Lifeware System Hits Retail With Magnolia Launch

Columbus, Ohio — New Magnolia stores opening Oct. 27 in Santa Monica and Santa Clara, Calif., will be the first consumer retail showcases for Exceptional Innovations's Lifeware digital entertainment and automation solution.

A fully integrated home inside the display incorporates Lifeware's whole-home automation technology to let consumers control and play back their digital content from anywhere in the house. The system also controls lighting, HVAC, security and other subsystems through a single interface using Media Center software.

The Lifeware system is designed to work with multiple brands of hardware to control home subsystems from a variety of manufacturers.

"Magnolia represents a truly unique market segment that includes high-end retail A/V sales combined with design and installation services. The presence of Lifeware in the retail locations provides an opportunity for homeowners to test drive home automation and distributed digital entertainment in the perfect environment," said Steve Cashman, Exceptional Innovations sales VP.

In the Magnolia showrooms, Lifeware will control the stores' media room, media bar, home office, equipment closet and front door.

The integration centers around HP Digital Entertainment products, including the new Lifeware Ready HP z565 digital entertainment center and Lifeware Connected products from Lutron, B&K, SpeakerCraft, Aprilaire, GE Security, and Panasonic.

The stores are the first to sell and display the new Lifepoint family of all-digital, 16:9 widescreen touchpanels, capable of 720p high definition display and used in Lifeware home automation networks.

The new Magnolia stores will offer good, better, best packages of Lifeware solutions. In addition, Magnolia will provide customized solutions to meet the size and scope of any home installation.

"Studies have shown more and more homeowners are looking for home automation solutions on varying levels," said Lou Kings, Magnolia's convergence solutions manager.