Planning to remodel your kitchen this year? If so, take advantage of the high-tech wave surging in your favor. GE has now joined forces with Amazon's Alexa to give you a voice activated kitchen experience.
High-tech kitchen advancements have been sprouting up like crazy over the past five years. Things like touch-free faucets and touch-activated cabinets were the first to come on the scene. Then, we were all enamored of the way appliances like the Samsung Family Hub refrigerator could "communicate" with your phone to alert you when certain contents were low, or when something is about to expire - not to mention keeping track of your family's calendar events.
Features like Alexa and Echo are only the beginning of the new generation of automated Chicago kitchen remodeling features.
What is Amazon's Alexa?
This Amazon feature, which pairs with the Amazon Echo (a wireless speaker that can be voice activated from virtually anywhere in your home or "ear shot"), can be connected to other wireless devices - in order to create a voice-activated home.
Using Alexa and Echo (Dot or Tap streaming audio players work as well) you can do any number of things, like tell your heater to turn on or off, or re-set your alarm clock. GE has capitalized on this technology by syncing up (pun intended) with Alexa for a smarter kitchen design. They did it by creating Geneva - an app that acts as the middle-woman, of sorts.
Use Alexa to Design a Smarter Chicago Kitchen Remodeling Project
Now, Alexa and Geneva have taken previous smart advancements and raised them to the next level by leveraging your phone's home automation apps, Echo and your voice. For example:
Preheat Your Oven
Ever started mixing the ingredients for your famous hamburgers, only to realize you haven't preheated the oven for the crispy potato wedges? Instead of extricating yourself from a bowl of ground beef and washing your hands, you say, "Alexa, tell Geneva to preheat the oven to 425°..." and your oven will follow the command.
Check on the Dishwasher's Status
You know those times where the dishwasher feels like it's running forever, and you need to know when it will be done? All you have to do is ask. Alexa will give you an approximate finish time. The same is true for other GE Wi-Fi enabled appliances, like their washers and dryers.
Set the Timer
You put the first batch of chocolate chip cookies into the oven and sit down to stream your favorite show. Whoops! Did you remember to set the timer? No need to get up - simply have Alexa tell Geneva to set the timer and she'll take care of it for you.
The Alexa-Geneva connection will work for more than 70 new GE appliances, and more than 15,000 existing GE, Wi-Fi enabled appliances. Unfortunately, there's no way to upgrade older appliances to work with the system.
Looking to design a smarter, tech-savvy Chicago kitchen remodel? Schedule a consultation with the forward-thinking design team at Kitchens & Baths Unlimited.
