Ever thought of watching your pictures/slideshow stored on your phone through your home television? How about watching the video from your computer on your TV? DVR content on your home computer or phone? Playing your songs stored on your computer and through your home stereo?

Am I dreaming of or asking for too much? Never!

These scenarios are becoming a reality with an impressive new technology called DLNA, which stands for Digital Living Network Alliance. DLNA technology enables multi-vendor consumer devices to communicate by building a common connectivity platform for a variety of multimedia experiences.

Conceived in 2003 by a group of companies that wanted to make products that were compatible with each other, DLNA in 2008 has attracted about 250 companies in an alliance that wants to create compatible products by using open standards and widely available industry specifications.

Until now, you needed to be a technological genius to make one device talk to another within the digital home. DLNA offers the promise of allowing the average consumer to "mix and match" devices on a common platform. The end effect ushers in convergence on a whole new level - a very real level. In this DLNA-induced utopia, the mobile phone from one company will be compatible with another manufacturer's stereo system. With interoperability a key component of a product's functionality, set-up and interaction between different devices will be simple and straightforward.

Welcome to the digital home - it is now finally a reality for the consumer!

Consumers have always had the desire to connect and essentially network a myriad of devices in their homes. Just search for your favorite portable audio and video gear online, and find a forum. Eventually, you'll find someone looking for ways to share data between a cable box and a media phone; a music feature phone and a home PC; an iPod and toaster.

That last idea is strictly setup for a bad punch line involving the burning of music.

Still, interoperability between various consumer electronic items is a potential windfall for the most creative and quick-thinking developers - according to a study, the average home in America has at least 25 consumer electronic devices like a mobile handset, VCR, DVD player and the like. Making these communicate with each other has been a challenge for users, but DLNA will help remove those barriers.

So, all this talk about the digital home - and why is this evangelist writing to mobile application developers about this technology?

Motorola and many other mobile phone manufacturers are part of the DLNA alliance, and are working hard to make the consumer experience better. There are a few handsets that are DLNA capable today and you will start to see more handsets with DLNA in the next few years and possibly all handsets DLNA capable in the near future.

Let's look at a few use cases for developers, keeping in mind that these are just the tip of an iceberg with the word "Convergence" spray-painted across its side.

• Remote DVR Recording - Simply allowing a user to use a DLNA application on mobile handset to program his DVR in remote. No more missed episodes of 'The Office."
• Upload and Download Content to a media server - Ever lost or accidentally deleted a picture or sound clip from your handset that you suddenly remember you wanted to keep? Imagine the time and angst savings available through an automated backup of your media to a networked storage appliance, or a home PC.
• Content Access - Sharing media is an important, and showcase aspect of the DLNA concept, but take that a step further. Access all user content, anywhere, anytime is a sure winner. Remember - DLNA can do all the content sync in the background. Once device interoperability leaves the confines of the home, a wealth of media and functional experiences become possible:
  • Download/stream multimedia content to a mobile handheld device over the WAN, making large file transfers before departure unnecessary
  • Use a mobile handset as a dashboard -- remotely programming and controlling home DLNA devices (e.g., DVRs, lights, video cameras)
  • Content gathering on steroids - expand file sharing exponentially by bridging different DLNA networks, initiating and monitoring the connection with a handset.
  • Home monitoring -- think of the peace of mind a user enjoys when allowed to review home security footage, pet monitors, energy consumption and other key information at the touch of a button while traveling - all courtesy of the DLNA link and a creative application to tie the parts together.
  • Stream images, audio, and video from phone or computer over Wi-Fi to the TV
  • Utilize DLNA connectivity solutions to enable peer to peer content sharing
  • Listen to your friends music - If you like it, buy it.
  • Browse your friend's photos - If you love it, have it.
  • Another good example would be that you are at a party, and as your friends arrive the party play list of music will add favorite songs so that everyone's listening type can be played at the party versus having just the owner's play list playing all night.

Motorola is working to get DLNA in all our product categories that include:

• Home networking business products like CPE, Routers, DVR, Home Media Gateways, Set Top Boxes etc.,
• Mobile Phones
• Digital Media Servers

There are quite a few devices that support DLNA now - For example - Windows XP PC with Service Pack2 and Windows Media Player 11, most routers support it as well.

When DLNA becomes commonplace, it would also enable innovation in the creation of newer consumer electronic devices like smart printers to allow a quick photo print from your handset, smart device storage - though current examples are not DLNA capable, the combination is a natural fit. Expect to see DLNA in the next wave of these.

As consumers start to consume more content (video, audio, pictures and the like) - the opportunity for new user experiences is limitless. With DLNA, mobile application developers can create innovative user experiences that connect and make users experience the digital home in a click of a button - be it from a mobile phone or any other device. DLNA can be used over Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth or any other IP addressable technology.

So, stay tuned. This cutting edge technology will soon reach your digital home. Developers who prepare for the wave of customizations DLNA will enable will be on the fast track for sure success. So, be ready to Think...Create...Innovate!!

– Asokan Thiyagarajan, Motorola Technology Evangelist

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