35-year X10 veteran Dave Rye takes offense to my January 2010 CE Pro Industry Insider in which I suggest that we’re still a long way from mass-market automation. Below is Rye’s entire rant.
Julie, I regularly read your column in CE Pro and Electronic House just so I can have a laugh to myself. I am always amused by your total lack of knowledge of X10, or is it just that you ignore us because we don’t advertise with you any more?
Anyway, you said in your January issue of CE Pro, quote:
“For about a dozen years, manufacturers have tried to sell “easy-to-install, easy-to-use” home control systems to the masses, but for the most part the masses aren’t buying. Despite some capable, affordable, turnkey do-it-yourself products from the likes of iControl, Mi Casa Verde, Wayne Dalton, Xanboo and others (and a great fear among CE pros), we’re still a long, long way from automation at retail.”
Julie, how can you be so out of touch with an industry that you cover and are supposed to be an expert on?
First of all you say: “For about a dozen years”
X10 introduced home control to the masses in 1978! That’s 32 years ago! (I have been with the company for 35 years).
Next you say: “manufacturers have tried to sell “easy-to-install, easy-to-use” home control systems to the masses”
X10 doesn’t just “try” sell to the masses – we DO It, and do it very successfully. Have you ever even looked at http://www.x10.com ? If you had, you would know it is a RETAIL site that sells to the masses.
X10.com sells more on a BAD DAY than the companies you cover would dream about selling in a month, or some of them in a year!
And I guess you are not aware of all the versions of Home Control that X10 developed, manufactured and sold (under private brand) to the likes of IBM, RCA, GE, Stanley, Black & Decker, and let’s not forget RadioShack, all of which were sold at retail, to the masses.
Quite frankly Julie you haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.
And I DARE YOU to print this.
Regards,
Dave Rye
Sr. Vice President/Technical Manager, X10
Ed. note: Dare accepted.
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