High Tech Home Video

[Guest]

I just recently watched the "High Tech Home" streaming video on the
Microsoft: At Home web site and was just wondering what kind of software was
used to do all that home automation. More specifically, in the kitchen there
was software that worked with barcodes to keep the kitchen inventory and
recipes. Even more importantly, it was all voice controlled. Can anyone let
me know what that was? Is is something we can expect from Microsoft in the
furture, or is it 3rd party software?

Thanks!

 

[Rob R. Ainscough]

Mock up -- but the software is available today -- voice recognition is
getting better, but still has a ways to go before I'd put it in my home. It
would also be a cold day in hell before I put anything M$ based in charge of
my home because M$ need to convince me (the consumer) that they have
overcome two MAJOR hurdles:

1. Is it secure?
2. Is it bug free?

I don't see either of these happening any time soon - do you?

But, I believe there are some homes being built or already built that have a
similiar wireless system connected to a central server, but I don't believe
they are M$ based and certainly not affordable for the common folk. My
brother-in-law is a developer (home construction) that was building a
similar home for a client in Las Vegas -- I don't recall the crew he had in
to do the "high tech" side of things -- just about all the components are
"custom" and not off the shelf. I don't recall what the "server" ran for an
OS -- I think it was some variant of Linux as that provides a "just what you
need" and nothing else solution.

Rob.

 

[Guest]

In terms of security, I think that it wouldn't be too hard to firewall that
side of the house from the internet, or just leave it off entirely. I've
looked into some home automation software, which shall remain nameless for
the purposes of this discussion, but I was interested if MS had the software
I saw in that video available, and under what name. Whether its wireless or
not, really doesn't matter to me, 95% of my house is wired.

True, it is expensive, but I think some of this stuff is coming down. I
just like how that video wrapped up everything household into a nice, neat
little bundle. Most of the products I've been looking at do one thing well,
but not another, and consequently, you end up having to spend loads of time
searching for the right software, and in only takes care of part of the
equasion. So the question really is, does the software that they were using
really exist, or is it not just one piece of software?

Thanks again!

 

[clintonG]

There's actually a significant number of vendors and solution providers in
this niché Crestron being one of the more established. For the most part the
markets are restricted to selling to those with a whole hell of a lot of
money and the solutions are overtly complex. If you have trade shows in your
area hosted by the local home builders association you will see the vendors
starting to show up with their "solutions."

Microsoft wants in of course and may be the only presence that can unify and
simply the niché. If they succeed at producing a solution that the typical
stupid consumer can operate they win otherwise this niché is producing
nothing more than shelfware that nobody can operate after the installation
because the user interfaces are FUBAR and customers are simply too stupid to
read manuals or learn to operate anything more complex than the TV remote.

If you want proof of that latter statement try figuring out the thermostat
in a neighbor or friends residence and then multiply the complexity you
observe by whatever factor you think is relevant.

<%= Clinton Gallagher
NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
URL http://www.metromilwaukee.com/clintongallagher/