The days of forgetting to stock up on household essentials because you’ve forgotten what is in the fridge at home could be at an end. A new gadget from tech firm Bosch will allow shoppers to see exactly what they’ve got in stock from their mobile phone. The firm is selling mini-cameras which can be installed inside a fridge and are connected to an app on someone’s phone. This will allow users to see exactly what is inside wherever they may be — whether at work, or browsing the aisles in their local supermarket. Shoppers can even zoom to check exactly how many eggs they have, for example, or if there are enough vegetables in the drawer. It is part of a range of gadgets that have been launched by Bosch, as part of its smart home range that will connect dozens of appliances to mobile phones. They include gadgets that will allow homeowners to speak to delivery drivers waiting outside their front door even if they are not at home. When someone rings the front doorbell, it activates the app on the mobile phone. With a camera and microphone installed on the doorbell they will then be able to see and talk to whoever has called at their home. They could then instruct the driver to leave packages with a neighbor or leave it on the porch, or tell unwanted cold-callers to go away, while sitting at their desk at work or even on holiday. Other devices in the range include controls for heating, lights and cameras that can be monitored by using an app on a mobile phone. Controlling gadgets remotely was once considered to be a futuristic* fad* that would never catch on. Steffen Hoffman, president of Bosch U.K., said: “All of this is about safety in the home. If you’re in the supermarket, you can check the fridge, or if you’ve lost your wallet you can check if you’ve left it on the table. We have this outdoor camera which means from wherever you are, you can talk to someone at your door, for example, the delivery guy. People might be more comfortable having that kind of control, often when they are getting older.”(SD-Agencies) | 