorrow morning.

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ORLANDO - The International Builder Show is HUGE.

How huge? Close to 1900 exhibitors huge. 30-minute lines to get a hot dog at lunch huge.

Although we’ve done the show for three years now, products like Life|ware are generally the exception, rather than the norm, which strikes me as odd, since the builders are very eager to learn more about Life|ware and how they can offer it to their customers. This year’s show should see a few announcements that they will be very interested in.

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