Europe May Be Gaining in Smart Home Tech
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From the outside, it looks like just another house on an upscale residential street outside Barcelona. But inside this "smart house," its creators say, is the most advanced domestic technology in Europe.
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Digital photo frames expand beyond standalone frames into home appliances.
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Physicist Marin Soljacic is working toward a world of wireless electricity.
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The HDTV technology company is moving a key part of its future in house.
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When it comes to digital gadgets, Europeans are not impressed by do-it-all devices that play songs and films, keep track of appointments and play video games, a new survey on Monday said.
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Although it may be five or more years behind similar capabilities in Europe, the US is finally getting technology that would allow consumers to use their cell phones as a way to pay for consumer goods.
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(InfoWorld) - Demand for software and IT services will continue to grow steadily in Europe this year, but sluggish performance in the telecommunications sector will dampen the reasons to celebrate, according to a forecast released Thursday ahead of the Cebit trade show. The overall ICT (information and communications technology) market will grow by only 2.9 percent in 2007, to â¬668 billion ($887 billion), the European Information Technology Observatory (EITO) predicted in its annual report. That's slightly slower than last year, and well down from 2005 growth of 4.1 percent. The IT sector, including software, hardware and services, will show the strongest growth, up 4.4 percent this year to â¬320 billion, the EITO said. Software spending will lead the way, increasing by 6.5 percent this year, compared with 6.3 percent in 2006. IT services, including outsourcing, consulting, and systems integration, will grow by 5.5 percent, up from 5.3 percent in 2006. Hardware revenue is expected to grow just 1.7 percent in 2007, driven by notebooks and multifunction devices such as printer-scanners. Demand for desktop PCs will dip slightly, the study said. In 2008 Europe's IT sector will grow slightly more quickly at 4.7 percent, the EITO said, to reach â¬335 billion. The market for telecommunication products and services, by comparison, is expected to grow only 1.5 percent this year, to â¬348 billion, and by 1.1 percent in 2008. The biggest sales-generator for telecommunications this year will be broadband access systems, particularly DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) modems in homes. More than 42 percent of European homes are now connected to the Internet via broadband access systems, the report said. The EITO study also contains revenue forecasts for consumer electronics products. Sales are expected to increase 2.5 percent, buoyed by strong demand for flat-screen TVs.
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European governments should focus more of their efforts on boosting their countries' technological prowess by funding large - oenational champions - rather than small companies whose expansion possibilities are ...
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Well, not the world maybe, but possibly your lawns and kitchens. The use of robots -- especially as domestic help -- is expected to increase sevenfold by 2007, according to the United Nations.
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Companies are teaming up to bring their technology to your living room.
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Dominated by home-cleaning gadgets, the consumer robotics market is expanding with the arrival of 'bots that can spy inside your home when you're away or arrange virtual meetings of family or friends.
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SAN FRANCISCO/LAS VEGAS  - The world's major technology companies are trying to convince consumers they need an expensive, digitally connected home with the latest high-tech gadgets.
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The move by the European Commission could spur growth in the fledgling but potentially lucrative mobile TV sector.
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While most electronics companies are still trying to establish green credentials, 2008 could mark a turning point for previously obscure "home automation" technologies that now are being advertised as a way to save electricity Â not just personal energy.
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Plethora of electronic devices creates a strong consulting market for the digital home.
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Businesses in Europe, Asia can net bucks for outdated computer equipment, company says.
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Semiconductor chips that can manage a good bit of their own upkeep are moving closer to reality.