Google Wants to Run Your Home

Android@Home could control your lights, heating, and just about everything else electronic – all via smartphone.

Google has unveiled plans to get its Android operating system to control everyday household appliances such as lights, dishwashers, and thermostats. Speaking at the Google I/O Conference, lead engineer Joe Britt controlled the house lights via tablet PC using a beta version of the so-called Android@Home. The tech company says that it's developed a wireless framework to connect a smartphone or tablet to nearly everything electronic in the house, based on much the same technology used in many office buildings to monitor temperature and lighting. Google hopes the project will spur designers to create more appliances geared toward the “internet of things,” a concept of connectivity between electronic objects.