What is the best way communicate with ‘smart’ devices?

In the digital world we’ve embedded ourselves in. Where every appliance in your home and office is & will be connected the the Internet.

What do you think will be the best way to do this?

Your PC, notebook, fridge, PVR, kettle, washing machine, security system, they’re all connected.

Having a server to handle all of this will be a bit of a hassle. Accesing a different web control panel to to check/configure all these devices will just be too much to handle in my opinion. Sure it will be possible to SMS commands to your smart devices to turn the coffee machine on. Remotely controlling many devies via sms might become pricy.

You’d want to avoid proprietry solutions due to the ‘lock-in’ factor. I’ll have too only use certain products that speak too each other cos they dont play nice with ‘foriegn’ systems.

What about IM (Instant Messaging)? Jabber specifically. Jabber is what makes Google Talk, MXit, iDRIVE.co.za Support and co work.

What if you coud add all the different devices as ‘contacts’ in your Google Talk/Jabber/MXit and communicate with your smart devices via IM? Shouldn’t have a problem with training as WE all use IM already.

Just an Arb thought on a Firday Afternoon. What do you think the best way would be to communicate with smart devices that are starting to emerge and that will be available in the near future?

***I’ve been asked to play with a new litle device that reminds me of Kitt in The Hoff’s Knight Rider. My car now has a brain 🙂 It’s damn sweet, will tell you a little more a little later.