The Realm

The uber-geek best known for creating social news site Digg and presenting a gadget-packed video podcast has emerged as an unlikely planet saviour. In a video post on his blog yesterday, Kevin Rose outlined the idea for 'iPower', a system that would automatically save energy by powering your gadgets off when you leave home.

Kevin suggested his energy-saving wheeze could work using an Apple TimeCapsule-style iPower 'base station' that talks to a bundle of wireless plug adapters placed around your home. All this would be connected to an iPhone via the web.

Using the phone's GPS satellite tracking, he suggests it could automatically detect when you've left home. The iPower base station would then switch off all your devices. When the GPS detects you've come home, the system would power up your gadgets without you having to lift a finger.

It's an elegant idea. As several commenters on his blog point out, a similar real world system is the X10 plug system, but from my previous experience it's not what you'd call user-friendly. By contrast, Rose suggests his system would be best designed by Apple. In other words, it should be slick, easy and desirable.

The main reason to buy a real version of iPower would be to save energy and cash. In the UK, the average home allegedly wastes £40 a year just on standby power, which Rose's system would soon put paid to. There's also the geek-your-heart-out home automation aspect of it, which certainly pushes my buttons.
To view the orginal article click here

My Thoughts I think this is a great idea but not everyone owns a iphone simply because they can't afford it. It would be better to have some device that communicated with the base station that you kept on you.