Digital Homes

This isn't the stuff of The Jetsons. An Internet-driven technological wave is rippling through houses in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, according to a new report in Business Week. Today's digital homes are a different animal from the "smart homes" of the past. In the old days (oh, like the 1980s) a central computer controlled the home electronics in so-called intelligent houses. Now, the Internet and home computer networks allow instant communication between appliances. So, instead of buying an enormous single system, you can start out with just a few modular devices and build up gradually. Before you know it, your bathroom scale will be telling your kitchen refrigerator what you need to eat. How can that be? Read the full story in Business Week Online. For help in building your own digital home, explore these resources:

Home Automation Networking from our Guide to Computer Networking

Home Automation Products from our Guide to Home Theater

Home Automation with a Mac from our Guide to Macintosh Operating Systems