Cisco, Netgear, Samsung, and several others announced software platforms designed to integrate smart TVs and the myriad of other smart (or dumb) connected devices. Each vendor is proud of their vision, their software platform, their interfaces.
I've been around long enough to remember the days of the TCP/IP Dan Lynch's Interop conference / trade show in the early days when not all devices spoke the same network protocols or spoke them incorrectly. For a period of time these shows were one essential component that got us today to a really interoperable network with 12 billion connected devices, globally.
So will the the smart device vendors and the network infrastructure vendors and other participants work together to enable consumers to really plug-and-play in the home and to personalize their content aggregation regardless of which device? Location? Social network? That's the vision of each of the major industry players. Except it seems like they are demanding that it be their platform that needs to succeed.
Some like Cisco recognized that "coopertition" (Chambers did not use this term) will be an essential component of successfully implementing their software platform strategy. Cooperation was a clear element of Chamber's message.
I'm wondering if we need a new "smart devices interoperablity show?" With a bit of tweaking, CES might play that role. But a new, smaller show with interoperability and individually customized content aggregation might fill an important need. Who will be the next Dan Lynch?
Airport dreaming.
