At first glance, I thought the Google Cooktop was an appliance. It’s not, it’s a smart countertop concept for the kitchen.
Created by designer Sarah R. L. Johnson, the Google Cooktop is an interactive screen embedded in your countertop. The Cooktop can either be connected wirelessly to the users’ computer or to the Google Cooking App on the users’ iPhone to access a catalog of the ingredients the user has in their home. The Cooktop can then suggest a recipe or the user can search the internet for a recipe of their choice.
If you know your dinner guests really well (or they are willing to share very personal information with you), The user can then select the profiles of the people who will be attending dinner. These profiles are connected to an application called Google Cal Band which allows the Cooktop to these people’s access daily fitness routines and diet preferences and suggest meal type and appropriate portion size for each person thus reducing the chance for food waste.
The selected recipe is displayed on the countertop surface. As the user compiles their ingredients and sets them on the surface of the Cooktop, the device measures the size of each ingredient as it is set down. Ingredients are then “weighed” by the Cooktop and visually cut down into suitable portions. When a particular item weighs too much, it is blocked out in red so the user can cut it down into a smaller piece.
As the user begins to cook, they can check which step they are currently on and the Cooktop can then highlight which ingredient are needed for that step. The Cooktop also prompts the user by suggesting tips for the recipe and ensures that each meal is cooked to perfection.
This could be a great solution if you tend to accidentally leave out ingredients. I am sure the Cooktop would not know what to do with too many substitutions of ingredients. It would probably react the way GPS units do and tell you to do a U-turn in your cooking steps.
These one-of-a-kind gourd lights by Calabarte are a great way to add unique lighting to any space. The Senegalese gourds are carefully dried and hand drilled and patterned by the artist. Since each gourd is a unique shape, the light and patterns from each lamp is different. It’s amazing to compare how the unlit gourd looks to the lighted one.
These unique works of art seem to be sold by the artist on eBay and through direct consignment. The last auction I could find sold for $1,329.00. For more information, visit his Facebook Page.
The Qooq (that’s “cook,” get it?) was another gadget on display at the CES 2012 show. This French tablet, which already sells in France, is aimed at solving the problem of how to use a tablet in the kitchen where spills and greasy smudges are bound to happen.
This 10 inch tablet runs on Linux, not Android, nor Windows 8 and it will cost $400 when it comes to the states. This Linux distribution has been customized for the Qooq and it is loaded with many things a cook would want like recipes from renowned chefs, as well as related videos, an ingredient database, wine and cuisine tutorials and a regular culinary magazine.
As you would expect, it has built-in Wi-Fi, speakers and most other things you would expect in a tablet. It sports a 1GHz dual-core processor, on the side, it has an SD card slot, an ethernet port, usb port and a headphone jack. In addition to that, it’s also splash-resistant, spill-resistant and drop-resistant.
The Qooq comes is your choice of red, black or cream with a built-in kickstand.
Reports from the show say they poured wine over the tablet to show that it can take abuse. There is a subscription service for culinary magazine and 50 extra recipes a month.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luOHhw96V4Q&feature=youtu.be
Italian cooking appliance maker Bertazzoni was recently recognized for its Built-in Design Series, winning the prestigious CES 2012 Innovation Award for its Built-in Design Series double oven.
The Ovens are designed to combine the company’s traditional craftsmanship and design with precise, innovative controls inspired by the iPhone. Another look at the photo and you will see the handles are molded Venetian Glass – very luxurious.
Here’s a link to a great post about Bertazzoni from Dwell.
Wolf Appliance was also a 2012 Consumer Electronics Show Innovations Award Honoree for its E Series wall ovens, with enhancements that allows connectivity to home automation systems for more features and convenience. It features a dual convection logic control system and a touch control panel with LCD display.
The same home automation connectivity was added to Sub-Zero built-in refrigeration, which is also an Innovations Award Honoree.
Sadly, I cannot find more information on the home automation connectivity so I’m hoping a press release will be out soon.
The South Korean electronics maker unveiled many new products at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas but only one was a smart phone.
Samsung unveiled their SMH2117S over the range microwave which is the first microwave with an LED light for lighting the cooking surface below. The lamp uses less than a tenth of the power consumption (2.4W/1EA) of conventional incandescent (40W/1EA) or halogen (20W/1EA) cooktop lamps.
An Eco Mode saves up to 40% in energy by turning the display off when not in use. The microwave also has a porcelain enamel interior, which the company said makes it seven times more scratch and rust resistant than other microwave interiors.
In addition to being a microwave and a hood, the new SMH2117S is also a convection oven and a toaster oven. This is going to be a huge space-saver for many home owners.
Samsung’s RF4289 and RSG309 LCD refrigerators are designed to be the first refrigerators with kitchen-relevant apps on a WiFi-enabled 8-inch LCD touchscreen. The Grocery List app will allow consumers to create their own highly personalized shopping lists at the touch of a button, while the Facebook app will provide instant access to consumers’ newsfeeds.
I personally don’t stand too much in front of the refrigerator so I think the Facebook app is pretty much a useless gimmick. Depending on how far away your refrigerator is from your prep area or the range; looking at online recipes on the door panel may be inconvenient as well.
While both of the previous appliances won awards at the show, the appliance that stole the show is new WF457 Front Load Washing Machine. This washer is not only the industry’s largest washer it offers never before seen Smart Control technology.
Through a WiFi network and a smart phone application, users can monitor cycle selections, remaining time and finishing alerts, as well as remotely start or pause the washer
The WF457 washer is also the first from Samsung to feature SpeedSpray, which delivers a cleansing shot of water with dissolved detergent and then a rinsing shot for improved rinsing performance. These result in a cycle time that is up to 25 percent shorter compared with conventional washers. In addition, Samsung‟s Smart Care system makes user manuals obsolete by quickly diagnosing washer issues and sending alerts to consumers‟ smart phones.
The washer and matching dryer is said to be available in Onyx or White this Spring at major retailers.
The Silk Road Collection from New Ravenna Mosaics of stunning mosaic tiles combines styles of east and west – Central Asian Ikat textiles, silk ribbons, ancient Greek nudes, and florals inspired by designer Sarah Baldwin’s travels along the Silk Road and her personal collection of Ikat textiles.
Color palettes for the collection range from blends of soft pearl whites to sparkly silver mirror with accents of gray and black.
Here’s a great small white kitchen to start the new year with fun and style.
I love the three dimensional wall treatment with the lush green from the plants inside and out.
Cheers to a Bright and Wonderous 2012!
Italian mosaic tile manufacturer Bisazza teamed up with Spanish designer Jaime Hayon their first collection in their new division Bisazza Bagno, which is dedicated to the production of luxury bathroom collections. For their second collection, they teamed up with Famed Designer Marcel Wanders.
Hayon Collection
This collection recalls the glamour of the 1930s with a Scandinavian touch and feminine shapes,” says Hayon. ”The bathroom is the most important room in the home and it should not be hidden. With this collection, it becomes an area you want to show, a place you can keep open. The bathroom becomes a stylish room, full of charm and style, with a strong identity.”
In addition to sinks, tubs and faucets, the collection will include mirrors, lighting, console tables, cabinets, shower screens and decorative accessories.
Finishes for the collection include chrome, gold, copper, white, light green, and black.
Wanders Collection
The second collection for Bisazza Bagno is an entirely different aesthetic than the first Scandinavian influenced collection. Marcel Wanders combines modern whimsy with Baroque influences. This extravagant collections intermingles large modern soapstone bathtubs with intricately carved consoles in true Wanders fashion.
In Marcel’s own words he describes the concept for the collection:
“The original concept for the collection came from a fantasy I had of taking a bath in a bar of soap. The ultimate clean! This idea I held for a long time, before Bisazza helped me realize it. Bathing, like clothing, is one of the most personal components of daily life. And interior style, like all style, has become a mode to evaluate the anxieties of contemporary society. The haste and fuss of ordinary life is only getting faster and it is getting increasingly difficult to switch off. People are surrounded by other people all day both physically and digitally and so I was looking for a way to offer a sanctuary from the world. I consider bathrooms to be the one space you can be alone so I designed this collection to provide a fresh, beautiful and solitary space where one can focus and take care of themselves.”
While the majority of the Wanders collection is black and white, red handles provide a vibrant pop of color. The chandelier shower heads are by far the stars of this collection.
You can purchase the collections from the flagship stores in Miami, LA and New York.
Here’s a Toast to the Future
And a Toast to our Friends, far and near.
May the Future be pleasant
May our Friends remain faithful and dear.
Happy Holidays and a Bright New Year!
I’m continuing my coverage of 2012 Color Trends with Sherwin-Williams’ pick. They have selected a lush green called Argyle (SW 6747).
“Argyle is the perfect blend of blue and yellow, and is the color of commerce and the anticipation of greener pastures ahead.”
Sherwin-Williams predicts that greens next year will be less yellow and paired with ”rustic tones and organic elements like algae, moss and seaweed.”
Their full forecast for 2012 highlights 40 hues, in four earth-inspired, color-family groups: reds, blues, greens and neutrals. It’s a very pretty palette and worth checking out.
Pierro
