If you haven’t been hiding under a rock, you likely are already aware of devices such as the Nest thermostat, or the Hue lightbulb, both of which can communicate with your smartphone. Items like these contribute to the phenomenon of “smart homes,” and are increasingly becoming desired features by home buyers. So much so, in fact, that real estate company Coldwell Banker is now supplying a Smart Home Staging Kit to sellers who list with their company. The kit is marketed to sellers under the presumption that homes with these “smart” functions are more likely to sell.
And it’s not just cameras, doorbells, lightbulbs and thermostats that are getting smarter. Now, the appliances we can put in our homes can be “smarter,” too. We don’t have Rosie the robot maid yet, but that Jetson’s future may not be all that far away, judging by some of these new appliances about to hit the market.
- Wi-Fi on a dishwasher? More like, “Why buy?” [Kori Perten, Reviewed.com] “Don’t be fooled by the misleading interface—despite what looks like a large toggle button, you can’t actually control the dishwasher from your phone. What you can do is see which cycle you’re (manually) running and how much time is left. The app also keeps you clued in if you’re running low on pods or rinse agent. Additionally, you can set it to send notifications when the wash cycle is complete, if the appliance springs a leak, or if the filter needs cleaning.”
- To make a fridge smart, LG plugs in a $129 computer. [Keith Barry, Reviewed.com] “We were already impressed by LG’s InstaView refrigerator, which can turn a glass panel on one of its doors transparent so users can see what’s inside without opening the fridge. Now, a European prototype running off Intel’s Compute Stick turns that see-through door into an LED touchscreen. Knock twice on the door, and the 29-inch screen fades away to reveal what’s inside the fridge.”
- Ordinary Home Appliances Are About to Get Really Sexy [Chris Morris, Fortune] “Every time you do a load of laundry, the washer will automatically send a small amount to Habitat for Humanity. It’s the first in a series of appliances that will encourage widespread philanthropy.”
- 16 of the Coolest Smartphone Connected Appliances (list) [Gadget Review] “Also known as the MC368GAAW5A oven, Samsung’s Android Oven allows you to control temperature and cooking time with your smartphone. This oven can even tell you how many calories are in your meal and how much your food weighs! It sounds like the oven would use up a lot of energy, but it’s actually quite efficient.”
From the Ohio Web Library:
- Smart Appliances Still Priced Too High for Convenience They Deliver. (Marketwired) — 07/12/16)
- Tackling the Challenges of Smart Appliances. (McGuire, Joseph M. Appliance Design. Jan2016, Vol. 64 Issue 1)
- INTRODUCING THE… KITCHEN OF THE FUTURE. (Good Housekeeping. Jul2016, Vol. 263 Issue 1)
