Tasker needs no introduction. This is the best tool to automate your Android device and perhaps act as a home automation hub.   Even if you are planning on using an iOS home this can help you bridge the gap between devices and systems that aren’t Apple based.

AutoRemote is another one of those apps that is absolutely esstential to glue all your devices, apps and systems together.  It can be read by EventGhost, Chrome and Zapier to do just about anything you want.  There are several ways to start programming with AutoRemote and we will show you how.

AutoVoice is another important app that you can’t live without if you want to get into Home Automation.  It allows for custom commands and actions all through your voice.  It also lets you search Google and integrates easily with Tasker.  That’s why the logo lookos so much like Tasker because all these “Auto” apps are plugins for Tasker.

Most of these automation apps are free with a paid option to open up more features.  All of these apps integrate with the ‘master’ one (Tasker).  They either integrate with them through ‘intents’ or through the ‘state’ and ‘plugin’ profile section in Tasker.

Retune is an app which allows you to control your iTunes PC.  I personally use it on my home screen as a widget for easy access when I walk by it loads up the home screen I use to control it. There are a few features I would add to it but it does do a good job for what it does.

Xposed Framework Installer and Bridge help your device reach it’s full potential.  This has a lot of features that you are looking for in a true open source product.  Some of the features include long clicking the home button and assinging it to a Tasker task.  Maybe you want to triple click the headphones button to launch your RunKeeper app.  There are a lot of possibilities.

Movement Detector will let you change your phones settings or launch Tasker tasks based on how the device is moving.  It’s a very useful task for as a ‘confirmation’ type profile.  I would use it more to let my device know im in the car or I’m walking fast (I’m usually going somewhere with directions).  Running may open the running app.

Motion detector is an app that allows you to turn your android into a tasker acting motion detector.  It can turn the screen on as you and take you to a custom ‘scene’; It could also turn it on to your screen saving app which shows your latest photos of the family from a rss feed made from ‘Yahoo Pipes’.  There really are many opportunities.

XBMC shouldn’t need any introduction.  It should be the backbone of any good automation system.  You can easily load videos from a central server, use Airplay for speakers all around the home and much more.  Since Yatse makes an excellent remote and can even add voice control to the content within it.

Yatse is an excellent app that integrates locally with the setup of XBMC.  It can have voice control with your PC which has XBMC.  It can integrate with Tasker through intents and also integrate with AutoVoice as well.  There is a lot of control with this product and the PRO version is recommended.

SmartIR is a must have app for all home automation tablets on the wall that have IR built in.  It will let you control your ‘dumb’ IR devices that normally couldn’t be integrated into your system.