Not too many years ago the South Hall at CES was the bastion of specialty manufacturers catering to the CEDIA and specialty retail channel.  CES 2011 had a few of the old guard showing there, but what really threw me for a loop was both Amana and GE showing their IP connected appliances.  We have heard about this evolution, and it is now here.  Does this provide our channel an opportunity?  More things to connect and control?  More things to program and monitor?  Will this be added to our product offerings? 
 
 The Venetian was as busy as usual with the challenge of catching an elevator for the tower room displays.  Thank goodness for electronic and speaker manufacturers who have stayed loyal to the specialty channel(s), allowing acceptable profit from those categories. The big question is on the control side- once a major source of revenue, now threatened by a plethora of MID's (mobile internet devices) with the ability to provide easy and convenient control. How do we replace the profit once realized from the long established proprietary control systems as the cost of control lessens and moves to open platform devices?
 
 Remote system management and service contracts provide an opportunity to create recurring revenue.

It is time for us to figure out ways to get compensated for our knowledge and intellectual property.  I hope that DSA's (Design Service Agreements) become the norm and that we stop giving away so much design, knowledge, and experience.  I guarantee our customers don't give away any of their Intellectual Property. That is what finances the homes they build.  Kinda ironic?