The kitchen gets connected

NEWS

Frazzled working families could soon have some techie help in their kitchen, thanks to a new test project by a group of companies that includes Hewlett-Packard and IBM. The Internet Home Alliance, a group hoping to expand the market for connected devices into the home, is set to unveil a prototype of a Web-connected kitchen that lets people control their appliances remotely. The test setup, due to be ready in two weeks, will consist of an Internet-enabled Polara refrigerated range from Whirlpool, a "flipscreen entertainment centre" from Icebox, integration services from IBM, a printer from HP, customer services from Sears, Roebuck, and Internet grocery services from Peapod. (A refrigerated range is an oven that doubles as a refrigerator, keeping food cold during the day and then automatically cooking it at a certain time.) It's not quite Rosey the Robot, the mechanised maid who kept the household running in "The Jetsons", but it could be a start down the path of using technology to make daily household chores easier to manage. People testing the connected kitchen will be able to program the oven to refrigerate and then cook a meal so that it's ready at dinner time. If they're running late, they can adjust cooking times via an Internet or mobile phone connection. And they can turn off the oven from a mobile phone and search the Web for recipes, which can then be printed. The group will show off the "Mealtime Pilot" at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show and Conference in Orlando, Florida next month and is in the process of picking 20 families in the Boston area to test the devices. It will complete a report on the project in December. Although tech companies have generally snubbed computers in the kitchen in favour of gee-whiz products such as game machines and laptops, many are starting to eye the market as a potential gold mine, hoping people will pay for products that make mundane daily tasks like preparing dinner easier and more efficient. Bill Gates spent much of his speech at the last Comdex confab talking about smart objects for the home, including connected kitchen appliances. And kitchen gadgets such as Tonight's Menu and the Icebox device were among the stars of the recent Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas. What's more, some computer stores have begun stocking LG Electronics' Multi-Media Refrigerator, a convergence device that can store recipes and messages from family members and track its own maintenance. Although products such as "smart" refrigerators and kitchen Web devices have long been derided as uncool, Internet Home Alliance vice president Tim Woods said they should appeal directly to the market segment that makes most of the major purchasing decisions in a household: mothers. "Let's face it, this (project) is about mom, and moms are a huge opportunity in the marketplace," Woods said. "Nobody's ever gone after the kitchen in this way." But Woods said it's important to test and retest the gadgets to make sure they work, because moms don't have time for bugs and glitches. "Kids and early adopters tend to put up with things like that," Woods said. "Mom doesn't put up with poorly executed technologies or interfaces." So far, however, kitchen devices have not proven lucrative. Devices from Microsoft, Intel and 3Com have flopped in recent years. This time around, however, supporters are hoping that handhelds, intelligent mobile phones and the digital music revolution have acclimated people to accessing the Internet on things other than PCs. Price has also been an issue. LG's Multimedia Refrigerator, for example, costs about $8,000, or about £5,040. The Polaris and the Icebox retail for $1,800 and $2,300, respectively. Internet Home Alliance representatives said that as with any technology, prices are expected to drop with time and as more people buy the products.

For the latest on everything from DVD standards and MP3s to your rights online, see the Personal Technology News Section. Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom.

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

ZDNet UK Live

Bill Goodrich : Just as al_langevin pointed out, with Windows Server 2008 there is no Services for Macintosh anymore. It's gone, not available....

7 hours ago by apexwm on Windows Server 2008 drops the ball for Mac compatibility

Replying to an old topic that I'm currently facing with my CEO (who is on a Mac). Our servers are primarily Windows Servers, office is about...

13 hours ago by txtrainguy on Windows Server 2008 drops the ball for Mac compatibility

Sure, that makes perfect sense. Pay wrong-doers money and thank them for breaching your security and pointing out your flaws, that would surely...

14 hours ago by k0tcs3 on US indicts Romanian over NASA climate change hack

I think he's referring specifically to Android apps, as Apple do regulate their App Store, but Google seem to let any old crap onto the Android store!

14 hours ago by Random_Error on RIM: BlackBerry will keep 'garbage' apps out of store

Keep the crap apps out?! How will they compete with Android and Apple's claim to fame of having so many life changing apps? I wonder if the media...

19 hours ago by Paul Fezziwig via Facebook on RIM: BlackBerry will keep 'garbage' apps out of store

It has been shown time after time that if there is an author store that sells the songs at even 1$ per song and gives you a high-quality digital...

20 hours ago by Aigars Mahinovs via Facebook on Copyright isn't working, says European Commission

""As a result of Butyka's alleged conduct, researchers were unable to use the computers for more than two months while NASA removed the malicious...

22 hours ago by awbMaven on US indicts Romanian over NASA climate change hack

It simultaneously worries me and uplifts me that a self-proclaimed group of internet activists name themselves after Indian mythical figures....

1 day ago by subhorup on Anonymous activists release PCAnywhere source code

It's actually far easier to work anonymously on the internet than you think. With tools like Tor bouncing your traffic around the world before...

1 day ago by naviathan on Anonymous activists release PCAnywhere source code

1000272134 and bluedalmatian with you both there but then I'm still in 10.04 land (and happy with it)

1 day ago by Agnostic_OS on Ten factors that make Ubuntu 11.10 a hit

Interesting article and definitely see your points on the products mentioned. One of the top products for our Help Desk (approximately 20% of all...

2 days ago by apexwm on Ten flawed products that derail productivity

Absolutely - this should obviously not be handled my isp - but handled by their hosting operator. What's been suggested here is that my isp police...

2 days ago by Paul Hutchinson via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material

Looks like a great phone. I don't notice any deficiencies in WP7. used IOS before, that's pretty good. I don't spend much time in Apps, all i need...

2 days ago by Techs UK on Nokia pins US 're-entry' hopes on Lumia 900

Now with the help of these apps you are always synced with MS outlook while on the move. Just download apps like xobni or outlookreflex and get...

2 days ago by Larry Bloggy via Facebook on Outlook Social Connector beta 2 and the LinkedIn connector

Your details are wrong. The version currently being made is the one with 2 USB ports, 256MB RAM and a network port. This is the Model B. The...

2 days ago by mike40g123 on Raspberry Pi boards set to go on sale

The thing that has been puzzling me for quite a while is how Anonymous can remain anonymous whilst not only being active on the Internet but also...

3 days ago by Moley on Anonymous activists release PCAnywhere source code

If what Semantec is saying is rue, that is even worse and shows a complete disregard for thier users. If what Anonymous claims is true and the...

3 days ago by Don Dilly via Facebook on Anonymous activists release PCAnywhere source code

Didn't seem particularly biased to me either. Oh though you might have mentioned some other competitors with free search and email services...

3 days ago by MattChurchy on Time for an evil umpire: Google, Microsoft & privacy

James - exactly as much as anyone paid you for your comment; I don't feel that I need to say that I'm independant and unbiased, but just for you...

3 days ago by Simon Bisson and Mary Branscombe on Time for an evil umpire: Google, Microsoft & privacy

Once they realise symantec are willing to pay real money, they will simply keep extorting, unless of course symantec/authorities can use the...

3 days ago by Carl White via Facebook on Symantec offered hackers $50k in source code sting

Featured white papers

Latest jobs

The kitchen gets connected

Daily Newsletters

Topics

Related stories

Intel getting inside consumer apps

Case: AOL in your kitchen

Toshiba tipped to unwrap e-fridge

Apple bucks a falling PC trend in UK and France

Apple takes top PC spot from HP

Post your comment

ZDNet UK Live

Latest in Desktop Hardware

Apple bucks a falling PC trend in UK and France

Apple takes top PC spot from HP

Featured white papers

Latest jobs

MS Office 2010 Trainer - Cambridge

Dynamics CRM Technical Consultant

Product Development Manager - Newcastle upon Tyne

Inside ZDNet UK

Cabinet Office: no lobby influence on open standards

2012 Predictions: VCE FastPath, VI SAN Probe & Hadoop

BlackBerry Bold 9790

2012 Olympics: Is your business prepared?

Ten factors that make Ubuntu 11.10 a hit

Toshiba Portégé Z830-10P Review

BT's archive: Pictures from the vault

News & Analysis

Reviews

Blogs

Resources

About Us

Member Services

Special Features

Advertising Features

ZDNet UK / News and Analysis / Workspace IT / Desktop Hardware

The kitchen gets connected

Daily Newsletters

Topics

Related stories

Post your comment

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

Latest in Desktop Hardware

Featured white papers

Latest jobs

Inside ZDNet UK

Resources

About Us

Member Services

Special Features

Advertising Features