TECHNOLOGIES TO watch - Consumer Electronics Association

CEA ESTIMATES A TOTAL OF FIVEPERCENT OF U.S. HOUSEHOLDSNOW HAVE A WIRELESS NETWORKIN THEIR HOME.Building a Service SectorEven as consumer interest grows in home networking, howconsumers will get the solution they need is an unansweredquestion. Some argue it won’t come from Best Buy or CircuitCity as a do-it-yourself solution. Others contend plug-and-playsolutions will continue to simplify networking, keeping DIY(do it yourself) alive. However, the near- and long-term issuefor consumers isn’t necessarily one of simplicity; it is time. TheHVAC system in a consumer’s home is fairly “simple” withestablished standards, and yet consumers still call a serviceperson to make repairs or install a new component. Thereason: they just don’t have the time to do it, and they knowsomeone else is better qualified to do the job efficiently. Theautomated home concept is similar. Ultimately, this representsanother opportunity for the traditional home PC, homenetwork and custom installation industries.The bottom line is that the average consumer needs help ingetting his or her household to the point of “Jetsonization.”PC networks already exist in about six percent of U.S.households and are used for a host of entertainment options,but something is needed to push the envelope of current usagelevels. Unfortunately, current options are too technical andtime consuming to install and configure. As a result, very fewhomes currently are equipped to accept a system with acentral server and multiple points of access, let alone anentertainment system with home-wide distribution, eventhough many have a PC.Current Uses of a Home PC NetworkStore, Transfer, playmusic filesMulti-player games38 %69 %60 %58 %Experts argue that a new breed of custom installer and servicetechnician are needed to fill in the gap created by newtechnologies. This service provider will become like the HVACspecialists of today, with one exception; instead of just findingout the consumer’s heating and cooling needs and or servicingan existing system, these specialists will come to the home toset–up and maintain a central server-driven network.However, this isn’t just the current crop of home networkinstaller or custom audio specialists. since it also focuses onthe house as a whole system, which distributes A/V contentand data from an incoming broadband connection,as well as environmental controls. The role bundles in thefunctions of the telephone installer, contractor, HVACspecialist, electrician and network installer.In the new service structure, knowledgeable service staff cometo the home to find out the consumer’s desired technical specs.They then install the central server and configure it based onthe consumer’s needs. Newer and upgraded homes could comewith a server installed, down in the basement, next to the waterheater. If the consumer doesn’t personally want to deal withthe water heater, he or she just calls a professional. The sameopportunity exists for a specialist to come in and offerupgrades to the new home security or gaming package.Maintenance also can be set-up as a monthly charge for regularvisits, or perhaps even remote checks of the system.Ultimately a service like the one envisioned above is critical topushing the adoption of both home networks and the PC tothe next stage of evolution. Just as HVAC is too complicatedand time consuming for the average homeowner, so is configuringand utilizing the full capabilities of a PC, particularly bya central server-driven home usage environment. The newservice paradigm represents a fresh opportunity for those inthe service sector with enough entrepreneurial drive and interestto expand this untapped consumer segment.7Host a personal website21 %Percent currently usingSource: CEA Market ResearchOCTOBER 20035 TECHNOLOGIES TO watch