Engineers are making a "smart" house .
In this house , the lights , heater , and air conditioner change automatically
when family members come home . This makes the home comfortable , and it saves a lot of energy . Pervasive
computing could change many parts of our dairy lives.
But do people really want pervasive computing ? Do they really need technology everywhere ? One company
asked people about their opinions on "smart' appliances . There were surprises . A "smart" refrigerator can buy
more food on the Internet , but people didn't want it , because it might make mistakes .
" Pervasive computing is as important as a telephone " , says Rebecca Blair , president of Inno Tech
Corporation . But some of these products are not useful , or even practical . Companies should learn more about the
technology that people really want .