(via Slashdot)
As mentioned in the Slashdot article, I’m sure this is a sign of the coming apocalypse. In an eight week trial program labelled “Laundry Time,” the Internet Home Alliance will have nine families test washers and dryers with advanced technology. This will allow family members to receive laundry status updates and control laundry functions via cell phone , TV, or Internet connection.
Those skeptics in the audience (such as myself), might see this as a heightening of American laziness.
Laundry Time’s high-tech vision: “You settle down to do some Web surfing after a busy day. When you start up your browser, you get an Instant Message alert telling you that the dryer did not start its cycle. You realize that you forgot to press the start button. Laundry Time asks you in the IM whether you would like to start the cycle. With your mouse, you select “yes,†which starts the dryer, and you continue Web surfing without interruption.”
My solution is to not be stupid. Pushing the damn START button before walking away seems like a given. Perhaps it’s time we start mandating non-stupidity tests for people who want to be parents?
I’m with the BuzzBlog guy on this one:
BuzzBlog’s low-tech alternative: Wrinkles-schminkles. If you’re taking phone calls from your laundry appliances while operating an automobile let’s just say that a messy crease in the khakis is the least of your concerns.
[tags]American laziness, Laundry Time, Net-enabled laundry[/tags]