¶ … home control system using mobile commerce -- or, how your cell phone can connect you to your home when you are away from home
For better or for worse, the cell phone technology has changed modern communication and modern life. Mobile communication systems have undoubtedly made modern human beings more 'connected' to one another, or at least more able to talk to, or to reach one another, at any point in time. Now, an individual with a 'switched on' cell phone can always be accessed through the use of mobile cell phone technology -- barring any interference from poor connections or poor service, of course! However, besides simply being able to talk to others more easily, mobile phones can also make it easier to access other aspects of one's daily existence, from one's calendar, list of frequently called numbers, and yes, one's home.
The ability of mobile commerce to connect consumers to other areas of their life is an as yet underdeveloped aspect of cellular technology that business investors in ecommerce would be well advised to invest in, develop, and explore. The ability for networks to offer multiple services, beyond simple phone connections and attractive phone packages may be, or to "bundle" services, industry analysts say, will be what enables mobile phone carriers to succeed or fail in future markets, in the social Darwinian world of mobile communications. (Richtel, 2004)
The present-day status of home control systems
One of these new applications of mobile technology can be found in the form of a home control system, accessed through one's cell phone. It is one of the newest and most exciting applications of mobile technology talked about by industry experts. But firstly, a layperson might ask -- what exactly is a home control system? 'Home control' encompasses everything from electronically controlled lighting to climate control, to security systems.
According to Electronic House Magazine, although, "separately, a lighting control system, a smart climate control system, a security system and other systems afford convenience, comfort and luxury to any new home," but "when these and other systems operate synchronously ... The benefits of living in a smart home make an enormous impact." In other words, a 'smart home' is not simply a high tech home, but a home that creatively and intelligently deploys technology to create a more livable, functional, and cost and environmentally efficient home. ("Home Control Systems," 2004).
Thus, with a simple click of a switch, the owner of a 'smart home' can alter his or her home environment for the better, adjusting the humidity of the home or shading the lighting, depending upon his or her immediate needs or the needs of the short- and long-term health of the home. Of course, this may sound, to distrusters of technology, like simple smoke and mirrors and unnecessary button pressing. That is, until one imagine the following scenario. Consider a homeowner who is far away on a business trip. He or she learns that his or her home area is experiencing an unexpected heat wave in April. Or that some neighborhood friends would like to stop by the home, and pick up the owner's golf clubs so they could borrow them for a day on the green.
With the use of mobile technology, or a simple flick and press of the keys of a cell phone, the homeowner can turn on the home's dehumidifier and temporarily disable and then re-enable the home security system from afar, when he or she knows his or her neighborhood friends may be stopping by. Such scenarios, when coupled with mobile technology, make having a smart home not simply a flashy display, but an added and real convenience, even a necessity for some homeowners, depending on the geographical and security climate of the home. The ability of individuals to access smart home technology through the use of cellular phones makes the idea of a 'home away from home' a new reality -- one is always connected to one's home environment, the way that one is always connected to one's friends and business associates.
Electronic House Magazine notes that current, PDAs are often used for such long-distance communication. However, "most likely, the in-home PDA will not connect to devices via the Internet. Logging onto the Internet to control a device that's ten feet away simply doesn't make sense. What does make sense is loading special home control software into the brains of your PDA so that the connection between the PDA and the home is seamless. Some manufacturers of home control systems now offer software for PDAs." ("Home Control Systems," 2004).
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