Microsoft Home: Domestic digital bliss?

by Scarlet Pruitt

May 16, 2005 —

Tucked down a tree-lined lane in London's swanky Notting Hill lies what appears to be Microsoft Corp.'s version of a domestic dream: a family home where no one has to talk to each other -- really.

That's because the house is kitted out with entertainment systems and digital gear, enough distractions and bright and shiny screens to make almost anyone forget about the humdrum reality of daily life.

The "Microsoft Home," a large, five-storey town house located minutes from the fashionable Portobello Road, opened its doors to journalists and select customers in mid-April. It's not a vision of the future, as one might think; there are no Jetson-like robot maids, nor is there a hovercraft parked out front. Instead, it's intended to be a showcase for technology that is currently available. Walking through the spacious and sparsely furnished home, one can see a variety of modern goodies, such as a digital picture frame and a mirror that doubles as a computer. There are laptops, tablet PCs and handhelds, all connected by a wireless home network, and the whole house is regulated through computer controlled heating, security and lighting.

It may not be futuristic, but it's certainly like no family home I've ever seen, primarily because there's no evidence that humans actually live there. Watching Microsoft's promotional video after my tour, it started to become clear why.

A summary:

"Mom" wakes up and makes a bee-line to the built-in Activemirror (the dual mirror/computer that allows Mom to see both her image and a transparent screen). While she is busy primping, news headlines scroll across the mirror. She can also listen to music and check appointments by voice command.

Meanwhile, "Dad" plays keep-away with the mirror's remote control, prompting Mom to tackle him. Tee hee, technology is fun! "Son" is preoccupied downstairs in the lounge, downloading music from the Windows Media Center to his MP3 player.

Dad eventually takes Son to school and Mom stays home to watch prerecorded TV -- "Babe" is her movie of choice. Dad calls from the car on his handheld, using voice command dialing, and asks Mom to record a soccer match for him. No problem.

The front door buzzer rings. The postman has a package -- wait a minute, a non-technology wrinkle in the domestic dream!? No, don't worry, he's delivering software, silly!

Mom moves to the kitchen where she makes chocolate chip cookies. What was it that Dad called her about? She dials him from a laser keyboard on the countertop and he appears in video on the kitchen monitor. Oh right, he wants her to record that soccer match.

Dad and Son come home, consume cookies, Mom watches more TV in the bedroom. Dad helps Son with homework on the kid's Tablet PC while they both watch the game Mom recorded for them earlier. Bedtime, and it all starts over in the morning.

Now, the digital lifestyle certainly looks entertaining: there's music and news, TV and movies, an Xbox and flat screen monitors adorning the walls like revered modern masterpieces. But judging from the limited family interactions in this video -- putting aside the soccer recording requests -- this also looks like a lifestyle that can be quite isolating, and not at all "homey."

But Microsoft is pitching the home as a digital dream, where technology gives individuals their own space for expression, entertainment and distraction. ... So, who knows? Maybe domestic bliss is digital.

IDG News Service