Underfloor air conditioning allows personal control of temperature.

WSJ: Offices to Make You Work Harder

But in the old days control the TV meant you might also control other household functions, like remote control of the air conditioning.

FORBES: Are Apple and Google Being Forced Out Of TV?

Echelon recently announced a number of new initiatives, such as McDonald's use of LonWorks to network its restaurant kitchen equipment, a trial in the U.K. to remotely control and monitor streetlights, and a partnership with EnerNOC to control supermarket lighting, refrigeration and air conditioning units.

FORBES: Magazine Article

I'm continuously amazed by the technology here, as the hotel I am staying at includes a 52-inch flat screen TV, wireless broadband Internet, and a remote control that operates all the lighting, air conditioning, all in my own room.

CNN: Eye on South Korea: Your e-mails

His study focused on the cost-effectiveness and productivity of "comfort control" systems regulating heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Options will include a video package, which includes the ability to view live video of the outside or inside of the subscribers home, and an energy package, which allows remote control of appliances like lights, heating and air conditioning.

FORBES: Will Home Monitoring Systems Be Mainstream in 2013?

Browning said the cruise control position, the placement of cup holders, air conditioning controls, seat adjustments and other items that annoy U.S. customers are being changed before cars are built.

WSJ: VW's chief in US expects sales to keep growing

Add to these internal mechanisms the shame and negative social conditioning about weight and the deck is seriously stacked against people trying to control their intake of food.

FORBES: Weight Watchers 360: Mobile Apps Can Break Hard Habits With Easy-to-Follow Steps

The PC itself is likely to become the central brain of a networked home, a miniature server in control of everything from your evening's entertainment to the air conditioning.

CNN: Life at One Gigahertz