The next tech battleground - your home

Washington

VISIONS of the smart home - a house that can set its own thermostat, schedule its own lights and preheat its own ovens - are fast-becoming a reality. The technology is becoming smaller, faster and cheaper, opening new opportunities for transforming everyday objects.

In a report last week, International Data Corporation projected that the "Internet of Things", the industry term for this web of connected products, will generate US$1.7 trillion in spending by 2020 - an astonishing number considering it was almost non-existent five years ago.

Jumping on that wave is a no-brainer for companies, which are trying to convince consumers that everything could be better with a chip. There's a buffet of options out there. Right now, for around US$200 you could pick up a smart thermostat that lets you control your home's temperature from anywhere. You can pick up packs of sensors to make any outlet "smart" f…