We’ve seen it all before, in fact only last week LG announced its plans to control multiple devices through smartphones etc and hot on the heels of this comes Samsung’s Smart Home.
Whilst Samsung’s offering appears to be more open than the LG “HomeChat” system, with Samsung inviting other companies to join in on the fun, it still appears (so far as we can see) to completely ignore the admittedly small but existing home automation systems out there.
This is a a problem because we have the old X10 powerline system still in wide use, Z Wave, Zigbee, C Bus, Insteon and so on all out there and controlling lighting and other appliances. So, the existing audience that might pay a premium for products that can utilise HA technologies is most likely to shun systems like this because it won’t communicate with what they already have and, it doesn’t do enough to replace what they have already.
Samsung say that their Smart Home application will have three main sections at first: Device Control, Home View, and Smart Customer Service as shown in the overview above.
The idea of Device Control is to let you set up behaviours of your home or devices for when you’re home or away.
So you could, for example, tell your Samsung smartwatch that you’re “going out” which could turn down the heat, shut off the lights, and fire up your robot vacuum. But not if you use any of the systems above or, you have a Nest thermostat or the like or, not yet at least.
It seems that it’s just Samsung products that will be supported at first, but Samsung’s Smart Home software protocol will let other companies connect their products as well. We can’t see that catching on given Samsung’s hold on the cloud servers and their numerous demonstrations of protecting patents.
The Home View feature lets you look into your house when you’re away using cameras built in to your appliances, if you want to of course but it has raised some privacy concerns already with some media outlets, just a scant few hours after the announcement.
The Smart Customer Service is a way for your devices to let you know when they need repair or more consumable supplies—hopefully it’ll be more reliable than the like sod a water filter light or icon coming on in your fridge freezer’s display.
That said, we would presume that this is intended to be used for fault codes and the likes as well and, the fear is with all these kinds of systems that it limits choices with servicing, not enhances them. The fear being that owners just get a message to call for service and that, only the authorised service will be able to diagnose what the problem is. That means that owners are effectively held to ransom and just have to pay to have any remedial work carried out and at whatever cost the company sets.
Our opinion is that this could be very detrimental in many ways and quite probably a pitfall that many people won’t even think of.
Samsung’s announcement didn’t include a full list of compatible products—or prices—although the company says it eventually plans to cover home energy, home security, and healthcare products through partnerships with other companies.
We can’t help but feel however that, until there is a standard that all products work to, this is probably not going to fly anytime soon and to make it work with all would mean making it all open source. There’s likely not much chance of that happening.
Sems that folks over at The Verge seem to agree with out assesment according to the video report.
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++++FULL PRESS RELEASE++++
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a global home appliance innovator, today announced a new lineup of premium home appliances that enable consumers to manage and master the entire cooking process from start to finish. With insights from some of the world’s top professional chefs, a new refrigerator has been developed that keeps even the most delicate ingredients intact. An electric slide-in range with an unparalleled level of oven temperature control and one of the most significant dishwasher cleaning innovations in the past 40 years are also among the highlights on display at the 2014 International CES from Jan. 7-10, 2014.
This year marks the debut of the Samsung Chef Collection, a suite of premium professional chef-level appliances developed in collaboration with Samsung Club Des Chefs. This first-of-its-kind global culinary initiative, launched in 2013, has brought together world class chefs to collaborate with Samsung on the development of next-generation products.
“If there is one word to describe our approach to 2014, it is passion. Whether it is cooking and entertaining in more sophisticated ways, or creating a beautiful home that is truly show-off worthy, consumer passion is driving our product innovation and inspiring us to new heights of design excellence,” said Kevin Dexter, Senior Vice President of Home Appliances Sales and Marketing, Samsung Electronics America. “By working closely with Samsung Club Des Chefs, we’ve created kitchen appliances that offer an awe-inspiring level of flexibility, organization, ease of use and premium style to meet the needs and wants of even the most discerning home cook.”
The Ultimate Refrigerator for Food Preservation
With its thoughtful attention to innovation and design, the Samsung Chef Collection 4-Door Refrigerator (model:RH9900) represents a huge leap forward in food preservation, storage, organization and meal preparation. Temperature control is maximized through proprietary features. The Metal Cooling Plate, positioned on the back of the refrigerator compartment, helps to maintain the set temperature throughout the refrigerator, which is important in keeping food fresh and tasty. And Samsung’s Triple Cooling System creates three separate airflows in the refrigerator and freezer, enabling optimal humidity control and improved cooling performance for each compartment.
The Triple Cooling System also enables the Chef Collection Refrigerator to feature a lower right compartment – called the Fridge-in-Freezer – which can be converted from a refrigerator to a freezer and back again, and serves a multitude of needs. It can be a fresh food prep zone for restaurant-quality meals, a storage space for frozen home-cooked meal, or a centralized area for beverage storage. Overall capacity clocks in at 34 cu. ft. (2014 DOE Standard), or 34 full bags of groceries. No other refrigerator can accommodate as much food.
The Chef Collection refrigerator also delivers on meal preparation needs. One of the key chef insights to emerge from Samsung Club Des Chefs was that professionals prefer meat and fish to maintain optimal temperatures before cooking. Samsung’s solution? The Chef Pantry, a temperature-controlled compartment within the main refrigerator that allows items like fish to be optimally chilled at 30oF to extend quality and taste. Also, Samsung created the Chef Pan, a multi-use container located in the refrigerator that can not only be used for marinating and storing food in the refrigerator, but can also be placed in the oven and loaded in the dishwasher.
Transforming Consumer Passion into Meal Prep Innovation
As part of its collaboration with Samsung Club Des Chefs, Samsung has also developed new innovations for cooking and meal preparation. The new Electric Slide In Range (model:NE58H9950) offers all of the functionality of last year’s electric slide-in range with Flex Duo – including the ability to make two different meals at the same time at two different temperatures – but with new chef-inspired enhancements. Chief among these is a much more sophisticated level of oven control and more precise temperature regulation to enable the creation of show-off worthy dishes. The range also features a custom, built-in finish that instantly upgrades any kitchen.
To further equip home chefs with the ultimate in cooking performance, Samsung outfitted its Chef Collection Over-The Range (OTR) Microwave with sensor cooking. By simply selecting the appropriate dish and weight from the auto cook menu, this unique technology sets the correct time and temperature at which to cook the meal. It also features an improved filter which eliminates smoke and odor while cooking, with a Simple Clean design so it is easy to remove at the touch of a button for routine maintenance. The Chef Collection OTR features bottom controls for easy accessibility and a premium, streamlined look for today’s modern kitchen.
A New Day in Dishwashing
Beautiful spotless dishes are just as important to the meal experience as the food itself. But the basic technology and design of dishwashers – with their inefficient conventional rotary and circle water sprays — has not advanced in 40 years. Until now.
Samsung’s latest dishwasher (model:DW80H9970) is a true game-changer. While traditional wash systems feature rotary spray arms that do not reach all corners, the WaterWall(TM) technology’s linear mechanism moves along the bottom of the dishwasher tub to provide consistent high water pressure throughout the wash. The dishwasher creates a powerful wall of water from corner to corner to target every dish, pot, pan, serving spoon and flatware utensil – every time. Moreover, the Controllable Intensive Washing function (Zone Booster) offers two cleaning zones. Heavily soiled pots and pans get a high pressure and high temperature wash, while plates and glasses get a normal wash with a lighter water stream.
Showcasing New Food Storage Solutions
The days of opening the refrigerator and sorting through disorganized drawers and shelves are over with the Samsung Food Showcase Refrigerator (model:RH22H9010SR). With smart storage and organizational solutions for the family, the refrigerator features an exterior door ShowCase compartment divided into three family-friendly zones: An upper level cooking zone for cooking items like cheese and sauces, a mid-level family zone for drinks and snacks, and a lower level kids zone for juice boxes and fruit cups. The refrigerator also includes an interior InnerCase compartment for longer storage of larger, fresh food items. The Metal Cooling guard on the inside of the front door captures cold air and maintains the optimal temperature within the fridge, so food stays fresh, even if the refrigerator door is opened frequently.
The Samsung Food Showcase also features elegant metal doors that reflect Samsung’s design philosophy of ‘Timeless Design,’ expressing and adding a premium feel to the modern lifestyle of families.
