Savant, which has developed an amazing product suite that delivers home automation and control, is now inviting Apple developers to create Automator Actions to control devices like flat panel displays, DVD players, AV receivers, set-top boxes, lighting and more. Third-party Apple developers will be able to operate seamlessly in Savant's system environment, according to the announcement.

Savant's Open Developer Alliance program hopes to convince Apple devs to create better control solutions for equipment commonly used by home entertainment installers and system integrators. Participation in the program will allow third-party Apple developers to operate seamlessly in Savant's system environment, CEPro reveals.

Developers attending the Excellence in AV program will be able to take advantage of Savant's home automation and control platform based on Mac OS X Leopard. Apple devs will also get the chance to have a look at Savant's home control package utilizing the Rosie controller, as well as a proprietary configuration tool called RacePoint Blueprint.

"For the first time, developers have a control and media platform that enables them to sell their Apple-based applications into the CEDIA marketplace via the Savant product suite," said Savant president Jim Carroll. "Developers can now have their applications invoked with the simple push of a button from any of our OS X-based interface technologies that include 5, 7, 9, and 12-inch in-wall touchpanels and a 13.3-inch wireless touchpanel along with Apple's iPhone and iPod touch," Carroll pointed out.

"Savant's touchpanel application takes advantage of the unique user interface of Apple's iPhone and iPod touch," Savant claims, according to the aforementioned source. "The developer's application can be accessed via Savant's rich GUI. The entire Savant user interface can be accessed on the iPhone and iPod touch with one hand."

Savant believes that its configuration software, Quartz Composer and Automator combined, will provide Apple developers with an entry point into the custom-installation market.

Rosie Systems offer a competitive solution with the capability to control various devices and services in multiroom environments: flat panel displays, DVD players, AV receivers, set-top boxes, projectors, lighting, security cameras, thermostats, window treatments, and other equipment and services commonly deployed in residential settings. The ROSIE Systems are designed specifically for use with the Rosie multimedia, home and automation architecture enabling convenient, intuitive and graphically rich control. Rosie has interactive multimedia capabilities such as integration and interaction with many Apple-based applications including iTunes multimedia content and AirTunes.