Although little noticed in the trade papers, this gadget was one of the hot new products introduced at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week. Here's the company's press release:
For countless decades people have used conventional coffee cups and tea cups for drinking warm beverages. But seldom has anyone explored ways of improving the cups by integrating digital technology and state-of-the-art communications into their structures. Recently the X Project research team at Gaggle, Inc. under the direction of entrepreneur L.C. Winner (formerly CEO of EDUSHAM) has discovered ways to unleash the power of the latest microchips, Big Data and Cloud Computing to produce the first truly innovative coffee cup in generations.
Product specifications:
— powerful microchip integrated seamlessly into the cup’s ceramic base;
— electronic sensors in the bowl and handle of the cup to detect relevant temperatures, hand and arm motions of the drinker and rate of consumption;
— mini wireless connection to the Cloud provides instantaneous access to massive amounts of data on the drinking habits of billions of consumers worldwide, adapting the cup’s temperature to the drinker’s personal profile;
— rechargeable battery powers all electronic components.
Performance:
The Smart Cup responds gracefully to the presence of hot liquids, keeping them warm for several minutes by carefully calculating the rate at which the drinker is likely to consume the product, allowing slow cool down as the person finishes.
Following a drinking session, the Smart Cup powers down automatically, sitting quietly on a table or kitchen shelf, awaiting the next introduction of hot liquid.
The Smart Cup is fully washable and dishwasher ready.
Smart Cups are available in a variety of attractive colors and decorative patterns matched to each consumer’s personal taste.
Estimated cost: $399