With all the security risks these days, whats to stop the government meddling with how you wash your clothes from the internet, or "reports" you to the Eco-Nazi-Police?

And whats to stop some scrupulous folk exploiting the software on these washers and causing some sort of house flood or catastrophic failure of the washer? We'd be locked into software-updates and "paying for security" like we have with Windows and Mac operating systems.

I don't like the sounds of this.

It seriously does not require more than a moment's thought to sort White from bright from dark, dirty from clean (smelly/not smelly) and things that really shouldn't be washed with one-another (Bed-linens, wash-cloths, towels, nappies etc.)

As stated above, provided you have an adequate detergent arsenal (maybe not a collection) and appropriate additives, just choose one, make a measurement with the measuring scoop provided, dial in a cycle and temperature and AWAY you go!

Since when was that all too hard?

It only takes a moment of your day, and it has to be done. Letting "The Cloud" control your washer still doesn't stop you have to put the clothes in, or perhaps sort them. You still have to choose detergent, too. 

First world problems, right here, right now. How pathetic. 

People in 3rd World countries are worried about losing their scholars to 1st world countries. WELL, when they get here, we'll lose them and everyone else to technologies' tight grip. 

When I look all I see is people being distracted with apps for this, that and the other. So much time is spent with info technology nowadays and it doesn't make life easier or bring people closer together at all. That's the general misconception about this techonology. Everyone is scurrying around multi-tasking with their I-pads and I-phones, twittering, tweeting rubbish and being bombarded with mostly useless information. Does it make people more learned, more intelligent, better decision makers, more efficient or better human beings alround? I don't think so. Will it really make my life easier if I now have to take messages from my dryer, washer, fridge? As if I haven't already enough to worry about communicating with people.

It is more useless rubbish that doesn't solve the real challenges that we are still grappling with as a species or in our every day lives. It creates another contrived dependency, another must have thing to while away life with meaningless shite. Most importantly it is intrusive as it allows third parties to see what we get up to in our personal sphere.

Responding to Malcolm's post I'd like to say that ATM cards are actually a pain in the arse for many reasons.

Automatic transmissions don't data mine and compel people to spend countless hours playing silly computer games when they should be looking after their kids or exercise their minds and bodies doing something more useful.

Micrwave ovens - as convenient as they are I do wonder if they don't alter the molecular structure of our foods and contribute to increased cases of bowel and stomach cancer.

There is strong scientific evidence that excessive mobile phone use causes brain cancer - but what can you do when even brain surgeons use them?

I wouldn't be so quick to discount Rapunzel's statements - after all, they technically haven't been proven true OR false at this point in time, As far as I know. Theoretically, vibrating water with 2.4GHz micro-waves shouldn't make a difference, but it could do so, enough that only people with "the bad genes" are affected. 

You should also be careful about what you say regarding hackers. Remember they are people who either do things to annoy people because they don't have a life, or because getting their life-savings will make them rich. 

Wi-Fi is actually VERY in-secure, depending on the method used to secure it (I'm looking at you WEP!).

Online Banking is VERY insecure - since people who hack into the servers can act as "man in the middle" seeing what you see, before you see it, and meddling with your data.

They can also hack your "secure" connection, with credentials akin to the security certificate. 

And of course, if you have a virus on your computer, then any "secure connections" are just a load of crap, since those programs watch what you are doing, then phone home via a different connection. 

There a probably many other ways of hacking into technology. Just because you don't think they have business on an automatic washer, doesn't mean they won't come. Its like saying the Titanic was "unsinkable."

And remember, if you need a secure connection, then you need code that supports that. That code is never 100% perfect, and thus requires updates, or else risk being hacked. The base code of the washer might be inherently insecure or buggy, too. More places to "get in."

In this case, I imagine that the theory is that you cannot be caused undue harm from microwave-waves. 

Here is something I pulled off Google: http://www.darvill.clara.net/emag/emagmicro.htm

You should be CAREFUL around a microwave - God only knows how cheap the "Anti-Wave" stuff they employ to stop the microwaves escaping are, and how effective, if at all, they are. 

Included as well is the EM-Spectrum from Wikipedia, just so we're all sure to be on the same wave-length!

(Oh, thats punny...)

Years ago, someone had the "bright idea" of placing a Mobile-Phone tower smack-bang amongst several businesses in our community. 

Since then, at least 6 people from those businesses, including someone from my own family, have developed Breast Cancers. I believe the male affected might have had either a Lung or Brain cancer. However, I'm not too sure on that one. 

So I am somewhat skeptical of how 'safe' mobile towers really are. Of course, other lifestyle factors can influence, and I'd imagine the occurrences of this would probably be Normally Distributed - given such few people have been affected. 

HOWEVER - we have been very disappointed with the surveyors conclusion that the tower poses "No Risk" to the well-being of people working right underneath the thing, five days a week, six hours a day - when there have CLEARLY been several cases of people working there AND developing carcinomas. 

Not happy, Jan!