Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition

What do you think should be the next big ‘smart’ appliance?

- By Dan Sweeney dsweeney@SunSentine­l.com, 954-356-4605 or Twitter @Daniel_Sweeney

The 2019 Consumer Electronic­s Show is set to kick off tomorrow in Las Vegas, and the big trend is smart everything.

Among the household items that are getting a computeriz­ed makeover:

an oven that tracks recipes with a window that doubles as a screen to show you where to perfectly position food.

a toilet that lifts its lid and flushes on voice command, and can also play music and read the news.

a fishing rod that tracks where you are, what you’ve caught and builds a map to show you where to fish next.

a toothbrush that lets you know where you need to brush more.

All of these smart technologi­es — and many more featured at CES 2019, which will feature some 4,400 exhibitors over four days — are meant to make life easier. Also, many of them they track users’ habits and send that informatio­n to their makers, where consumers’ profiles can be developed to maximize advertisin­g potential.

Sure, it’s a little Orwellian, but the big sales of smart products show that many people are willing to let Big Brother into their homes in exchange for convenienc­e.

All of which has led us to wonder — what could the consumer technology industry be missing out on? Are there any products around your home that you wish could help you out a bit more?

Let us know what you think should be the next great smart appliance by emailing dsweeney@SunSentine­l.com or tweeting @Daniel_Sweeney. Your response could be used in a future story.

 ?? DAVID MCNEW/AFP/GETTY IMAGES ?? The Consumer Electronic­s Show, held annually in Las Vegas, features the latest in consumer technology. And this year’s show, which takes place Jan. 8-11, will include smart toothbrush­es, smart toilets and more.
DAVID MCNEW/AFP/GETTY IMAGES The Consumer Electronic­s Show, held annually in Las Vegas, features the latest in consumer technology. And this year’s show, which takes place Jan. 8-11, will include smart toothbrush­es, smart toilets and more.

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