At CEDIA, Staples, the world’s largest office products company and second largest Internet retailer, announced Staples Connect — an exclusive offering that lets customers’ home or office technology interact and be controlled by a single app. Staples is promoting it to end-users as: “With the touch of a button, Staples Connect lets customers shut down their office, turning off lights, lowering shades and locking doors, while at the same time turning on their lights and heat at home.”

Staples Connect consists of a multi-platform app and universal “Hub” that allows a multitude of devices to talk to each other. The Staples Connect Hub (basically a Linksys router) will be available online and in a limited number of Staples stores for $99 this November. Customers can hand-pick products from some of the biggest names in lighting control and lighting, like Lutron, Philips and GE, climate control by Honeywell, and door lock brands like Yale and First Alert.

Staples Connect, unfortunately for CIs, is easy to set-up for consumers, but installation will also be available through Staples EasyTech Services. Customers can either select a starter kit or choose specific products and services to start with, and add new devices as they go.

Here’s the link: http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/marketing/staples-connect/