Microsoft home energy management software “Hohm” leaks (updated)

Microsoft HohmGreenBeat, VentureBeat’s energy-focused technology blog, today published an article about the upcoming Microsoft Hohm software whose trademark I’ve been watching since June 16. The article appears to have been accidentally published ahead of the embargoed time and was soon-after retracted. But of course, the internet never forgets 😉

Thanks to Google Cache, a carbon copy of the article confirms Microsoft Hohm is indeed as speculated a home energy management web application to be made available for free to US home owners.

Microsoft leaps into the home energy management game with Hohm

Today, the computing giant introduced Microsoft Hohm, a new online application that will also allow homeowners and businesses to view how much power theyaccount information entered by users about their home appliances, their energy-related behavior patterns, house features ( are using and how to make money-saving cutbacks. Synthesizing technology licensed from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy, the system’s marquee claim is that it provides customers with personalized recommendations for how to save energy and lower their bills. And, unlike its competitors, you can download the application for free starting today.

A video demonstration of the Hohm online interface by Microsoft is available here:

<a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-US&#038;playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:9b136800-abe2-4c7f-80d8-ba596bdd063f&#038;showPlaylist=true&#038;from=msnvideo" target="_new" title="edited ending Microsoft Hohm Screencast">Video: edited ending Microsoft Hohm Screencast</a>

Update: Presumably in response to this, CNET also seems to have published its Hohm story earlier than expected too. I say this only because other popular blogs (TechCrunch, Mashable, Engadget) appear to be holding back their prepared articles.

Update 2: The story is now back on VentureBeat. Jumping on the bandwagon early, ReadWriteWeb has an article too.

Update 3: You can sign up for the Microsoft Hohm beta here (ahead of time). 🙂

Update 4: A list of US utility retailers and smart-meter providers partnering with Microsoft Hohm at launch includes: Seattle City Light, SMUD, Itron, Xcel Energy, Puget Sound Energy, Landis Gyr.

Update 5: The Microsoft Hohm team also produced this fun viral video “the doggie dishwasher”, promoting Hohm as an “easier ways to go green”.

<br /><a href="http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?vid=9273dcf7-d334-4565-a4cb-514f3693d6f7" target="_new" title="Doggie Dishwasher">Video: Doggie Dishwasher</a>

14 insightful thoughts

  1. ” a new online application”
    “you can download the application for free starting today.”

    Do VentureBeat know the difference between online and downloadable?

  2. I’m unsure how this works, I presume it some how monitors your carbon footprint?

    The likelyhood of microsoft talking to the National Grid in UK to some how get this working here is slim.

  3. @antiufo: You’d think I know how to spell Microsoft by now 🙂 Thanks for the heads up.

  4. Speaking of Microsoft not knowing how to spell…

    At the end of the video it says “There’s cleaner ways to go green.” How about “There are cleaner ways to go green” instead.

    Seriously Microsoft… that’s sad.

  5. Microsoft Hohm software who’s trademark I’ve been watching since June 16. Should be “whose”; “who’s” is a contraction of “who is”.

    Yeah, I hate people who point out spelling errors too :p

  6. it has to be said that Hohm is one of the coolest double meaning brands i have come across. Phonetic word plays are always clever.

  7. @Mordenainen: Please don’t compare people who care about proper grammar with mass-murderers. v_v;

    On Topic: I don’t really see anyone actually taking the time to use this on a daily basis. It’s one of those things that are neat to play around with for a little while, but that you don’t really use long-term. Like your mom. Zing!

Comments are closed.