LONDON (10/23/2003) - Want to return home to a warm, cosy house? Use your cell phone. From early next year, some U.S. householders will be able to remotely control appliances in their homes using their cellular phones or PCs thanks to a new home management system based on Java technology and servers from Sun Microsystems Inc.
In early 2004, Shell Energy Service Company LLC plans to launch the HomeGenie home management system using Sun's Java Enterprise System software and Sun Fire V240, V880 and V1280 servers, the Santa Clara, California, company said Wednesday in a statement. Sun has worked with Shell on the development of the HomeGenie product.
The home management service, which is being demonstrated at trade shows, will initially be available only in a limited number of areas, Sun said.
Users will be able to use cellular phones and PCs to access heating and cooling systems, control lights and appliances, and monitor areas of their home with a camera and motion sensor.
In addition to software and severs, Sun is supplying a Sun StorEdge 3510 fibre channel array.