No sooner did the inhabitants of Canneto di Caronia in Italy run screaming from their homes after the spontaneous combustion of domestic appliances, than PowerDesk and DuPont decided it would be a good idea to unleash a cyberkitchen on an unsuspecting world.
So prepare yourselves for the Iceberg, described as a “world-first in intelligent furniture”.
This “ultimate in integrated chic” is actually a computer built into a worktop. Mind you, it’s not just any old worktop – aficionados of quality synthetic materials will doubtless swoon when we reveal that it is fashioned from DuPont Corian®. Tasty.
The ensemble offers all your usual bits and pieces: a Compaq or Elonex PC with:
Intel P4 2.8Ghz
512mbRam
80Gb harddrive
TV, Network card
Modem, Cordless keyboard, optical mouse
Powerful internal sound system
17″ flat screen TFT monitor
Windows XP PRO
1-Year on-site warranty
So it should, too, since it will set you back a cool £2,937 and upwards. Mind you, that’s not really a lot for the ability to watch Delia Smith on the DVD instructing you on the correct procedure for boiling an egg while granny emails you her shortcrust pastry recipe.
But one fundamental question remains: just how much of a threat to humanity does the cyberkitchen pose? Is it just a matter of time before the PC forms an alliance with the Bluetooth-enabled fridge and denies you access to your beer “on health grounds”? Or worse, if that’s possible.
We asked PowerDesk’s PR representatives to give us assurances that installation of such cutting-edge catering hardware did not represent just another step on the road to the subjugation of mankind. They suggested we contact the manufacturers. Chillingly, at the time of publication, PowerDesk has not responded.
From The Register