If you don't count X10 products (because they're crap), then it seems the price might match current home automation levels. A typical Z-Wave light switch costs $50, so if the switch its self costs around $25 plus the EI, that would be about equivalent. Plus, you'd get far more than just a solar timer if this behaves the way I would assume. You would be able to set dimming levels and scenes, and control them remotely instead of just by the time.

Plus, this cloud-based service has the potential to make the programming and control of a light system much easier. Z-Wave is great, but if I ever need to change anything it's a nightmare. I can't just sit at a computer and fiddle with things, it takes a great deal of time and annoyance. The one area where Z-Wave has an advantage is that instead of WiFi, it uses its own proprietary mesh network. It's annoying and means you can't join it to a normal computer network, but it does create a rock-solid network with no range problems. Still, I'd trade that for better control any day.

ps- I should note that I didn't buy my Z-Wave products at that $50 level. I swooped into Radio Shack during a fire sale and bought up the stock from several stores AND a ton of stuff from their website. It was still expensive as hell, but less than half what it would be otherwise

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