LG Smart Refrigerator grows a brain
LG updates its line of Smart ThinQ appliances at CES 2012 with a brainy refrigerator, a remote-monitored vacuum cleaner, and an oven that talks to your smartphone.
LAS VEGAS--LG has spilled the beans on several new smart appliances that aim to be the Albert Einsteins of the home world. These are the latest updates to the Smart ThinQ line the company rolled out at last year's CES.
The new LG appliances are designed to hook up to your home network, talk to your mobile devices, and be accessible on your TV. You won't have to tear yourself away from "Star Trek" reruns to see if you're out of milk.
The LG Smart Refrigerator isn't just a big box that keeps things cold. It's a "total food management system" that pretty much does everything except cook your steak for you.
The brainy fridge has French doors and an LCD panel that gives you access to online shopping, a grocery list, calendars, and photos. You can scan your groceries into the system to track them as they get old and moldy.
All of this fun stuff hooks up with your smartphone so you can get menu suggestions, check expiration dates, and see if you're running low on Cheez Whiz.
The frig may be the largest of the bunch, but the smart-appliances line also includes a washing machine that self-diagnoses problems, a vacuum cleaner with remote monitoring, and a Smart Oven that allows monitoring of cooking through mobile devices.
All of this gets us just that much closer to the Jetsons-style home we secretly covet. We still have to wait a little longer for pricing and availability information on the new line, however.