By Craig Zammit
CHICAGO, USA: Samsung Electronics has announced the launch of a new refrigerator, dubbed PopCon for Popular Convergence, which combines convenience and technology by merging a 10.4-inch LCD TFT touch screen television with organising and scheduling functions along-side entertainment capabilities.
In the latest incarnation of the internet-refrigerator, the 680-litre Samsung refrigerator is designed to function as a family information centre. The PopCon refrigerator features a digital calendar and schedule, text message capability, digital memo and touch-screen stylus system for writing on-screen notes.
According to Samsung Australia there is no official release date or pricing at this stage for the refrigerator, which will be released at this week’s Kitchen and Bathroom show in Chicago. A tentative global launch date has been set for September 2006.
"The Popcon refrigerator follows in the Samsung tradition of bringing together innovative technologies to make people’s lives easier, more fun, and more functional. From Samsung’s first DVD-VCR combo to the Samsung camera-MP3-phone combo, to this new LCD fridge, Samsung is always designing products that make daily life more convenient," said Samsung Australia general manager – marketing, Kurt Jovais.
As well as streamlining family affairs, the LCD screen also acts as a food minder through the Detail Memo function, which provides consumers information on food expiry dates – alerting users when a product exceeds its used-by date – as well as giving detailed information on food storage based on category. The PopCon refrigerator also features a voice recording feature to allow users to leave voice message for loved ones to play back at their leisure.
Additionally, the digital wireless TFT LCD screen can view free-to-air television and even detach for placement around the home. With the addition of the built-in digital FM-radio and two speaker sound system, the PopCon refrigerator builds on Samsungs LCD technology and facilitates many family activities in one appliance.