Smart Homes Are Coming (Finally)

• July 22nd 2009

by Will Smith

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So-called smart homes might finally become a reality, according to the Wall Street Journal. The futuristic vision of a house that can be automated, monitored, and remotely viewed via the web is not a new concept, but it’s one that always seems just around the corner, yet never quite arrives.

Well, this time might be different, says the WSJ. Thanks to the ubiquity of broadband and wireless internet access, and prices that have fallen to affordable levels, the technology and solutions that enable a smart home might finally become available to the average consumer.

Technology heavyweights like Cisco, Comcast, GE, and Microsoft think so, as do prescient venture capital firms like Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Cisco vice president Ken Wirt told the Journal that smart home products represent a “multibillion dollar” opportunity for his company.

What are some of the bells and whistles you can expect from these homes of the future?

• Your fridge notifies you when you’re low on milk.
• Have your favorite song play as you enter the house after a long day at the office.
• Check on the kids’ playpen via a YouTube-like web video.

Smart home skeptics argue that the vision hasn’t taken off because people don’t really want or need such technology. The Journal cites a study that found less than 15 percent of people “are very interested in controlling their home’s lights or thermostat over the internet.”

What about you? Are smart homes something to look forward to, or technology overkill?

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.production.logicbrush.com/articles/blog/smart_homes_are_coming_finally/1160.