Some of the home electronics giants are working on ZigBee, a new standard for home automation through wireless control. The proposed standard works in the 2.4Ghz range and can support 255 devices. With a capacity of just 250Kbps and a range of up to 30 meters, it is not as powerful or as fast as the 802.11 or Bluetooth standards, but devices will be extremely small and low power (lasting several years on 2 AA batteries).
This specification, due in early 2004, will revolutionize home automation, putting these small, cheap devices in everything from lamps to thermostats, and if thats not cool enough, tomorrow will be even better!
