Consumer-Controlled Experiences to Drive Future Connected Home and Beyond says Chambers at CES 07

To help give substance to his overarching vision, Chambers once again drew upon the services of his reliable demo-in-chief, Jim Grubb. The two started out in a simulated car where Jim demonstrated how he could begin a song by selecting it on his in-dash digital player (Hotel California by the Eagles), then seamlessly have it continue on his cell phone when he left the car. Moving across the stage to the living room with Chambers, Jim clicked on the phone to have the song continue playing on the large flat-panel TV—but accompanied this time with a video clip of the Eagles in concert (highlighting the network intelligence to recognize the unique attributes of the device).

What was impressive about the demo was not necessarily the application itself, but the simplicity of it. How the network intelligently combined many complex technologies across many different environments. And how the network seamlessly moved the content from device to device, always aware of and ready to offer the consumer the special media types available on each particular device (such as video on the TV).

Chambers continued that consumers will drive these changes, not businesses as has been the case in the past. He insisted these changes will alter not just entertainment but also revenue streams as it will enable the delivery of new services, devices, and content. The consumer-controlled experience will usher in new services such as the ease of updating tickets at the future Cisco Field on a consumer’s cell phone. Or the ability to view an instant replay on the same cell phone while in the stands from 30 different angles.

The network becomes the platform that enables new user experiences in a most compelling future.