Sony Shows How To Charge For Outlet Usage

This doesn't seem like it will go over well at all.

Sony has unveiled the Authentication Power Outlet and demonstrated how its device detection can either allow or disallow access to a power supply at the supplier's discretion, reports Geek.com on the device that may have an appeal to public places with high power-usage demands among clients, such as airports.

The first-generation device utilizes an adaptor that communicates between itself and the socket wirelessly using Sony's own FeliCa smart card hardware. Without the adaptor being plugged into the socket, the juice can't reach the device being plugged into the wall.

Geek.com speculates that the adaptor system creates some issues, as opposed to an early concept that had the system communicating and filtering usage through the actual power cable. As the writer explains, implementing the adaptors could grow expensive, plus it just adds one more advice that could become damaged, lost or stolen. Sony is reportedly still working toward an eventual system that just communicates over the cord itself to a management system with cloud storage accessible via PC. The cloud would let administrators regulate via login and passcode authorization how much power an area receives for usage, then cut off certain devices' juice supplies when usage hits the ceiling.

Reader Must B. Kidding replied to the article with a concerned "Are You #T*)*)%$ kidding me?"

Prediction: that will probably be the consensus. Sure, it can effectively also manage how much energy is sucked from off-the-grid resources like solar arrays, but this will surely come across as nothing more than petty nickel-and-dime cheap-assery by any paying customer at an airport, coffeehouse, hotel or any other business that currently offers free WiFi access. It might look like it's helping a business' bottom line, but it will only do so at the expense of completely hacking off the clientele.