The Connected Home Enthusiast

We'll show you how to make technology work at home

As the founder of Windows NT Magazine (now Windows 2000 Magazine) and a former IT guy, I thought home technology was no big deal. "You can set up a home network in a few minutes," I thought. "Why would anybody need a magazine about connecting your home?"

Then I tried to connect my own home.

After spending hours on the phone and online, I'm finding out the hard way. If I, a technical professional, struggle with network and system configurations (not to mention home automation), how is everybody else going to figure this stuff out? And I'm even talking about tech-savvy specialists who are proficient in a portion of the connected home, but might be completely baffled by how to make it all work together. Let me explain.

Converging Industries

The connected home market is where home entertainment, home networking, and home management (e.g., automation, security, lighting, power) converge. The products and services in these categories are difficult to integrate because of differing and evolving standards and a lack of widely available information about how to make them work well together.

That's where this magazine comes in. We're here to help you sort out the products, implement solutions, and get and keep all your home technology working together securely and efficiently—and have fun doing it. Our authors have already figured this stuff out the hard way so that you can start enjoying your connected home quickly instead of pulling your hair out trying to make it all work. But more than that, we're here to ignite your imagination.

The convergence of technology for work, convenience, and play sparked the idea for Connected Home Magazine. This offshoot of Windows 2000 Magazine, in partnership with EH Publishing's Electronic House, CE Pro, tecHomeBuilder, and Home Automation magazines, aims to give you—the tech-savvy early adopter—useful, how-to information about all home technology. Each issue of Connected Home Magazine has sections about networking, home controls, home theater, audio, visual, mobile and wireless, and home office. You'll read articles that help you avoid problems, troubleshoot your systems, and use neat tips and tricks.

We provide solutions because we'd rather you spend your time enjoying your connected home than wasting hours trying to make it all work, so we hope you find this preview issue of Connected Home Magazine useful. This is only a small taste of what we've got planned for you starting in February 2002. I encourage you to subscribe today so that you don't miss out on a single, information-packed issue.