Just when you thought it was impossible for home appliances to get any more technologically savvy, out comes LG with THINQ. New gadgets can be a bit scary, but the THINQ app is designed to make life easier. This device links certain LG appliances to smartphones and gives consumers appliance control from outside the home. For example, the system can even send an alert out that the LG refrigerator water filter needs changed with the Smart Diagnosis tool.
Smart Diagnosis
The LG THINQ monitors appliances and will troubleshoot to find problems as they occur. The water filter notification is one example of that process in action. There are literally dozens of things that can go wrong on home appliances like refrigerator filters. This device will send an alert out when there are issues that need attention to prevent the owner from losing money by using excess energy or damage to the appliance. If the refrigerator door is open, THINQ shows a display on a smartphone or tablet computer that shows the refrigerator with the open door highlighted.
The Smart Diagnosis system takes the guesswork out of managing your home appliances. When a problem is significant, homeowners know right away to call for service. The diagnostic feature will have data on warranties for each appliance and provide details on repair options.
Smart Grid
The Smart Grid is the feature that monitors the efficiency of appliances. With today’s economy, efficiency and energy use are prime concerns. It only takes one poorly functioning appliance to raise the energy bill for the month. Likewise, the more energy an appliance uses, the more emissions are released that pollute the atmosphere. The Smart Grid is a diagram that shows all the appliances that work within the THINQ system. Each device has data showing usage, cost and energy consumption. Consumers know every minute which appliances are costing them money and can judge how often to use those appliances based on that information.
Smart Access
Smart Access turns a smartphone or tablet into a portal that can manage each appliance remotely. Homeowners can work the controls of a device from a remote. For example, a consumer cooking dinner while working in a home office can check the timer on the oven to see how much longer before the food is ready. Individuals
with a robotic vacuum can clean the rugs while standing in line at the grocery store.
Putting It All Together
What does the THINQ really do? It gives consumers full control over any appliance that has smart technology. It creates a remote control to manage the washer and dryer, dishwasher and vacuum. This gadget provides direct command of many tools you use in the kitchen such as the LG oven, microwave and refrigerator. Any new appliance you buy from LG will most likely have the technology it takes to work with this program.
Some consumers are going to love this gadget. The more control the better for many technologically minded individuals. For others, it’s going to take some time to get used to the updated technology. Ultimately, the THINQ is a step into the future of managing a household. As the computer industry evolves, more electronics will work with smart technology applications like the LG THINQ.
