Microsoft unveils Hohm beta for overanalyzing your home energy usage

Since Google can't be the only multibillion-dollar technology company having all the home energy monitoring fun, Microsoft's jumping in with "Hohm" -- like a portmanteau of "Home" and "Ohm," get it? We're not entirely sure just how it works yet, but according to the company, using both user input / feedback and analytics licensed from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the US Department of Energy, the program provides suggestions for energy conservation. However, it's the future uses we're more excited about -- eventually, you'll be able to upload energy usage data into the system automatically, provided you're getting voltage from one of the partner companies. First West Coast utilities to join up include Puget Sound Energy, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Seattle City Light, and Xcel Energy, and nope, none of those overlap with PowerMeter's first enlistees. The sign-up page for the beta is now live, so hit up the read link if you want a chance to participate.

[Via Yahoo! Tech]

[Jeff @ Jun 24th 2009 8:56PM]

Why does Microsoft feel the need to me-too everything Google does? They should focus on improving the things they already do (poorly)

[Arnie @ Jun 24th 2009 9:05PM]

Uhh if you read details about this on CNET, this project has been in the works for at least 2 years which means they are not reacting to Google's entry in this space which made its plan public only this year. Also, the approaches are different.

[Jeff @ Jun 24th 2009 9:06PM]

Honestly it seems like a strange place for either company... but I guess they do this stuff to their datacenters already.

[MaX PL @ Jun 24th 2009 9:08PM]

you think Microsoft saw the May headline about the Google version and created a beta in a month?

theyre both great companies that think alike and both have likely been working on this for a while now.

[Ellianth @ Jun 24th 2009 9:50PM]

Wait... are you actually complaining that you're being given a choice?

[Rick @ Jun 25th 2009 11:18AM]

When one of the choices is Microsoft, then yes.

[va jj @ Jun 24th 2009 8:59PM]

home?

[Richard @ Jun 24th 2009 9:10PM]

All it does is track your energy usage but it's still more exciting than Playstation Home.

[Ellianth @ Jun 24th 2009 9:51PM]

*slaps richard* Bad boy! Bad boy! I laughed, but that was low! :P.

[papamarcos @ Jun 24th 2009 8:59PM]

Maybe this is a stupid question, but why aren't the electric companies who provide us with the power in the first place giving us detailed usage data like this?

[Joe @ Jun 24th 2009 9:05PM]

Some do.

[Templarian @ Jun 24th 2009 9:06PM]

Cost most likely. In most places they estimate a lot also.

[Captain Obvious @ Jun 24th 2009 9:07PM]

Auto companies buy up all of the incredible automobile innovations and patents and then shelve them just to be sure that they don't get outsold. It would reduce their profits to have that much innovation freely available!

In the same sense energy companies care more about profit than the environment, and so will keep any energy innovations as far away from the consumer as possible.

[StoopidFlanders @ Jun 24th 2009 9:07PM]

Maybe because they are too busy doing more important things ...like generating electricity. If you want to freak out, screaming 'omg omg omg I forgot to turn off the light when I left the room!' that's your business. Don't expect anyone else to do it for you.

[massive_98 @ Jun 24th 2009 9:10PM]

They make money from inefficient usage patterns.

Personally, I have choosen to install solar shingles and not worry about conservation. Why bother, when the sun is free (after you install a system). For lazy people like me I prefer to tackle the problem at the root.

[APaps @ Jun 24th 2009 9:39PM]

Well, I would have to disagree with you. Electric utilities companies benefit from customers conserving energy and having better methods of predicting how much their customers use.

[Rob @ Jun 25th 2009 10:18AM]

Because they are in the business to provide energy, but to also make money. We have some of the worlds lowest energy prices with some of the worlds most advanced infrastructures. That equates to a moderately low margin for the energy companies. And you want them to make the margin even lower by giving you something else for free?

What our energy companies should do is triple the cost of our energy. You will then take ownership of your own energy consumption rather than asking someone else to do it for you. And we will all lower our environmental footprint and the energy companies will then have a lot more money to try to incorporate some of the novel energy concepts into the grid that was designed in the early 20th century. It's about all they can do now to simply keep what we've got operating. But typical American attitude thinking we are entitled to more for less. Sorry, I misspoke. The typical Walmart attitude. "I don't care what harm it does, just give me my stuff cheap or free."

[Sirius @ Jun 24th 2009 9:06PM]

..Shouldn't it be called "Hwat"? As in.. Home and Watt? :P

[m @ Jun 24th 2009 9:12PM]

HWAT?




YEAHHHHH!!

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Jun 25th 2009 3:03AM]

how about TWATs for the lack of originality in the name which sounds much like PlayStation's Own Virtual ummm.....Home er Hohm

[Joe @ Jun 24th 2009 9:08PM]

The problem with all this nonsense is that my electric bill is such a tiny portion of my budget, I really don't care that much beyond doing the obvious of turning lights off in rooms when not there and keeping the a/c at 78. My wife saves far more money by couponing and tracking grocery sales than anything to do with electricity, natural gas and automotive gas (all three of which are still much less than my rent, let alone groceries.)

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Jun 25th 2009 3:06AM]

well here @ around 6 bucks a gal, you gotta save money everywhere. Heck now I just leave the water boiler off until an hour before I need it. saves 200 bucks a month. why waste electricity and money to keep water hot that you're not using? seems pointless to me

[Nick @ Jun 24th 2009 9:22PM]

Straight from Bing, the unfortunate choice of name is evident in the first result.
http://www.bing.com/search?q=homh&FORM=BMMENO

[chuuchdizzle @ Jun 25th 2009 12:26AM]

Learn to spell numbnuts.

[Decoy @ Jun 25th 2009 1:36AM]

Bing "Hohm."

If you got it right Bing wouldn't have sent you to the HOme for the Mentally Handicapped.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Jun 25th 2009 3:09AM]

Chandler?

[Valicore @ Jun 24th 2009 9:37PM]

Yeah, Hohm, pronounced: "Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm." Anywho, I hope PG&E gets going with either this or PowerMeter, as I want, I want.

[bombastinator @ Jun 24th 2009 9:49PM]

What I'm curious about is what their revenue models are. I haven't implemented the google model because I don't really want various companies buying the data I produce for my own use and then using it against me.

[Alex @ Jun 24th 2009 10:13PM]

Hahaha... "hohm".

[someone @ Jun 24th 2009 10:17PM]

it's probably tell you that you're using too much electricity with your computer switched on all the time and that you should turn it off

[scion0614 @ Jun 24th 2009 11:08PM]

I wonder how much energy is needed to run this. lol

[ED @ Jun 24th 2009 11:04PM]

Hohm: resistance is futile!

[DeepMan @ Jun 24th 2009 11:41PM]

Just to be clear on the name - "Hohm" means Clever and arogant in yidish/hebrew. May be due to Israeli source of development.

[Quikboy @ Jun 25th 2009 12:45AM]

Here's a 23 minute walkthrough of what it does and explanation of what and how it analyzes it: http://www.on10.net/blogs/nic/Introducing-Microsoft-Hohm-Save-Energy--Money/

[Bonqueesha @ Jun 25th 2009 3:05AM]

Aw, come on! I can't be the only one who thought it was kinda clever? "Hohm." lol.

[Mizzike @ Jun 25th 2009 9:09AM]

I bet you didnt say that for the google one huh

[Mizzike @ Jun 25th 2009 9:09AM]

wrong comment sorry

[Aaronage @ Jun 25th 2009 5:45AM]

Too early, no one will use it.

[Ed T @ Jun 25th 2009 9:15AM]

homo
homogeneous
homey

fail

[yaksplat @ Jun 25th 2009 10:19AM]

geeze... is no one seeing the obvious origin of the name? Home + Ohm = Hohm

Ohm being a unit of electrical resistance.

[KirbyCrouton @ Jun 25th 2009 12:50PM]

I use a TED (The Energy Detective) to monitor my power usage real time. Its changed the way I use power and my usage has been 30% lower since installing it.

http://www.theenergydetective.com