Nokia's Home Control Centre lets you manage devices via mobile

Wouldn't it be nice if you could manage all your home appliances, electronics, entertainment and security, plus your climate control system, from your mobile phone? That is exactly what Nokia is promising with its Home Control Centre solution.

The beauty of this Linux-based platform is its comprehensive compatibility with most existing smart home technologies. This allows a unified user interface for these competing offerings which can be conveniently accessed from a mobile phone and Web browser.

Though detailed implementation of the Nokia Home Control Centre is sketchy at the moment, the system seems to be centred on a miniature gateway (PDF) featuring Wi-Fi, GSM, GRPS and Z-Wave wireless connectivity.

Another function that caught our attention was its remote access capability. This should give users the added convenience of accessing their home gadgets from the office, in the car on the way home, etc. That's not all. Did we mention Web, media and e-mail server expansion options, as well?

It's still unclear how an infrared or standalone product such as a flat-panel TV can be integrated into the Nokia system. That said, we hope to find out more soon, so stay tuned for full coverage.