We know, the last thing the world needs is another home tablet (see
Sony Dash,
HP Dreamscreen and
Chumby), but bear with us for a second on
Intel's Intelligent Home Energy Management proof of concept. Instead of providing just the typical weather, Pandora, and video memo apps, the Atom Z530-powered screen also manages your home's energy consumption. The idea is that the WiFi-enabled device works with your local energy company to provide data as well as suggestions on how to lower that insane monthly bill. It also apparently can update you as to what government subsidies are being offered and deals on more power efficient appliances. If that all sounds too earthy to you, we at least can tell you it's one beautiful gadget -- the 11.2-inch capacitive OLED screen is simply stunning and the user interface that's been built on top of Windows XP isn't so bad looking itself. For now the whole thing is just a concept, but Intel was quite confident in saying that we will see gadgets with its Home Energy platform popping up sooner or later. We just hope someone picks up that beautifully designed hardware. Don't you worry you can see it too in the video demo after the break.
posted April 7th 2010 9:07PM
Jarvis?
@msunardi
getting there...
...saw this at their CES Keynote (i think it was CES anyway)
@abedinthehouse
video is gone
:(
@msunardi I rather see them working on Courier rather than more tablet concepts or we might never get the first one they showed...
@Ridgecity I think this is Intel's concept, not Microsoft, though... But I agree, I want Courier (they better not screw it up!)
If this could control my AC it would be perfect. The window units. Seriously they are a pain in the ass.
@tklr08
There's an app for that, seriously. Several dozen of them.
@tklr08 You've got three or four routes for that...
1: If it's a fancy-pants-IR-remote kind, use an IR blaster hooked to your PC and set it up so you can turn it off/on via computer.
2: If you have manual controls, try a manual timer...
3: ... or a solid state relay hooked to your parallel port that can switch the AC on or off via the computer
4: Or modifying an electronic/programmable thermostat ala the nice Instructables hack >> http://www.instructables.com/id/Space-heater-controlled-by-digital-thermostat/ - although for an AC, not a space heater.
I'm working on a nice homebrew solution for #3 with an older DOS/Windows 3.11 based laptop. It'll use several 1-wire temperature sensors and control a fan, a light, and an air conditioner (manual control, set to full blast) independently via both the serial port (for temp) and parallel port (for relay control).
Gotta love being stuck in a high school electronics classroom for half of a day, every day.
@dragonfli
Keep up the work but lets stay on point. Cool device in the atricle even if its a concept.
Like the Courier?
Oops, wrong vaporware..
@Wesscoast
Too bad this thing exists, there's even a video of it.
Your ignorance amuses me.
✔
@tklr08 well, it is still a prototype. It may or may not come out commercially...
Seems a little big. I'd rather have one about...2.5x the zune HD would be a nice size of device for this sort of thing.
And ACTION!
What's up with the top of this device? Is that a security sensor or something else for the display model? Or am I looking at something completely wrong here?
@Khalid Shahin
From what I've seen in their other videos it's a master switch for turning off all the electronics and phantom-power-drawing devices in the house. You turn it on when you get home and turn it off when you leave.
maybe it'll become a reality when everything in our house are wireless connected...
As you know you have too many other electric devices at home. How does the gadget act as a collector to provide statistics on power consumption per month to local energy company?
That's "bear with us"... As in "endure".
I'm not about to "bare" with you...
An energy wasting device that tells you how much energy you're wasting...yay!!!
I won't read the title after de comma nor the post :(
*the
@JackBauer
Your loss.
Runs on XP? So you can get your electricity hacked and your alarm system turned off remotely followed by a Mission Impossible style attack into your home to steal your precious HTC EVO?
Ummm No Thanks....
@Eternity Your post reminds me of the Jura Impressa F90 coffee makers with their fancy "internet connectivity kit".
Connectivity kit opened holes in the XP boxen you had to connect it to... including the possibility of running code on the machine... but that's not the bigger issue - a hacker could easily break in and set the coffee machine parameters to f*ck the thing up royally... or just make it so you get a nice puddle of weak coffee on your counter instead of a nice cuppa in the morning.
Simply Stunning... now bring it to market.
What a waste of an OLED screen.
@j3ff Seeing as how this isn't coming out this year and OLED production will be at much higher levels by the time (/if) this hits the market, you sir, should have nothing to complain about.
I cannot wait to get my hands on this thing.
It's been my dream to own one of these ever since I was 7.
iWant...no seriously, let me spell that correctly. "I want." Intel, there is a market the size of me and some other people on this post wanting to buy this product. Make it. Please. And then sell it to me. For less than the cost of an iPad. Thanks.
How about using a home automation system to shed devices automatically in the home once a certain energy consumption is met?
seriously, why spend all that money on a proof of concept? That unit should be manufactured! I think it looks cooler than any MID or i-Whatever is out there. Just add a few productivity apps and a reader and voila! You'll have a iPad killer!
My 2 cents. I would prefer this to not have a dedicated app store, it seems like this should ship with just about everything it requires. Most applicable apps will be energy related, they should have these fairly well done. Then do one of two things, either sponsors contests for best app (maybe every month?), give these apps away or just open-source the SDK so people can write apps for it with the hope that they are given away free. We don't need yet another app store, I'll take them in the OS on my comp, laptop, smartphone, not on my energy conservation device. This is getting ridiculous.
@juanvaldez ...and while having some nice app will be nice, and perhaps market worthy, I just don't see this being that robust a marketplace which is my main point. In my estimation, this will be amongst the lowest tier of app stores, I am not trying to say I speak for the market, if people want to buy open up the store, I just don't see it as a "happening" thing.
The app store is becoming akin to the blog, everyone thinks they can strike gold and what they do is waste their time, but at least blogs can be personally rewarding as well as financially.
Worst... Video.... EVER. She Didn't knew anything....
SilverPAC SilverSTAT 7
Can't wait for the day when we can control our houses with one device.