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Best Buy's ConnectedLife One-Ups Geek Squad
Retail writes "Best Buy is going to sell a packaged solution of Media Center plus home automation. Literally, it's a package — a box. A customer walks into a Best Buy store, delights in the demo, buys the package, and waits for its arrival in a big box about four-foot square. The package costs $15,000. For that you get a Media Center PC, Lifeware automation software from Exceptional Innovation, an Xbox 360, IP surveillance cameras, automated light switches, a thermostat and installation. It's a complicated business model, called ConnectedLife.Home, and it's bound to pit the new group against other Best Buy factions like Geek Squad."
Does it come with the loan application?
Like most Best Buy customers, I should be able to afford this package. At $15,000 it's a steal, really.
Read the EFF's Fair Use FAQ
I'm in the middle of a home automation install but I'm not using the software/hardware Best Buy is going to pushing. I'm putting in a Home Automation, Inc http://www.homeauto.com/ Omni IIe controller with UPB control for my lights. I have the thermostat and keypad installed and wired into the controller. Once I get my media server back I'll be installing the web based control software and then figuring out how to get the old XP MCE based software to install on Vista. So far the system is incredible but it's definately not something the average Joe is going to get into. I'm doing it myself because I'm a geek (saying that while posting on /. is redundant, right?) and actually I'd like to start doing it professionally. I've already got the computer networking business, why not add home automation and computerized audio/video to it? The high end stereo place in town does no automation and they don't want to get into computer based media. Sounds to me like a market that needs filling.
Tom
So what happens when your house gets a BSOD ?
And do you have to reboot it every night ?
... it's bound to pit the new group against other Best Buy factions like Geek Squad. Note that the submission was sent in by "Retail", likely some Best Buy marketing drone who tried submitting this multiple times but got rejected because, after all, who actually cares that they're selling some prepackaged junk with an insanely high profit margin? Finally, this drone added some fake sensationalism "ooh... an inner struggle within Best Buy" and managed to get it accepted. Yawn.Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
... it includes a $14,900 mail-in rebate.
Before you mod this "redundant", at the time of this posting, no one else has actually done the math, just guessed...
... $6690.
For that you get a Media Center PC
Averages around $900, but they use the HP z560 at $1800...
Lifeware automation software from Exceptional Innovation
This one took some work. The closest I could get to a price, $5000, includes hardware. But it puts us at an upper limit, at least.
an Xbox 360
The easiest to find, at $400
IP surveillance cameras
They use a pair of Panasonics (not sure of the model number), around $380 each.
automated light switches
FTA: "five dimmers, five switches, two keypads". Home Depot, $80.
a thermostat
Again, no model number given, but the standard model goes for $270
and installation.
Not really - They want you to have the "hard" parts done yourself, by a privately contracted licensed electrician.
The package costs $15,000.
Total so far, $8310 (not counting your own electrician).
So, not counting needing to hire your own electrician, that puts the cost of their installation at roughly
I've made some pretty damned good wages doing contract work, but over $6k for less than a day's work? Wow, talk about a dream job...
Anyone that wants this system - Hunt me down for contact info. I'll do it for a third less (you pay airfair outside the continental US, and though I know how to work safely with home AC systems , you'll probably still need a licensed electrician to do this legally in most places).
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
That adds up to $4,244. They want $15,000 for this gear, installed. What's wrong with this picture?
How exactly is this supposed to create a rift between the retail drones who sell hardware and the Geek Squad who fixes it? They are two different branches of the company.
This isn't a story. Stop selling ad space in our stories, OSTG. You've got them everywhere else.