Visa says we're all going to have internet-connected fridges in the future

javala · ‎03-10-2010

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David Becker/Getty Images

Soon we're all going to be buying things with our fridge. That's what Jonathan Vaux from Visa says, at least.

We met with Vaux, an executive director at Visa Europe during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

"Your fridge will have a payment capability," he said. "People are immediately associating [Samsung Pay] with the phone, but they're the biggest provider of white goods and so I will have a fridge, I'm sure, that will have connected payments in it."

We asked Vaux whether having an internet-connected fridge in your kitchen, integrated with your bank account, is a security risk. "It depends what it's sharing on the internet," he said. "If I'm buying stuff through my fridge, it's probably going to be milk ... If I suddenly start to order a MacBook Air from my fridge then your fraud detection systems are probably going to start setting off some alarms."

People have been talking about "connected fridges" for years. In fact, it's a running joke amongst attendees at tech conferences. A Tumblr blog, F*ck Yeah Internet Fridge, collects photos and mentions of connected fridges.

In fact, here's a BBC News article from 1999 about internet-connected fridges:

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/visa-on-internet-connected-fridges-2015-3#ixzz3TRb2AvOL

brii · ‎06-20-2010

I'd be more interested in one that is always well stocked. LOL

Topaz Gem · ‎03-10-2010

At first glance this seems really cool, but it makes me nervous. Pretty soon we'll have our whole lives connected to the internet and will be sitting ducks for hackers/terrorists, etc. to do their damage.

"Summer afternoon-summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." ~Henry James

Cakers1 · ‎03-09-2010

I supposed it's like anything else - and if we don't have to purchase such a fridge, then it's not an issue. Same with smartphones - some people don't use them and only have a basic cell phone.

The times they are a-changing.

Blahblahvampemer · ‎08-31-2010

Smart meters are already spying on us as to when we're home and what appliances we're using. I don't see an upside to having everything in the house spying on me so the data can be sold or used against me in some fashion. When you have a TV system in place that warns you not to have private conversations around it, that's just weird. At best.

Read it! New England Journal of Medicine—May 21, 2020
Universal Masking in Hospitals in the Covid-19 Era

“We know that wearing a mask outside health care facilities offers little, if any, protection from infection.

deepwaterdotter · ‎03-09-2010

I'm doing good when I can remember to refill the ice-cube trays, I doubt I could figure out a computerized refrigerator.

Blahblahvampemer · ‎08-31-2010

On 3/4/2015 Cakers1 said:
I supposed it's like anything else - and if we don't have to purchase such a fridge, then it's not an issue. Same with smartphones - some people don't use them and only have a basic cell phone.

The times they are a-changing.

I want to get rid of my smart phone and go basic, but they're getting harder to find by the day.

Read it! New England Journal of Medicine—May 21, 2020
Universal Masking in Hospitals in the Covid-19 Era

“We know that wearing a mask outside health care facilities offers little, if any, protection from infection.

Cakers1 · ‎03-09-2010

On 3/4/2015 blahblahvampemerblah said:
On 3/4/2015 Cakers1 said:
I supposed it's like anything else - and if we don't have to purchase such a fridge, then it's not an issue. Same with smartphones - some people don't use them and only have a basic cell phone.

The times they are a-changing.

I want to get rid of my smart phone and go basic, but they're getting harder to find by the day.

blah: ATT, T-mobile - they are now selling the old flip phone styles again. We just looked at them the other day. I still have a flip phone and I don't care who laughs at me. ${#emotions_dlg.laugh}$ ${#emotions_dlg.blush}$

The plans do include text/data today, though - not like years ago where you paid more for extras.

Blahblahvampemer · ‎08-31-2010

On 3/4/2015 Cakers1 said:
On 3/4/2015 blahblahvampemerblah said:
On 3/4/2015 Cakers1 said:
I supposed it's like anything else - and if we don't have to purchase such a fridge, then it's not an issue. Same with smartphones - some people don't use them and only have a basic cell phone.

The times they are a-changing.

I want to get rid of my smart phone and go basic, but they're getting harder to find by the day.

blah: ATT, T-mobile - they are now selling the old flip phone styles again. We just looked at them the other day. I still have a flip phone and I don't care who laughs at me. ${#emotions_dlg.laugh}$ ${#emotions_dlg.blush}$

The plans do include text/data today, though - not like years ago where you paid more for extras.

Thanks for the info! I'm only paying $10 a month though so I hope they have a cheap option.

Read it! New England Journal of Medicine—May 21, 2020
Universal Masking in Hospitals in the Covid-19 Era

“We know that wearing a mask outside health care facilities offers little, if any, protection from infection.