Microsoft Chairman billG introduced SPOT at the International
Consumer
Electronics Show (CES) in January 2003. Despite the initial assessments
by the digiterati, i.e. "Spot is a dog," the notion of
"smart objects," deserves a closer look. In a nutshell, SPOT uses
a subcarrier frequency on existing FM radio networks to send information to
SPOT-enabled devices. Gates had a gaggle of SPOT-watches
strapped to his wrist that were configured to download weather info, stock quotes, the accurate current
time, whatever.
My first impression was a big yawn, sounds like a one-way pager but harder to
read. But then I bumped into a few interviews with Bill Mitchell, who is
Microsoft's general manager for SPOT, and after thinking about what he had to
say I decided there might be more there than meets the eye. Mitchell's
initial vision for SPOT targets two primary goals:
Lower the barriers for distributing information from the digital world in
the real, non-computer, world. SPOT addresses this by distributing its
data over the FM radio signals that are already pervasive throughout much of
the world. You don't have to be in a Starbucks to receive the weather
forecast on your SPOT-enabled umbrella. Anywhere an FM radio would
work, so will SPOT.
The second goal for SPOT is to facilitate the creation of smart devices.
SPOT accomplishes this by providing a very inexpensive technology that is
designed from the onset to be included in small, common devices like your
watch, or the refrigerator magnets holding up your shopping list. Like any digital
technology, the price should drop precipitously as the volumes
increase. If SPOT only added a couple of dollars to the cost of a
digital watch, they'd all have it. Don't believe me? Three watch
manufacturers (Citizen, Fossil & Suunto) have already signed up to sell
SPOT-enabled watches by the end of 2003 according to Microsoft. Hey, a
watch that sets itself periodically to the correct time and knows when you
change time zones sounds pretty useful
to me. And what about the clock in my car and in my microwave and my
DVD player and.... well, you get the idea.
How's it work?
The SPOT transmission technology has been around for a long time. If you've
ever been tortured by the irritating banality of elevator Muzak, then you've heard
sub-carrier FM in action. It's not exactly music to the ears, but it does
allow the large scale distribution of information using existing
infrastructure.
That means that SPOT could be implemented widely, quickly and inexpensively. In
this respect, Microsoft's timing is excellent because the leading uses for the
subcarrier FM signal, such as Muzak are diminishing as digital satellite signals
come into favor.
The FM subcarrier band is perfect for
the kind of slow steady drip of information that SPOT devices are designed to
receive. Implementing SPOT transmissions involves cutting a deal with an FM
radio station for the leased use of their subcarrier frequency, and the
straightforward installation of a subcarrier box at the station.
Scaling up to a broader audience just means contacting more stations.
The current iteration of the SPOT chipset is based on a design by SCA Data
Systems, the company that helped Atari develop a similar system back in the
1980's to deliver video games to users. SCA's single chip design, which
will be manufactured by National Semiconductor, contains two main components; a
radio section that receives and processes the signal, and an ARM-based processor
that formats and displays the information. The chipset consumes very little
power, allowing it to be used in almost anything.
The initial SPOT channels include:
- Local traffic reports
- Sports scores
- Weather updates
- Stock quotes
- News
- Your calendar, schedule and personal messages
- Automatic time setting and time-zone changes
- Downloadable watch faces and alarm tones
Two-way SPOT
Microsoft calls the SPOT transmission technology "Direct Band," and
is already hinting that the FM signal might someday be replaced or extended with
802.11 or Bluetooth This opens the door for SPOT to carry on a two-way conversation rather than just
receiving data downloads. That would enable a whole range of device to device
communication, allowing, say your laptop tell your wristwatch every time your
E2 writeup gets cooled. If SPOT devices become ubiquitous and they
can all talk to each other, it will require a whole new definition of peer to
peer computing.
It's probably way too soon to hazard a guess as to whether SPOT is a dog, or
not. Many promising technologies fail for all sorts of reasons, but on balance,
I'd have to say that with Micro$oft behind it and the potential for quick,
widespread implementation, SPOT may be coming soon to a
wristwatch near you!
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More Information
SPOT & SCA Data Systems:
http://archive.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/03/01/10/030110hnspot.xml
Microsoft's CES press release on SPOT:
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2003/jan03/01-09SPOTWatchesPR.asp
Microsoft SPOT Homepage, complete with pictures and demos: http://www.microsoft.com/resources/spot/default4.mspx