If you need your alarm clock to do double-duty as secretary for your day's appointments, or you want a coffee maker that knows you're grinding the beans too fine, Microsoft and Fugoo want to talk to you later this year. The two companies are working on "the next generation" of household appliances, gadgets, and accessories that are not only connected to the Internet, but also utilize a standard API for communicating with each other.
Fugoo is a year-old startup founded by John Hui and Chris Chung of eMachines. A collection of tech companies have formed The Open Fugoo Alliance to further develop the "Fugoo Block," the "first complete, open, and free hardware and software platform." These small blocks will each contain an x86-based VIA CPU and WiFi, and they can be integrated into everything from refrigerators to coffee makers to washing machines.
Microsoft says Fugoo Blocks run Windows technology, are capable of rendering HTML and Javascript, and can even run applications in parallel or in the background. Apps can send notifications to others Blocks, allowing for interaction between two or more "neo-diginet" devices.
A Fugoo Block Microsoft touts a few fictional devices in its announcement of this technology and was showing off two concept products at its CES booth. The first is a "net clock" that can display stock information, local traffic, and weather reports in addition to, you know, actually telling time. Another is a digital photo frame that goes far beyond slideshows to display news headlines, sports scores, or full-length movies.
Clearly, the new Internet culture of grabbing snippets of data through open APIs is a cornerstone of Fugoo's platform, and these devices are ripe for running simple, single-task operations and web apps.
Other examples that Microsoft and Fugoo cite include a smart fridge that can automatically place an order online for goods that are running low, as well as a lawn sprinkler system that checks the Internet for the day's rain report before springing into action. There is also a concept PC mouse that can constantly monitor a user's blood pressure, then automatically alert a doctor's office when problems arise.
Fugoo already offers a number of platform resources, SDK information, and some fantastic scenarios of its own. The screenshotsat Fugoo's site also reveal a series of fairly consistent and pleasant UIs for interacting with and configuring devices, which should help keep the learning curve at a comfortable minimum for general consumers. The fact that Fugoo Blocks are based on Windows technology and that any manufacturers can incorporate them into devices may give the platform a reasonable shot at success, especially with Microsoft behind them.
The challenge that Microsoft, Fugoo, and their partners are undoubtedly wrestling with now is one of restraint. It is easy to re-envision Bill Gates' famous "a computer in every home" mantra as "a computer in every thing in the home." But designers and the venture capitalists who cloud their minds can't just address the question, "Can we do it?" They will also need to consider the question, "Should we do it?"
An alarm clock that can do something besides ruin a good night's sleep will indeed be a technological leap forward, but we're already suffering from Internet addiction and information overload. Do we really need Yet Another Device™ that can sound a synchronized meeting alert or remind us how badly our portfolio is doing?
These "my refrigerator will run Windows and alert me when the milk runs low!" scenarios have been around for years, and the reason your fridge doesn't have an OS isn't because an engineer can't figure out how to jam one in there.
There are certainly some great ideas among the handful that Microsoft is using to whet our appetites, though Fugoo Blocks will have to power some truly practical applications and not just up the cool factor on coffee makers before people will start buying. We'll have to wait until "late 2009" to see whether Fugoo-enabled products will enhance our already hyperconnected lives.
