The arms race for cheaper, lower-power chips and larger Alliances continues. This week it’s Zensys’ announcement that they have begun mass production of a third generation Z-Wave chip, designed to be cheaper and to consume less power than the previous versions. Zensys hopes that the new chip will convince more companies to include or integrate the Z-Wave technology in their products. A cheap chip that uses less power should entice a few more hesitant companies to the fold.

Zensys claims more than 160 companies are currently members of the Z-Wave Alliance, who together manufacture more than 170 Z-Wave enabled products available on the market. These alliances are all about options, it seems. The more member companies, the more products. The more products, the more customers. We’ll see how this new chip contributes to the growth of their alliance.

Check out the Z-Wave Web site to see the list of member companies and the Z-Wave enabled products that they offer.

Between watching re-runs of the “The Jetsons” and convincing his Insteon and Z-Wave controls to get along, Ben Hardy is immersed in the world of home automation, home control, and home networking.

About the Author:
Ben Hardy - Contributing Writer

Between watching re-runs of the The Jetsons and convincing his Insteon and Z-Wave controls to get along, Ben Hardy is immersed in the world of home automation, home control, and home networking.