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10 + 10 = 100, of course.
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Hi
I keep seeing news articles on the 'internet of things' (web enabled fridges, cookers, washing machines & the like) and think it becomes 'well we stick a processor on it and sell it £X+ pounds.
The important thing is do people want it??
Glenn
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What?! Are you suggesting I can live without my web enabled toaster? 
Actually, my toaster[^] doesn't have any complicated electronics - it's all mechanical, even the timer is clockwork...
I would agree - I can (almost) see the idea of an "intelligent" fridge that works out when I'm running out of milk and reminds me to buy some (and most of my notifications are via email, so an internet connection almost makes sense there). But...no, I wouldn't get one for that (it would need WiFi anyway, because there is no way on this earth I'm running CAT5E out to the fridge).
I can't see that connecting everything in the house to the internet is beneficial to me, no. I can see advantages from the supplier end, but sod-all for the customer.
It's a bit like the old Sky box bit: "You have to have it connected to the phone line". No, you don't. Mine was connected until the engineer who fitted the first one left the building, but it hasn't been since.
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952)
Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)
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Does anyone want any toast[^]? 
"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer
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Or indeed the Nutrimatic Drinks Dispenser which nearly killed our heroes aboard the Heart Of Gold?
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952)
Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)
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I can't tell you if I want or not...No-one was able to tell me, until now, what a gain with a fridge connected to the web? It will download my favorite cheese from the market? It sound me - for the cases that I heard so far - as a new opportunity to make excuses for high prize...
I'm not questioning your powers of observation; I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is. (V)
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glennPattonWork wrote: The important thing is do people want it??
Not "the people", but "target audience".
..and yes, they'll buy whatever is trending. Features merely need be promised and can be added later, in some later version. Of course, all the foodstuffs need be labled with RFID, so the fridge knows what's there and what still needs to be ordered.
If you're targetting high-end households then it's merely another plugin for your automated home. And there'll already be an "App" for it.
If it were about people, I'd say most simply be wanting food.
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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I have worked on some RFID projects (several years ago) just before it was touted as the next thing. It has some uses but not the one solves all it was billed as. Before the fridge could work with RFID a system for the would have to be universally agreed (mind TI have got quite far with 13.56MHz for Gas n' Go in Canada) so saying it was 13.56 then the packaging would have to changed to allow reliable reads for each item (from experience glass bottles good ,plastic not so good, the power has to ramped up) I would give it another 20+ years before it becomes practical. 
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Doorbell rings
Homeowner: Yes
Guy at door: I'm an appliance repair man your refrigerator called and said it wasn't feeling well.
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And that's what I'm afraid of. Silly I know, but I have the feeling that this is the route to "What are you doing, Dave" and possibly being called "Meat Bag" by the toaster (though that would help the diet)
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All the appliances will gang together to teach you a lesson so watch what you say and do. We are watching you.
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And that is why I like low tech... plus if everything gets smart that leads to everything needing antivirus, oh dear!
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You're not wrong but I'm sure some people will.
There are two significant use cases that I can imagine people buying new kit for:
- An 'intranet of things' within your house, allowing you to control and interact with devices from anywhere in your house – for example play streaming video from your computer on your TV, or have your radio automatically drop its volume when your phone rings or someone rings the doorbell. This could be extended to limited autonomy, i.e. have your air conditioning system linked to the lighting circuits so if it's dark and you don't have any lights on it knows you're out or asleep and goes into a more economical passive mode. This would be legitimately useful for a lot of people and doesn't really have a downside, if the networking is suitably protected from attack and spying.
- Individual devices connected to the Internet to interact with goods and service providers so you don't have to. This includes the clichéd 'fridge that orders milk when you're about to run out', and stock control is the most likely use of this; maybe not for fridges but for wine racks or bulk food storerooms, fuel stores (oil and gas tanks), workshops etc. This could be very useful as well but it does have obvious privacy concerns.
Personally I'm a low tech person apart from my computers, so I don't want my stuff to be networked and I certainly don't want it talking to external networks. But I can see why a lot of people would.
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Umm I call a Leslie on this!  can't be bothered to find it though!
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You owe me £10 then... 
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
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The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
Winston Churchill, 1944
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I'd just like a chance to prove that money can't make me happy.
Me, all the time
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Face + Palm! read every item in a message before being a smart bum!
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OK, I'll let you off the hook this time...
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
-----
The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
Winston Churchill, 1944
-----
I'd just like a chance to prove that money can't make me happy.
Me, all the time
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It's all true except the bit about Mondays.
We close early on Wednesday for cleaning.
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952)
Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)
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Actually, you're closed every day.
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It's a very clean country.
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952)
Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)
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You noticed that vocalization on your last visit then?
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952)
Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)
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It is quite common, isn't it.
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It's a tidy word, that.
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952)
Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)
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