Comments on: Internet Appliances http://wp.sedulousmind.net/2004/02/19/internet-appliances/ Hey me! Talk to me! Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:48:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: tin_the_fatty http://wp.sedulousmind.net/2004/02/19/internet-appliances/comment-page-1/#comment-287 tin_the_fatty Fri, 20 Feb 2004 10:15:46 +0000 http://wp.sedulousmind.net/?p=364#comment-287 I can see the logic behind those so-called networked appliances. The condition of a typical Chinese kitchen may be too hash for anything more intelligent than a microwave oven, but I suppose eventually people would want to be able to load up a cookbook or the news on a computer while cooking or eating in the kitchen. Even a laptop takes up too much bench space, and you do not want it anywhere near the fire or water anyway, so building a computer in the fridge door is actually quite sensible. That microwave oven with a computer is a cheaper version of the networked kitchen, for those who can't afford the networked fridge, or don't have the space for it. The designers deliberately handicapped the computer in the microwave (hey building an LCD panel in the door is not entirely out of the question is it, the damn thing looks like a TV anyway) so the gullible will buy the networked microwave oven AND the networked fridge. Something for everybody, and you can have it all if you want to. As for the networked washing machine, there is always the Internet laundry hookup <a href="http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/tt/1999/apr14/laundry.html." rel="nofollow">http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/tt/1999/apr14/laundry.html.</a> A more sophisticated model should be able to tell you that your favourite silk shirt was washed this morning with very hot water and sprun into something resembling seaweed. The maid would not be able to give you the excuse that she didn't know where your silk shirt went. I can see the logic behind those so-called networked appliances. The condition of a typical Chinese kitchen may be too hash for anything more intelligent than a microwave oven, but I suppose eventually people would want to be able to load up a cookbook or the news on a computer while cooking or eating in the kitchen. Even a laptop takes up too much bench space, and you do not want it anywhere near the fire or water anyway, so building a computer in the fridge door is actually quite sensible.

That microwave oven with a computer is a cheaper version of the networked kitchen, for those who can’t afford the networked fridge, or don’t have the space for it. The designers deliberately handicapped the computer in the microwave (hey building an LCD panel in the door is not entirely out of the question is it, the damn thing looks like a TV anyway) so the gullible will buy the networked microwave oven AND the networked fridge. Something for everybody, and you can have it all if you want to.

As for the networked washing machine, there is always the Internet laundry hookup http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/tt/1999/apr14/laundry.html. A more sophisticated model should be able to tell you that your favourite silk shirt was washed this morning with very hot water and sprun into something resembling seaweed. The maid would not be able to give you the excuse that she didn’t know where your silk shirt went.

]]>