Popular Mechanics (South Africa)
DO I NEED A SMART...
. . . REFRIGER ATOR?
You don’t need one that’s just a tablet stuck on the exterior. But interior cameras make sense. When you’re shopping for groceries, you can check your phone to see if you have eggs. That solves a real problem that hasn’t been solved in any other way. Someday, we’ll see a smart refrigerator that can track our food and warn about bacteria, or one that can use AI to move the oldest food to the front. – Sharon Franke
. . . WASHING MACHINE?
Right now, the functions are basic, like remote start or downloadable cycles. The newest ones order detergent when the dispenser is near empty, and run when household energy use is low. The most useful: remote diagnostics. Sensors and Internet connectivity means knowing when it’s broken and which part to replace. But don’t upgrade just for the smart feature. Soon, as with TVS, these will be smart by default, too. – Carolyn Forté
. . . BASSINET?
It depends. Are you a new parent and willing to spend four figures for a few extra minutes of sleep most nights? That’s the idea behind the SNOO. I wrap my daughter in one of the included swaddles, and strap her in the basket. Microphones analyse her crying, and voilà, the machine produces a rocking and white-noise combo, same as you would do with your arms and shh’ing noises. It’s not a perfect machine, but some fine-tuning and more customisation options will make it better. Like many smart things, it’ll be easier to recommend in the next generation. – Rachel Rothman