Emerging Technology Scan:

Internet Appliances

What are Internet Appliances?

 Internet appliances are task or function specific devices containing embedded computers and connectivity to the Internet. They trade the functional generality and computational power of desktop computers for low cost and ease of use. The term applies to a of range products -- from low-cost general purpose network computers to cell phones and microwave ovens. Examples include:

PDA: A hand held device that communicates via two-way wireless networks. The personal digital assistant promises to organize the information we use every day: phone numbers, appointments, lists, etc.

Web Terminal & Virtual JAVA Machine: A desktop device optimized for browsing the Web and executing load-on-demand JAVA programs. Similar to a diskless workstation.

ISDN Video Phone: A desktop device primarily intended for making video phone calls, but also allowing the recording and retrieval of video messages and clips. Voice mail will be replaced by video mail.

Internet-enabled Equipment & Appliances: Ovens, VCRs, Video Cameras, Automobiles (dashboard & internal monitoring), and HVAC systems are just a few examples.

Evolutionary roots of the technology

The Internet-enabled Coke Machine at Carnegie Mellon was an early example of using the Internet to link more traditional appliances.The following story is excerpted from Zen and the Art of the Internet by Brendan P. Kehoe:

    Programmers at Carnegie-Mellon were getting annoyed at having to walk down several floors to the Coke machine only to be presented with a warm bottle. To check to see if the bottles were cold before made the trip, they wrote a server program to keep track of how long each bottle had been in the machine. A status display let them know which button on the machine to push to get the coldest drink. Through use of the Unix "finger" command, they could even check the Coke machine status from anywhere on the Internet.

The World Wide Web is important because it provided an easy-to-use graphical user interface that allowed unsophisticated computer users to navigate the Internet.

Current State of the Art

  • Software: Java is the programming language used in Internet Appliances. It resembles a simplified C++. Unlike ordinary software applications, which are stored on the hard disk of your PC, Java applications, or "applets," are little programs that reside on a network server which delivers them to your machine only when you need them.
  • Hardware: Several prototypes of Internet Appliances have been developed by Sun, IBM, Oracle, Apple, and others. See references below.
  • Connectivity: It is still pretty slow for modem users to download Java applications. It may be a while before there are high bandwidth Internet connections to the home.

Application Scenarios

The following examples demonstrate unique features and benefits of the Internet Appliance:
  • Deb was beat when she finally checked into her room at the Bangkok Hilton. The first thing she did was insert her SmartCard into the small black terminal located in her room. The terminal knew to turn itself on, read her SmartCard, and to establish a secure link to Deb's host computer in Atlanta. After she entered a password, the terminal and SmartCard were able to certify to the remote host she was who she said she was. Using a familiar web user interface, Deb was able to check her email, calendar, address book, and perform other functions as if she were in her office.
  • Tim was driving home when he decided that he really didn't feel like eating out tonight. He reached for his cell phone in order to dial an appliance in his kitchen that doubled as a microwave oven and freezer. It currently held a frozen dinner. The only buttons on this appliance and on his cell phone were displayed on touch sensitive LCD screens. His cell phone now assumed the user interface of his combination oven/refrigerator. The user interface on the cell phone was the result of a JAVA program downloaded from the freezer/oven to his cell phone. Tim simply instructed the freezer/oven to have dinner ready at 7PM. Then he dialed his wet bar...
  • Chandan got an email from his auto mechanic. Seems that a vibration was detected in the timing belt during the last checkup indicating that it needed to be replaced. There was a 3% chance that it could fail within the next 90 days if not fixed. The last checkup was performed that morning while Chandan drove in to work - the results were routed to his mechanic for evaluation. Chandan had his personal electronic agent schedule a date for the repair to take place.
  • Bernie was torn. He had to get his work done but, like many new parents, he wanted to keep an eye on his newborn daughter. So Bernie set up his VCR camera in his daughter's bedroom. His VCR camera came with a web server and wireless modem built in. Bernie returned to his desktop and pointed his web browser to his VCR camera's URL. He kept a constantly updated video and audio stream of his sleeping daughter in the upper corner of his computer screen.

Applications Well Suited to this Technology

The following is a short list of applications that could be connected to the Internet and how they would utilize that connection:
  • VCR Camera - it could become a remote web-cam
  • Microwave Oven - program it remotely to have dinner ready
  • Smoke/Intruder Alarm - check on your home while out of town
  • Automobile - allow your mechanic to check out your engine while you are using it
  • Cellular Communications Device - browse the web using your cell phone
  • Network computer - lower total cost of computer ownership
  • Pace maker/heart monitor - see Automobile above

Market & Technological Risk Areas

 The following is a summary list of market and technological risk areas that might delay or prevent the adoption of Internet Appliances:
  • Running out of Internet address space. The Internet is running out of addresses and this could limit the total number of Internet Appliances. The purpose of the Internet Protocol: Next Generation (IPNG) working group is to find a solution to this problem.
  • Microsoft - Their strategy is embrace and extend - embrace open standards and extend them until they aren't open anymore. Another way to say that is embrace and break. If Microsoft becomes a monopolist of the Internet then everyone will pay more and growth will be stunted.
  • Privacy and Security - Java, the de facto standard programming language of the Internet applience has security problems today - when will it become a safe environment?

Related Links

 Oracle - learn about Oracles Network Computer

International Business Machines - learn about IBM's Interpersonal Computer

Network Reference Profile - a minimal specification for a virtual JAVA machines. Sponsored by Oracle, Sun, IBM, & Apple.

Sun - learn about Java or their network computer

References

"The Cameleon", Rich Levin, InformationWeek, September 23, 1996, page 48-58. The computer of the future won't look like a computer, it will be easier to use and more focussed in purpose. Sort of like the evolution of electric motors.

Zen and the Art of the Internet by Brendan P. Kehoe, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1993. The classic introduction to the Internet - available for free on the Internet, $27 in bookstores.

"Sun Set to Ship Java NC", Joe McGarvey, Inter@ctive Week, October 14, 1996, pg. 12. Sun to join IBM and others in offering a Network Computer.

"Appliances to Take 20% of Net Access Market - IDC", Newsbytes News Network, October 4, 1996. It describes a new study by International Data Corp titled, "Plugging in the Toaster: Is the Information Appliance the Next Wave of Computing?".

"Sun's Java: The Threat to Microsoft is Real", Brent Schlender, Fortune Magazine, November 11, 1996.

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This report was written by Chandan Seernani, Bernie Klein, Deb Capone,
Tim McNeill, Tom Roberts, & Tom Rearick. November 9, 1996.