Someone told be about the ioBridge Boards today. And that there is a Project going. Using these Boards to Connect Christmas Lights all over the World. Through the Internet and Twitter, to let People Control each others Christmas Lights! Sounds like a fun thing to me:) Here's some info on CheerLights and ioBridge...

Don

CheerLights: a social network of lights

Posted in Projects by iobridge
December 2, 2011

It's that time of year to spread some cheer and strengthen our connections. We are all connected on this little planet and our latest projects hopes to prove this. ioBridge introduces CheerLights - a social network of lights that stay in sync with the rest of the lights linked to a messages from social networks. It's kind of like following a trending topic on Twitter but with physical objects.
Here is a video introduction to CheerLights:

CheerLights: Internet synchronized lights

Video Link...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqi28Qcvvdg&feature=player_embedded

SiriProxy & ioBridge Home Automation

Video Link...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xhc7SKli4M4&feature=player_embedded

REMOTE CONTROL

Video Link... (Can't Embed - But, this one is a funny clip from The BIG BANG THEORY TV Show!:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kzjqBacF1k&feature=player_embedded

To join the CheerLights project all you have to is build a controller that subscribes to the "cheerlights" keyword, receives the latest color command, and sets the color on your lights. So, when you see the color change know that the color it is now changing all across the world. Instructions on how to build your own physical controller are based around GE G-35 Color Effects Lights and the ioBridge IO-204, ConnectPort X2, or Arduino Ethernet.
The last color processed by CheerLights is accessed through the CheerLights Channel hosted on ThingSpeak. With that data you could this a lot further and build all sorts of applications that read in that color value and do something with it. Your application could be an Android widget that shows the latest color, a set of Christmas lights, ambient orb, or dynamically setting the background color of a website.
ioBridge has been working on a way to distribute a command from a social network and distribute to thousands of end points in real-time - a many to many issue. The technology behind CheerLights paves the way for an alert system that could cascade across the globe.
[via CheerLights.com]
Tags:arduino, CheerLights, Color Effects, internet of things, internetofthings, iobridge, Projects, twitter, video, youtube

Read More and See all of their Videos...
http://www.iobridge.net/projects/

CheerLights Live

Hans has setup a webcam to allow you see his CheerLights changing color. He is broadcasting live video to Ustream on the CheerLights Channel from ioBridge.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cheerlights

To control CheerLights, send a tweet to @cheerlights or include "cheerlights" somewhere in your message with the name of a color.
Example Tweet: @CheerLights Paint the town red
This will cause a chain reaction and all of the CheerLights controllers will change their color to red, since "red" is a supported keyword.
CheerLight Colors and Commands:

red
green
blue
cyan
white
warmwhite
purple
magenta
yellow
orange

Go there...
http://www.cheerlights.com/live

CheerLights Controllers

You have many options for building a CheerLights controller. The idea behind the CheerLights project is to have something synchronized with the rest of the world. You could simply have 3 LEDs of different colors sitting on your desk and knowing that the color being shown is the same color being displayed across the world. If you come up with something new, please share it as others may want to use your version to join the CheerLights project.
Right now we have three controller tutorials:

Ideas for taking CheerLights further…

To get the latest color, all you have to do is check the CheerLights API on ThingSpeak. Once you have that value, I guess we are not limited by physical color changes, we could also represent the latest color on an Android widget, Wordpress plugin, or dynamically change the background color of a website. Anything else you can think of?widget

Go there...
http://www.cheerlights.com/

Web Gateway Products and Services – ioBridge. Apply ioBridge technology to solve your professional applications

Modules
Function and Smart Boards
Software and Web Services

Modules

The ioBridge Monitor & Control Modules help bridge the gap between the physical world and the World Wide Web. The ioBridge modules and online tools at www.ioBridge.com or www.ioBridgePro.com (for professional users) enable OEM, Professional and DIY users to easily get devices on the web. There is no need to run a local web server or track ever changing dynamic IP addresses. The ioBridge modules takes care of internet connectivity and user customizable widgets on the ioBridge website remove the need for complex programming. Just plug in your ioBridge module, register on the ioBridge website and within minutes, you'll be interacting with lights, switches, servos and sensors. Keep your widgets private on your secure ioBridge dashboard or publish them on your website for the entire world to enjoy!
The IO-204 module, its associated expansion board, web interfaces and services are sold and licensed at competitive prices to encourage creative technology use. The IO-204-PRO module with improved hardware and server features supports OEM and Professional users. Optional customization services can be engaged to tailor ioBridge's technology to meet your specific application needs. Add-on Function and Smart Boards are also available to extend the capabilities of the modules.

Module Comparison

Read More...
http://products.iobridge.com/

Introduction

An ioBridge Smart Board extends the functionality of the host module and provides more complex functionality than function boards.
The following smart boards are currently available: