Fourteen consumer and high-tech companies, concluding that the Internet is
integral to the way millions live today, have formed the Internet Home
Alliance, dedicated to “enhancing consumers’ understanding, appreciation and
adoption of the Internet lifestyle.”
What’s an Internet lifestyle? The alliance said it is a way of life that uses
the Internet to enhance the quality of life.
The companies issued a joint statement saying that the alliance “will fuel
the market” by promoting industry communication and assisting in the
development of “the entire ecosystem.”
Founding companies include 3Com, Cisco Systems Inc., CompUSA, General Motors,
Honeywell, Invensys, Motorola, The New Power Company, Panasonic (Matsushita
Electric Corporation of America), Best Buy Co. Inc., Sears, Roebuck and Co.,
and
Sun Microsystems; contributors include Reliant Energy and Texas Instruments
Inc.
The companies said they will work together “to define critical industry
building blocks.”
“This Alliance is about making it easier for consumers to realize the
benefits of the
Internet lifestyle,” said Bill Kenney, president of the Internet Home
Alliance and vice president, strategy, home and online services, at Sears.
“We are approaching
the industry from the consumer perspective and we will work together to give
consumers
confidence when choosing Internet lifestyle solutions.”
The alliance, which set up a Web site, said
it recognizes and will address issues currently affecting the adoption rate
of Internet lifestyle solutions, including market fragmentation, consumer and
industry confusion, and availability and complexity of home technology
solutions.
