Connected Home Options and More at "Future of Home Living" Exhibit

Trend report and hands-on exhibit on modern home life now available to read and visit 

Making your house or apartment "uniquely you" is fun, and in 2013, options for a better home continue to grow, mainly through tech. However, the think-tank and media firm PSFK is letting us know, through a hands-on exhibit and report, that enhancements for modern home living aren't confined purely to tech.  The exhibit helps show us ways for making life at home more comfortable, connected and smart by using not only technology, but forward-thinking services, as well as products that adapt. Major areas like retail, social media, work, leisure/gaming, and mobile were studied in-depth by PSFK Labs, resulting in their Future of Home Living report, which is available as a PDF file. The exhibit is free to attend and is located in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood.

My instinct tells me the concept of a totally "connected home" is still in the early stages (and could be stuck there for awhile). I'm so happy it wasn't the emphasis at FoHL. I felt the tour given by PSFK's Scott Lachut was a welcome change of pace. Partner companies represented in the exhibit would naturally love your business, and a nice thing is there aren't on-site sales reps trying to sell to you. I feel the space is more about visualization and stimuli for your own inner questions on personal wants and needs, as well as what an enhanced home could be. In the last few years, I've noticed brands aggressively pushing the "wow factor" strategy, as if we want to be wow'ed all the time. Not true for me. I feel it's fun to be wow'ed in waves, but when firms zero in on that factor, it comes off as jumping on a trend bandwagon, or "trying too hard" (but in all the wrong ways), so I just roll my eyes.

The FoHL report does not pretend to be the end-all-be-all of studies, and the temporary exhibit doesn't dictate what your home has to look like and be. It's more about what "could be" versus "should be", which of course is up to each inpidual. In fact, Mr. Lachut acknowledged that many of today's technologies need to work better together. I agree, lest we be stuck in an endless war of "survival of the fittest." 

It's obvious so much in 2013 differs from life in 2007. Tech products we once regarded as new are now put to daily use, and even our lingo includes new tech verbs. These are the kinds of things businesses want analyzed, so PSFK will report on 13 key trends directly influencing the future of urban life. Insight from experts and supporting data will highlight each trend. For more information on the report, go to: www.psfk.com/publishing/future-of-home-living

The following is a partial list of who's showing at FoHL. You can see 3 times as much in person. The exhibit ends on August 16, 2013.

Doorbot: Wi-Fi enabled doorbell sends audio and video notifications to your smartphone or tablet

PLAiR Dongle: Wi-Fi enabled dongle lets you beam content from your mobile device or computer to your TV

Koubachi Plant Monitor: Wi-Fi enabled plant health accessory senses soil moisture, sunlight intensity, temperature and fertilizer needs

Smart Body Analyzer Scale: Wi-Fi enabled scale helps you track your weight, BMI and body fat over time by automatically sending results to a dashboard

Sony Projector: Makes your favorite movies and TV shows life-sized. Suitable for both dark and light environments, it's high-res and 5200 lumens

EcoVea Shower: Reveeco smart shower system recycles water, reducing waste and water expenditure

AT-UM Table: Shift from creative easel to gaming center to desktop with this convertible table from Lenovo

ZIG Sofa: Modular soft blocks can be a casual bench or bed, or lean a few up against a wall to create a sofa

Infinity Bench: An architect created this simple stylish bench with CNC technology, cutting flat sheets of plywood into an undulating shape

WunWun: iPhone app lets you get free advice and buy affordable local help for fix-it jobs, errands, etc.

Hello Fresh Delivery: Pre-measured ingredients for recipes arrive at your doorstep, encouraging you to cook at home more

ThinBike: Space-saving bicycle by Schindelhauer

GetArtUp: Art subscription service rents out original artwork with options for buying

Vurv Wall Desk: Wall-mounted desk with rounded corners, a pop-out shelf, bins and nice wood look

Alex H. Yong writes reviews on popular smartphones, tablets, cloud services, and other tech topics for his blog, TechMania411.net. He is a fan of Android and likes cats, comedy, corn on the cob, and clarity most of all. Originally from the island nation of Singapore, he now calls New York City home.