It's been done already and it alienates users.

Better hush up, or somebody will throw development dollars at you. If there's one thing I know that can get funding, it's finding more and more ways to shove advertising dollars down people's throats.

Well, I suppose I could edit the comment but the cat is out of the bag now.

As long as we can get ads for X10 involved somehow, I'm in.

Are you suggesting sending ads through power lines or are you suggesting that another ad could be fit into the cluttered mass that is X10.com?

As far as sending ads through power lines, thats a great idea too. Your toaster could tell you, via prompting by the power company, that Folgers is the best coffee to compliment your current toast selections.

E-gads, man, there's a startup idea straight from heck -- using power lines to transmit advertisements to all the electrical appliances in your home.

Use the toaster and have it sing an advertisement for pop-tarts. The refrigerator would remind you that Jenny Craig was having a sale this week. You electric toothbrush would remind you that your local dentist is having a sale on tooth-whitening, as well as reminding you to floss. Turn the light on in the bedroom and have the lightswitch tell you about Viagra. And you don't even want to know what the bidet is trying to sell.

I think I just lost all desire for smart appliances.

Maybe you don't remember the pop-under x10 web cam ads of the dot-bomb? =)