Best Buy invited me to come visit their booth- well actually not a booth- but an RV decked out with the latest in home innovation… I have been waiting my whole life for the Jetsons’ life-style. The cartoon, developed by Hanna Barbera, promised a utopian future. It was set in sky-high Orbit City complete with elaborate flying spacecars, instant transport tubes, robotic contraptions and whimsical inventions – all designed to make your life simpler, better and easier. George Jetson’s life was comically leisurely because of dozens of labor saving devices. His 3- hour work day consisted of pressing a single computer button…

Andy Schmidt, my consummate Best Buy Guy, allowed our camera crew at CES to check out whether we too could have that one-button life like George Jetson, his wife Jane, daughter Judy, son Elroy (and even Rosie the Robot)…

Check out the video to see how you can be part of the one-button-Jetsons’ lifestyle via the new collection of technologies called ConnectedLife Home.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKigiumcOA4]

From the television to the security, sound, and lighting systems (and even the revolutionary oven) – can easily be programmed/controlled from touch panels in each room, or via a secure Internet connection from anywhere – across town or halfway around the world. When you log in via your laptop or cell phone, you see the same easy-to-use screens to control surveillance cameras, lights, thermostat, and even DVR scheduling. Forgot to set up that must-see game on TV? No problem! A specialized software, Life|ware™, (www.life-ware.com) allows you to control everything with a pretty friendly user interface! In these new digital lifetstyle homes, some of the hottest new products are the HP 37″ MediaSmart TV, the TouchSmart PC in the kitchen and the z565 Digital Entertainment Center.

here’s the screen you see on the TV where you can change the turn off/on or adjust the lights in any room from the remote control…

The new HP MediaSmart 37″ LCD HDTV is equipped with high-speed wired and wireless connectivity that transmits content directly from your PC. So all those movies, music and photographs stored in your computer- you can enjoy them on HP’s stunning high-definition LCD TV. Plus, you can access millions of songs and thousands of movies and videos over the Internet directly through your HP MediaSmart TV and Web media services. Now you know why it was ElectronicHouse Magazine’s “Product of the Year.”

The HP Entertainment Services Account allows you to listen to thousands of Internet radio stations with a wide variety of musical and other audio content options. You can set your sights on more than 4,000 feature-length films, independent movies, musical concerts, and classic television shows, including new releases and high-definition videos. And more more services are beig added… Here’s an example of the screen you would use to choose what you want…

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“Did You Print Out Those Pictures from Last Year Yet?” That is the question I get all the time… because I am unofficially the family photographer. And the family is on my case because the photos are still in my digital camera. Having the best of intentions, I keep promising to print them out for the next holiday gathering… but who has time? But listen to this… With this new system, you just connect your camera or the memory card into the ConnectedLife Home system. You can crop photos, adjust contrast and fix red-eye–all on the TV screen.

What better way to reminisce than seeing 10 years of little Anne – from when she was a wee babe to her excitement as she rips the wrapping paper off her new bicycle? Or granddad, still excited by his 20th pair of new slippers. This system provides you with an automatic slideshow with all your photos and videos — and plays it on all your TV screens throughout the house accompanied by your holiday music playlist… Being a DJ was never so much fun! And if there is one photo someone can’t live without, you can upload/archive it to your photo album on the web, burn them a DVD – or even print photos from the TV! And if you are too tired to run all over the house and pull down the shades… you can do that with a touch of a button!

And it is easy to set the security cameras and check in on your house while you are away! Just log in from your cell- from any where in the world!!!

So what about installation and service? The ConnectedLife Home system comes with Best Buy’s expert installers and service! A technician will fly to you — no matter where you live in the U.S. — and install the whole system. And if you forget how something works, all you have to do is call! They have a great support system. If you get confused about how something works, you can tell the person on the phone. They log into your account, walk you through the steps, or do it for you via remote access. I doubt you would because the user interface is really simple! and here are some of the screens that control all those cool things…

Yes, Jane was right - A girl can have a one-button life…
And I am now part of the Jetson’s Family thanks to Best Buy, HP and Exceptional Innovations!