Samsung prepping RFID-enabled refrigerator

Sure, there's always that heated debate over whether or not RFID use in our everyday lives is beneficial or voyeuristic, but Samsung's forthcoming refrigerator most certainly falls in the former category. No, it doesn't sport a built-in LCD monitor, automatic thawing, pizza nook, or an invisibility cloak, but it does manage to keep a close on the amount of food remaining in your refrigerated containers. Moreover, this eagle-eyed fridge will purportedly be able to send a shopping list the owner's cellphone or directly to the supermarket when it detects your milk, juice, eggnog, or assortment of critical condiments are reaching dangerously low levels. As if this wasn't enough to lay down a pre-order, it will supposedly offer up recipes to users as well based on what's currently residing in your fridge. Of course, there's no (presumably lofty) pricetag attached to this pipedream just yet, but it is slated to hit retail floors "around 2008 or 2009," and maybe they'll enable it to physically visit the grocery store and shop for you in the meantime.

[Via textually]

[Jake @ Jan 4th 2007 5:03PM]

I kinda like this concept. The "suggest a recipe for all of my random rotting food" feature is definitely, um, cool.

[Patrick @ Jan 4th 2007 5:10PM]

I think this is cool as hell. I want one.

[perfekted @ Jan 4th 2007 7:13PM]

Whoa! That's awesome. I kinda question how good the recipes are, but hey... It's worth a try. Nice one!

[Ryan @ Jan 4th 2007 7:15PM]

While RFID would be less hands on, can't this all already be done with barcodes? Do we really expect every last item we might keep in our respective fridges to add RFID tags to their products? I certainly expect most items I use to continue to utilize the good ole UPC long before they add RFID.

[fractl @ Jan 4th 2007 8:07PM]

Have one of these bad boys installed in the employee lounge at work, that way you can be emailed when someone is stealing your lunch.

/hates brown bag poachers

[jrepetti @ Jan 5th 2007 2:56AM]

"Goodnight, Dave"

[Nagelfar @ Jan 5th 2007 4:58AM]

How would it know how much e.g. of my butter is left and that it is not just a wrapper that is rotting away somewhere in the back?

[WT @ Jan 5th 2007 12:51PM]

I like RFID when it is wisely used. In this case, it is a bomb.

Br,
Telecominsight.net

[TonyaRashcan @ Jan 5th 2007 5:57PM]

Come on guys, is it to much to ask that you proof read your articles once in a while?
"keep a close on the amount"
"send a shopping list the owner's cellphone"
You guys drop words like this all the time.

Other then that, heck yeah I want one. But I also need it to tell me just how old that stuff in the bowl is. Well, that and having it place a pre-order when my beer supply gets low...

[Winston @ Jan 6th 2007 1:13AM]

As long as this keeps me off the Floating Fortresses I'm all for it.

[Shibathedog @ Jan 11th 2007 4:21PM]

What about all the food in it that isnt RFID tagged? Or the stuff in your pantry? (Wireless Pantry Add-On?) Theres no way every food item (or im guessing even 25% of it) is going to be RFID tagged.

[Brenda Sternquist @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:09PM]

I am a professor at Michigan State University and I have a research team that would like to evaluate consumer's reaction to the RFID refrigerator. Does anyone have contact information with an industry partner who would have access to these machines? Brenda