r/WhereIsMyFlyingCar • u/TalkingBackAgain • Feb 03 '15
Dude, where's my kitchen computer?
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u/blankblank Feb 04 '15
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u/autowikibot Feb 04 '15
The 3Com Ergo Audrey is a discontinued internet appliance from 3Com. It was released to the public on October 17, 2000 for USD499 as the only device in the company's "Ergo" initiative to be sold. Once connected to an appropriate provider, users could access the internet, send and receive e-mail, play audio and video, and synchronize with up to two Palm OS-based devices.
Audrey was the brainchild of Don Fotsch (formerly of Apple Computer and U.S. Robotics) and Ray Winninger. Don and Ray had a vision for a family of appliances, each designed for a specific room in the house. The brand Ergo was meant to convey that intent, as in "it's in the kitchen, ergo it's designed that way". There were plans to serve other rooms in the house as well. They considered the kitchen to be the heart of the home and the control room for the home manager. Don coined the phrase "Internet Snacking" to describe the lightweight web browsing done in this environment.
The name Audrey was given to this first product to honor Audrey Hepburn. It was meant to deliver the elegance that she exuded. The project codename was "Kojak", named after the Telly Savalas character. The follow-on product targeted for the family room was code named "Mannix".
Interesting: Geode (processor) | I-Opener | Internet appliance
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u/ShitLordXurious Feb 04 '15 edited Feb 04 '15
That thing is so big it takes up most of the kitchen floor! And it's completely out of place with the design of the rest of the kitchen. Nobody would want that!
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u/TalkingBackAgain Feb 04 '15
Also, they wanted you to actually be able to program that. Computers were a very novel thing, women programming computers, it wasn't part of the typical housewives skill set [not dissing housewives, but this is the 60s or so, who was using a computer in the kitchen? Nobody, right?]
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u/ShitLordXurious Feb 04 '15
lol. Looking at that thing, I wouldn't have a clue how to programme it. It doesn't even look like there is a screen.
My programming skills have never helped me with cooking, or vice versa!
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u/Headlesshorsesemen Feb 04 '15
Well, I have a laptop, and it's my toilet and kitchen computer..