Top Ten Smart Appliances Coming to a Store Near You

Hewlett Packard recently announced a new type of printer which will not require cables in order to print documents. The printer will receive instructions over the Internet and use these to print documents, in addition the printer will also have its own e-mail address. Such a strategy and allow you to print your documents on, in theory, any printer in the world. Some consumers are confused as to who, or what, exactly answers the printer's email. HP executives have hedged on answering this question, though the new printers may have some form an advanced artificial intelligence which allows them to decide what, and what not, to print. This raises the interesting scenario of what happens if your printer decides to print something sent from a Nigerian prince needing help with his bank account?

Ten other appliances expected to get similar artifical intelligence programming are:

1. Refrigerators. New iFrig technology will give your refrigerator an e-mail address, so that when you run out of milk or eggs you get a handy e-mail in your inbox which alerts you to the problem.

2. Cars. New iCar will offer a variety of features including ibackseadriver which gives you annoying and constant criticism during your drive via backseat speakers. The iKids application is also available and will ask you every half hour "Are we there yet?" Safety oriented applications such as the iDon'tThinkYouShouldDrive will monitor the air in your car for alcohol and won't let you drive if intoxicated.

3. Pet food bowl. iKitty application measures the amount of cat food in the bowel and sends out emails reminders when it gets to low.

4. Fish tank. The brand new iTank monitors water pH and temperature and updates you about the status of the fish via a live fish cam. If a fish does die you get an instant text message to your phone updating you.

5. Waffle Iron. iWaffle is a crossover waffle iron/media device which updates you verbally while cooking your waffle, it also has its own email address so it can update you when it needs cleaning.

6. Dryer. iDryer , the high tech dryer spins dry your clothes while keeping track of articles of clothing, don't be surprised to get an email in the morning from this machine reminding you that you "left behind a sock" or that you "need to dump out my lint".

7. Blowdryer. iBlowdryer, this smart machine tells you if your having a bad hair before you leave the house.

8. Bed. iBed monitors your sleep during the night and even tells you how much you snored and whether you tossed and turned a lot. Text message reminders for tidying up your bed, and for bed bug alerts, help you keep a clean bedroom.

9. Lampost. iPost has a lamp, but also an artificial intelligence which watches your house when you are gone. Text messages and email reports warn you about suspicious people loitering around your car at night.

10. Voice Messaging. iVoice is an advanced answering machine with built in artificial intelligence for your land line if you have one. It answers calls and even chats a bit with callers before revealing your not at home, it even tells telemarketers to put you on the do not call list.

Sources:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2364750,00.asp