The big buzz at the CES (Consumer Electronic Show) this past week in Las Vegas was the rise of smart appliances. With LG and Samsung leading the pack, how will these new smart appliances fit into our kitchens and lifestyles? What makes an appliance smart? Let Home-Tech show you the latest and greatest in major appliances and teach you a thing or two about these new smart appliances that will change the face of appliance maintenance forever.
Table of Contents
There’s an App for That
For starters, there is the Samsung RF4289HARS, 28 cu. ft. 4-Door Refrigerator and 8″ LCD Digital Display with Apps. Keep your kitchen and family organized with special apps made for your refrigerator. Leave notes for your loved ones. Display photos from your Picasa library, mobile phone or SD card. Stay up to date with all your family activities with Google Calendar. Access hundreds of recipes from Epicurious. Plus, get the latest weather and news via Weather Bug and Associated Press all through Samsung’s brilliant, WiFi-enabled 8″ LCD screen.
LG’s Smart ThinQ is Head of the Class
LG’s smart appliances go a step farther than a computer in the appliance. They developed a way for appliances to talk to each other and to the owner, providing self diagnosis when one of these appliances is in need of repair. With built-in WiFi, this range, or other connected LG smart appliance can communicate with LG’s service network to diagnose problems and share its status with the Smart ThinQ app on an iPad, iPhone or android phone. Our friends at LG mentioned that their, “New smart appliances are equipped with innovative device-to-device connectivity features and the LG Home Energy Management System (HeMS), opening up a new era in convenient and efficient home management.”
Smart Appliances in the Real World
Home-Tech’s Corporate Sales Manager, Mike Hendershott, is excited about the forward movement of smart appliances. He explains, “Besides the bells and whistles, like being able to turn on your oven and set it to bake a roast from your cell phone, the practical uses of smart appliance technology will revolutionize the service and repair end of our business. Expect to be able to self-diagnose a broken smart appliance by simply launching the app on your phone or tablet. Smart appliances will send the error code to you and to the manufacturer, who will then notify the customers’ preferred appliance repair company of the appliance breakdown.”
Of course, there is a down side to this new technology. As it is still new and evolving, there is still no way to connect smart appliances from one manufacturer to another. Expert blogger, Ethan Wolff-Mann, who was lucky enough to attend CES, had reviewed the LG LRE3023ST, 6.3 cu.ft. Capacity Electric Single Oven Range with Fan Convection. He remarks about the LG’s Smart ThinQ software, “It will connect to the LG ecosystem, but so far this software (like LG’s competitors) is proprietary and it’s impossible to link a Samsung washer, a Whirlpool dishwasher, an LG range, and a Hisense fridge.”
More on Smart Appliances
For more information, demonstrations and product availability, contact the appliance experts at Home-Tech. Our experts are trained on the advancements in smart appliances, and can show you how they can be of great value in your home or kitchen. Call 800-800-8356 to speak with an appliance expert or shop our online showroom to see our inventory.