Home is where the media is
The BIG theme here at CES, I’ve noticed, is home media and home integration/automation. Everyone and their electronic brother is pushing in to this space in a big way. And to tell you the truth, it’s about time.
When I was at my former employer I worked closely with our AV vendor on world class video conferencing systems. We had Lutron lighting, Crestron touch screen control panels, automated blinds, retractable projectors, multi type video input pop-ups in every table and a high speed backbone to link office conference rooms from around the world.
Now implementing that was no small feat and this was by no means cheap. But now it’s finally getting there. It’s very nearly within the grasp of the average consumer now to control various elements of their home via wireless and networked devices and interfaces. Home users can now integrate all their existing media into a few, if not just one, devices. The driving theme is no longer the monolithic “One Device To Rule Them All” but rather a more democratic “Hey let’s all play together!”
SlingBox is a great example of company providing devices that are trying to play with everyone. The SlingCatcher can dish you video to your TV or your PC. SlingPlayer Mobile will run on your mobile device. The SlingProjector will wirelessly transmit from your PC to your television. It’s video from every which way and one ever possible device.
Microsoft’s approach is multi-faceted as well. Among MS’s offerings are the Windows Home Media Server for media centralization and network access, XBox 360 as an internet enabled game console and HD DVD player, and the revolutionary Surface which is a multi touch, networked, bluetooth enabled table top. The Surface is particularly interesting as it really demonstrates how the PC will disappear as a device and instead it will be built into everything we use in our everyday lives.
With the broader (and cheaper) integration of bluetooth and other wireless technologies, ever device will be network addressable and there for remote controllable and able to communicate with it’s peer devices in addition to it’s users.
Ubiquitous computing is the next stage in all our lives.
