Think Forward

Home media servers

I just posted an article on my article website www.csinsights.com explanining why I feel network attached storage drives have the potential to be the home media server not PC's or next generation DVD player set top boxes. Here is the link:

http://csinsights.com/index.php?action=pg_article&id=77

eJamming - cool musical twist

I recently found a pretty cool piece of software for any musicians out there. It's called eJamming and it can be found at eJammin.com. Basically if you can plug your instrument into your computer you and any friends using the eJamming software can jam together in real time. The first version includes real time audio and next versions will have real time video as well. I have tried the software out and find it pretty cool. It is actually in real time and is a great way to play or jam with friends who can't make it over to a live jam session. The only downfall is the business model which is asking a monthly subscription. I am not sure this will model will work because musicians don't have much money and I think a fair yearly flat rate would work much better. Overall though it was pretty cool playing guitar with my friends in other states.

Our new digital home lab

Throughout my blog I will posting and commenting on research projects we are working in our new digital home lab. I have assembled many "best-of-breed" digital home technologies in a lab for digital home research. Many of these technologies include Media center PC's, networked digital set top boxes, digital media adapters, home theatre PC's, cell phones and universal remotes to name a few. Our current project is on the role current and future universal remotes will play in the digital home. We have the Phillips iPronto, the Nevo SL and the Logitech Harmony 880. Since in our lab we can do virtually all of what we believe consumers will be doing years from now, these remotes fit in nicely and will hopefully give us a sense to the role they play now and will play. Stay tuned for more research lab results and project updates.

Intel and "ViiV"

Intel announced today a new brand they are calling "ViiV", sounds like "live." What is interesting about this brand is that it is focuses around the digital home. This brand is created to let consumers know that not only is the device running a Intel processor but it will also work well with other "ViiV" and non-viiv digital appliances in the home. I liken this brand to the Microsof "Plays for sure" brand, which I still think is a ridiculous name. Anyway if these companies are succesful, meaning they don't confuse consumers like they usually do, then Intel may have a good thing going. One thing Don MacDonald the GM of the digital home group said that I think is key, is that "Intel is taking a consumer centric approach understanding that the consumers have set the bar, and that bar is much higher the we (the PC industry) are used to." I think for the PC industry to have any success in the digital home they have to set aside thier PC centric views and thinking and focus much much more on consumers. Intel seems to get this so let's keep our fingers crossed.

Digital Home Series

This is an introduction to a series I will call "Technology and its role in the digital home." I will be posting a series of thoughts on different technologies and thier roles in the digital home. I will start with the PC and its role in the digital home, piggybacking on recent IDF news. Then move all the way down the chain to the universal remote. Stay tuned.