| How many 'set top boxes' do you have? Are you | | | | all of this modern technology fits together to |
| the proud owner of just one box that caters for | | | | form the ultimate 'smart house'. Whilst voice |
| your every whim, or do you have a precipitous | | | | activated light switches are still a bit of a novelty, |
| and 'threatening to topple at any moment' pile of | | | | it does show that we are beginning to understand |
| hardware that makes your living room look like a | | | | how a convergence of home technology on all |
| discount tech warehouse? The convergence of | | | | levels could make our lives very much easier. It is |
| home technology is the subject of much debate - | | | | possible to build a 'smart house' where everything |
| how integrated is our home, what could we do | | | | works from a central computer (from the heating |
| without, what couldn't we even think of living | | | | to the sub-woofer levels on your hi-fi). But for the |
| without? | | | | majority of people, developing a smart house |
| But home technology convergence isn't just about | | | | based on technological convergence is a case of |
| home entertainment systems talking to your PC, | | | | piecing together a jigsaw of available and |
| your Xbox streaming films and programmes from | | | | affordable technology over time. |
| your computer to your television or even | | | | The real world |
| switching to VoIP for your telephony. Home | | | | The reality is far more organic. Slowly, piece by |
| technology convergence covers a multitude of | | | | piece our homes are becoming more integrated. |
| applications throughout the house - from | | | | The advent of smart technology and in particular |
| automated garage doors and light switches | | | | WiFi has given those who want to ultimately see |
| activated from your iPhone right through to a | | | | a true convergence situation the building blocks to |
| fridge that lets you know when you need more | | | | achieve their goal. WiFi is probably one of the |
| milk. | | | | most important developments in years, allowing |
| Home media servers allow you to integrate your | | | | an entire home to become one big transmitter |
| entire system into a DLNA network, allowing you | | | | for the movement of digital data from various |
| to use your PC as your home 'hub' for everything | | | | sources to various outlets. |
| technological. The very latest televisions are not | | | | The providers are catching up too. Whereas once |
| only HD and 3D ready - they're also ready to talk | | | | utilities companies provided one service such as |
| back to your computer too, negating the need | | | | your telephone landline, they are now embracing |
| for cables and linking up via your Wi-Fi network or | | | | the concept of Multi-play marketing. Multi-play |
| Bluetooth technology. The computer is taking its | | | | describes the provision of different |
| rightful place at the very heart of the | | | | telecommunication services such as telephone, |
| technological home. Now it's not just the focal | | | | mobile phone services, Broadband Internet access |
| point for downloading data from the Internet or | | | | and television into one bundled package. It may |
| for the kids to do their homework on. It's literally | | | | seem like convenience to the customer, but it |
| become 'one of the family'. | | | | really does represent an aspect of home |
| The 'black box' fallacy | | | | convergence technology. DLNA communications |
| However, despite the leaps and bounds made in | | | | between PCs and digital media outlets such as |
| home technology we are still a long way from a | | | | televisions or games consoles is another aspect, all |
| 'black box' situation where the home's entire tech | | | | linking in and interconnecting with the WiFi |
| is controlled through one central point or 'black | | | | foundations to be found in most modern homes. |
| box'. Although many have tried to develop this, | | | | Eventually, the convenience of one 'black box' |
| and despite the importance of the home PC as a | | | | system is going to be too tempting to resist for |
| control panel from which to conduct an orchestra | | | | a society that is becoming obsessed with tech. |
| of home technology, the closest we've probably | | | | Some bright spark will develop a clever algorithm |
| come to any kind of multi-tasking central control | | | | that will draw all your home tech into one, easy |
| system is the 'universal remote control'. These | | | | to manage and aesthetically pleasing 'home hub'. |
| are handy little gadgets that negate the need for | | | | Indeed, the term is already being used by some |
| a collection of remotes for your television/Sky | | | | providers of telephony, broadband and digital |
| box/surround sound system/DVD player (delete | | | | media packages, and it is certain that as we |
| as applicable) and give you all the couch-control | | | | develop ever more complex binary networks in |
| you need in one, handy remote. Although just | | | | our homes, more of our everyday home |
| having one remote means that it's easier to lose | | | | technology will slot into its allotted place. The |
| down the back of the sofa, that seems to be its | | | | convergence home of the future is closer than |
| only real disadvantage. | | | | we think... |
| Slowly but surely, we are starting to find out how | | | | |