Quote Originally Posted by Koz
As for everything else, we'll be there, eventually.
I agree. I think all it's going to take is a push for a reliable, secure, comprehensive control system. IMO, that's the missing piece of the puzzle.

Home automation has existed for what, 20 years?
But how many of us have them installed? Are you willing to spend hundreds of thousands on upgrading your home, appliances and cars to be Wi-Fi connected and compatible to your phone?
Well, unless one wanted to go ultra-exotic, it wouldn't cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to upgrade. A car with blue-tooth doesn't really cost any more than one without it. And it's a standard feature on many new cars now. In fact, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Ferrari, Chevy, Infiniti, Kia, Hyundai, Volvo, Acura, Opel and Jaguar are set to begin integrating iOS into their cars by 2014. Because of my odd work and travel schedule, I am looking at a Wi-Fi thermostat for my home. Overall cost saving estimates for these systems are in the 30% range. My annual power bill is around $3000/yr. So if I saved around $1000, that would more than cover the cost of the $250 Honeywell unit that I'm looking at. But what it won't do (yet) is adjust itself based on my proximity to my home.

I can record TV (Sky receiver, rather) shows I want from my phone, from what it's worth.
Yes, my DirecTV DVR app allows me to do the same. But again, the issue that I have with every system out there is that you have to know what you want to watch or record.


Soon.
I hope so. Again, what I'm really driving at with this thread is that while we have many devices and apps that do all sorts of things, thus far there are none that are widely available which are truly "smart". I bought a 3D/HD plasma "smart TV" late last year. While the picture quality is great and it's on my home wireless network, what's "smart" about it??? Combined with my TiVo, it is smarter... but by itself, it really can't do much more than the ancient Samsung that it replaced.

I think we've grown used to calling things smart that really aren't. Even with much of what I'm suggesting, the devices and apps won't be all that smart. They won't be in the same league with the complex (and super expensive) algorithmic trading systems, that independently execute stock, options and futures trades based on news releases, economic reports, prices, volume, money flow, etc.

To make this work, I just don't think it would be so hard to develop a "brain" at the OS level that could control the apps and devices based on our expressed needs, historical wants and conditional instructions. Though far from perfect, I think Siri is a good starting point. Much of this would just rely on basic if/then statements that have been around for many decades. Other functions would rely on observation by the device to determine what we want. This is where it gets tricky. But with connected devices becoming more & more common and inexpensive, the basics would already be in place. All that's needed is a good "brain" to make it happen... without us having to hold its hand every step of the way. That's what we don't have yet. And heck, if the problem is with the lack of horsepower in the mobile OS or the phones, then pipe it through the home based/desktop OS and let it be the brain and the mobile OS would just be the eyes/ears/mouth controller. For instance, why isn't Siri on my iMac??? Seriously! Hey, Tim Cook, slow down with the lawsuits and get to work on what I'm talking about, buddy! Making Siri a true, effective, secure "task master" would be innovation.

I agree, Koz, I think we are in early days here and many or most of these things will be routine and taken for granted in a few years. I'm just impatient and I want it now!