Ramesh Nyberg's Real Estate Blog

I am more and more impressed with the integration of "smart" technology in automobiles, TVs, and well, everything. I just got the new AT&T U-Verse, and I have to say it's remarkable. The ability to record and watch from different rooms, the multi-view screens, the online news, stock, and sports information you can bring up on a sidebar...all very cool. Cars are getting smarter too. The OnStar service on our Saturn sends me an email once a month detailing what mechanically need/doesn't need attention.
The new Lexus, and I think, other vehicles now, have an automatic parallel parking module. You press a button, take your hands off the wheel, and the car parks itself. The new Ford Taurus has a cruise control function that automatically senses the car in front of you and adjusts your speed to keep a safe distance. 

There are "smart" homes now, too. High-tech appliances that need repair  automatically download repair patch files, and fix themselves. There are refrigerators that scan the bar codes on every item you put inside and take out, and at the end of the week or month, calculates what you need to replace, prepares a shopping list, and emails it to the grocery store. (I don't have such a grocery store, either) I haven't sold one of those homes as yet, but I'm looking forward to it. Then you go there and pick up your pre-purchased groceries. My father-in-law wouldn't care for this. He likes his trips to Publix as much as I like going to the stadium for my Dolphin game.
My son was showing me how the PS3 not only plays DVDs, but it can access your home network, and display shared photos, files, and movies. He and his buddy went online on the PS3 and actually downloaded game demos. You can play live against people from all over the world, too.

Speaking of smart, U.S. News and World Report just published their analysis of the nation's school systems, including the country's 100 "Gold Medal" schools. South Florida had five schools on the top 100 list: Design and Architecture High School in Miami ranked number 15; The Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. School of Arts (West Palm Beach) came in at number 57; Key Biscayne's Maritime and Science Tech High School ranked number 66; the New World School of the Arts in Miami was number 82, and Coral Reef Senior High (south Miami-Dade County) was number 95. Congratulations to those great schools, teachers, parents, and students!
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I want to thank all of you for reading this blog this year. I hope you will continue, and I hope you'll share it with your friends and family. Remember, I would love to hear your feedback on the blog content, the sales charts, anything you care to comment on.
I hope you have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, or whatever else you celebrate, as well as a great New Year. 2010 is full of promise!