You know Linux has been getting a lot of attention lately. Now, with the new Android phone, the number of devices running linux has really grown. Now you can add one more to the list: Electrolux (Frigidaire) in Brazil has just announced the Infinity i-kitchen, a smart appliance running Linux on an embedded 400MHz Freescale i.MX25 processor. With 128MB RAM and a 480×800 touch panel, the i-kitchen provides the user with unparalleled control over his refrigerator operations.
In addition to providing basic information such as current time and temperature, several additional apps are built-in: notes, calendar, contacts, photos, tips and recipes. According to the manufacturer:
Following the bold design found in the Infinity series, this new refrigerator brings high-end technology to your kitchen. It features a high-resolution touch panel with a clean user interface designed with simplicity and intuitiveness in mind. From annotating a phone number to controlling its internal temperature, all the functionalities are just a finger touch away from you.
The Notes application avoids spreading the famous Post-it notes throughout the refrigerator all the while taking its functionality to a new level, marking messages as unread, reminding you of birthdays and appointments. Through Photos it’s possible to use your refrigerator as a digital photo frame and Recipes brings more than 600 recipes published by a famous Brazilian magazine.
We expect your i-kitchen can also link to your smartphone and automatically update your shopping list.
I can see the trend now: Microsoft will announce the MyFridge.Net initiative, Google will introduce the FridgeDroid, and Apple will come out with an iOS-driven iFridge that only stocks Apple approved foods.
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