SHOULD COFFEEPOTS TALK?

This article discusses the impact of smart appliances on people's lives. According to mathematics expert Andrew M. Odlyzko, no one has figured out how to make information appliances or smart home appliances work together. Unlike traditional appliances, smart devices must work together to achieve their potential. Technology companies are aware of the problem but they are not close to a common solution. Microsoft is promoting a standard called Universal Plug and Play, while Sun Microsystems is pushing a rival technology called Jini.