Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Wireless Rice Cooker


One of the tasks I do in the course of a day is to gather data on the electronic components I use on the circuit boards I design. The client gives me the part numbers for the components, but it is up to me to get the actual data. All the vendors have websites where this information is available.
So, the other day as I was searching for a part from Nordic Semiconductor, I came across this article about a WIRELESS RICE COOKER--I just about spit my coffee on the monitor. WTF?!
The Cuckoo (aptly named) rice cooker from Korea comes with a USB dongle that plugs into a PC, where a wireless link to the rice cooker is established. The owner can then go to Cuckoo's website and download recipes directly to the rice cooker. The cooking parameters are automatically set on the cooker. The rice cooker can even send back data to the PC on the status of the cooking.
Sure, technology is great. Yeah, this is innovative. But come on.....a wireless rice cooker?! How many recipes are there for rice? I'll tell you---exactly ONE. Water+rice. That's it. Of course there are many different kinds of rice that need different cooking times and water-rice ratios, but I think most regular rice cookers have that all figured out already. I still cook rice on top of the stove, and that works just fine for me.
What makes this thing sort of bogus is the fact that you still have to put the damn rice and water INTO the cooker anyway. So, while you are there, you might as well turn it on, hey?
Oh, and yeah...since it works from a PC, it will probably give the "blue rice cooker of death" right before your big dinner party.

6 comments:

Sheila said...

This is rich!!! Best giggle I have had in a long time, my friend!

goldenrail said...

That is hilarious!

D.B. Echo said...

This is a great idea. I hate when I get wires in my rice!

Seriously, I thought this was a battery-operated rice cooker, but no such luck. I guess this is a "Wireless Rice Cooker (with power cord and USB cable.)"

MaryRuth said...

Sheila--just another thing to clutter up the kitchen, huh?
GR--glad you enjoyed it!
DB--the wires are what gives it crunch! I showed this to my co-worker who was excited because he thought it was USB powered. Then he said you could hack into someone's rice making and burn it for them.

Miss Healthypants said...

*hee hee* Yep, that's a pretty useless appliance. :)

Kevin Horgan said...

Shop for Aroma Professional Digital Rice Cooker and Food Steamer - Silver/Black at Fred Meyer. Find quality kitchen products to add to your next in-store o here