Phones are becoming our portal to the world, but they are still focussed on their purpose as phones and can be left behind. Phones are also often slaved to their creator's services.

What if you had a voice-responsive companion/assistant that was able to interface with the world on your behalf, that could control your home automation system, your media center, report on your personal accounts on the web? What if you could talk to it, use switches on the wall to interact with it or control via your phone? What if it worked even if the Internet was unavailable, and what if you were in control?

The personal agent companion could be installed in a handbag or backpack, or even in the home - or all of the above. It will enable access to home systems without requring Internet access, but also be able to integrate with online services securely to act on your behalf.