Everyday gadgets getting on the smart gadget bandwagon
I thought I would start off by referencing an article on USAToday.com, which has an excellent overview of how everyday gadgets in our lives are getting smart. Here are a few excerpts from the article.
You can buy a backyard telescope loaded with global position satellite (GPS) technology so it can point out which stars you’re viewing. At one university, each parking meter has a chip and antenna so you can call it with your cellphone and buy more time.
And then there are the touch-screen sewing machines that can download images to embroider, gas station pumps that run Microsoft Windows, and shipping crates that can call their owners for help if they’re lost.
Another appliance maker, Salton, has introduced the Beyond Microwave. When you need to heat packaged food, swipe the bar code past the microwave’s reader. Stored inside are 4,000 settings for different products. A wireless Internet connection allows the microwave to download new ones all the time. Salton’s microwave reads the bar code, sets the right time and power level, and all you do is push start.
Maya Design is bringing out a layer of technology it calls Home Heartbeat. It connects sensors on washing machines, microwaves, doors and other fixtures in a house. The system, in turn, can generate text messages that can be sent to a cellphone. So a homeowner can program the system to tell her every time the front door opens and the TV turns on ‘ a good sign the kids arrived home from school.
These are just a few of the many ways that our lives are going to be changed dramatically by smart devices and interconnected technology. SmarterGadgets.com aims to keep you in the loop so that you don’t miss out on any of the smart gadgets that become available.
