All I Want for Christmas

Thankfully, 2009 is almost behind us and I've never had a wish list this big – or this difficult to fulfill.

But if I could somehow receive these gifts for the holiday (for me, Chanukah) I would be one happy technology editor. Too bad I was so naughty this year.

Less government intrusion. I appreciate that our elected officials want to help curb electronic waste; however, we can accomplish that without so much government regulation and frivolous spending. Huge subsidies for alternative energy solutions may be politically popular, but they're wasteful compared to something as simple as light dimmers. Also, back off on over-zealous mandates on consumer electronics consumption. Outlawing big-screen plasmas in California? Are you kidding me?

Windows 7 streaming content. I've made the switch to Win 7 on my S1Digital Media Center. It's a nice improvement over Vista, but it still lacks one of the biggest desires in home theater PCs: a rich interface for streaming content. There is a nice Netflix application, but no real integration with Hulu. Microsoft's much-anticipated IP video-on-demand is lackluster, featuring very little in the way of full TV episodes. What's taking Microsoft so long in such a critical area?

Big-box truth-telling. When the big-box retailers tout $399 flat-panel installations, are they giving consumers an accurate picture about things like cable management? Wouldn't it be nice if the list of "What is Not Included" merits more than a tiny, obscure asterisk?

Dealer engagement at CEPro.com. This year we've seen a substantial increase in dealer comments at CEPro.com, but we could all benefit from even more communication on the site. You can comment on virtually any article (scroll down!) and there is an active integrator forum.

Better press releases. Do PR firms really think we have time for releases with vague subject lines and little information in the body of the email? Please put the entire PR in the body and, by the way, .pdf documents are pretty worthless to us.

Enough with green. What a yawn the green movement has become. I'm all for interesting stuff like alternative energy and energy management, but I really don't care about manufacturers' recycled packaging.

Less dealer bickering. Another yawner: incessant whining over channel conflicts, poor quality of streaming audio and video (even though consumers love it), products that are "too easy to program," and the encroachment of electrical contractors and security dealers into "our" space.

Warmer winters in Minnesota. Either that or some USB-heated gloves and slippers.

Stuff for myself. On a greedier note, I would like: motorized shades, a smart phone (yes, I still have the old-fashioned kind where you just talk on it), Windows Home Server, a few terabytes of online back-up, a flip-down motorized TV mount for the bedroom, automated door locks, the perfect tradeshow camera that requires only one hand to operate, an affordable wireless solution for whole-house HDTV distribution, Verizon FiOS or some other Comcast alternative, and world peace.

Happy holidays and best wishes for a healthy, joyful and prosperous new year.