Computers and televisions may some day be one. In the meantime, the folks at The Citizen Hotel in Sacramento have decided to simply do away with TVs altogether and replace them with Mac Minis. All 198 computer-equipped rooms now allow guests to seamlessly watch television, scan their Facebook account, Tweet, stream video, Skype with friends, play World of War Craft, check email, or do anything else their Internet-addicted hearts desire.
Each computer comes with a giant LCD screen, wireless keyboard and mouse. There is also the traditional remote, which allows you to switch between "Mac Mode," video-on-demand, TV, and guest services. This is the first system of its kind to come to the United States. Other hotels, such as the upscale Fountainbleau in Miami, have iMacs, but they augment the television, rather than replace it.
Michael Stano, Vice President of Technology for Joie de Vivre, the California-based company that owns The Citizen Hotel, says that the hotel's test program earlier this year was a hit. "We've received extraordinary feedback," he said.
All rooms now have computers permanently installed, and while the hotel is still offering the VOD option, Stano believes VOD technology, which was cutting-edge in the 1990s, is becoming obsolete. "The trends are changing rapidly. With Hulu, Netflix, and Youtube, people are going to want more options," he said.
The software that enables switching between computer mode and TV mode was developed by Paris-based Direct Streams. The company has also installed the software on Macs at hotels in Paris and the Maldives. Thierry Beau started DirectStreams in 2007 exclusively to offer in-room hotel entertainment on the Apple platform.
While one selling point for the computers is that they allow guests to "leave their laptops at home," business travelers who carry sensitive documents on their hard drives probably won't do that anytime soon -- especially those who love their non-Mac computers. And for those on vacation who leave their laptops at home with dreams of a disconnected existence, apologies.
The hotel is keeping its business center, which is equipped with iMacs. Guests can print out their boarding passes to the community printer from the comfort of their rooms.
Assuming the change is embraced, Joie de Vivre will start rolling out Mac Minis to other hotels later this year.
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