The Bleeding Edge: Extend Your Range and Options with Consumer Devices

We are coming into an age where there will be computers, two-way communications and cameras in all of our consumer devices--TV sets, digital cameras, refrigerators, GPSs, and pens, to name a few. This trend is being driven on the demand side by desire for more functionality and convenience, and from the cost side by reducing energy consumption and maintenance costs. So how can project managers take advantage of this future?  Let’s find out by looking at some of the device functionality we can expect in the near future and the possibilities for their application in project management.

• TV sets on the network will communicate to PCs that will be network hubs.
The hub will not only broadcast video content (live TV, movies, Web TV) to the various screens/speakers (TVs, refrigerators, wall picture holders, handhelds) in a home or office, but it will also have two-way communications for video from cameras (surveillance, video calls, camcorders). Accompanying those devices will be super remote controls that will contain note only remote control features, but also a full alphanumeric keyboard.  In fact, that remote control could be your cell phone or iPod.  This direction is fueled by the consumers’ desire to conveniently access visual/audio content from anywhere in their environment.  The most efficient approach is to store that …