Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

["Bill Geschwind" <geschwin AT email.unc.edu>]

Going off on a tangent here...

Several years ago there was a company, I think it was NCR but I can't
swear to it, that was developing a device that actually came pretty
close to your nacho replacement system. IIRC it was to be called the
Microwave Bank. It was in essence a microwave oven with a web interface
and a barcode reader. The idea was that when you used the last of
something in your kitchen, you would run the barcode on the container
past the barcode reader. It would then take the product information,
shop for the lowest price on various online grocery stores, place an
order, debit the cost from your online bank account and have a service
like the now defunct WebVan deliver it to your front door. I would
imagine that it would have had some provision for you to specify how
much of a specific item you wanted or to veto a particular retailer that
you didn't like, etc. This system would not have been as invasive as
putting microphones in every room and as complex as having a technology
that could distinguish a nacho crunch from a cracker crunch (or gurgle
or belch or,...well, you get the idea). IIRC the major stumbling block
on developing this device was getting a screen that was transparent
enough to serve as the window on a microwave oven, but still opaque
enough to be usable as a touch-screen web interface. When the dotcom
bubble burst, this thing pretty much fell by the wayside and I haven't
heard anything about it since then. Too bad, since I would have
considered one once my current microwave wears out.

- Bill

-----Original Message-----
From: internetworkers-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:internetworkers-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Jim
Allman
Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 8:28 AM
To: Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/
Subject: Re: [internetworkers] Google Responds to Gmail Privacy Concerns


Regarding Gmail, a little thought experiment:

What if a grocery store offered to install a system in your house that 
would notice your grocery needs, and offer genuine help with a minimum 
of fuss?

"Hey, we're out of nachos--oh, never mind, there are fresh ones on the 
porch. Thanks, MagicHouse(tm)!"

How does it work? By installing a network of microphones in every room, 
so that remote servers (fully automated, of course) can monitor the 
sounds of crunching, chewing, and other digestive... stuff. 
Sophisticated filtering technology blah blah knows nachos from 
crackers; you get the idea.

Obviously, you could build on this system to provide many other 
discreet personal services.

Personally, I don't think I could go for this. My cost/benefit analysis 
really bogs down at the phrase "microphones in every room". But it's 
maybe not so different from things that seem reasonable to me now.


It occurs to me that such a system already exists, though it's waned in 
popularity. It's called a "butler", and it apparently works well for 
many people. I gather the key ingredient is trust, both in the butling 
profession and in your particular butler.

        =jimA=

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