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This is what we did in 1998!
Futuristic fridge-freezer
It Sounds like something straight out of Tomorrow's World, but before long housewives could be using the coolest domestic appliance of them all, the thinking fridge.
West scientists (thats the dve team in 1998)have designed a futuristic fridge/freezer for the 21st Century kitchen that not only keeps food fresh but also creates its own shopping list and then orders goods from the supermarket.
And the high-tech fridge will enable householders to send and receive e-mail, pay bills and handle personal banking.
To cap it all, the proud owner can then put his or her feet up and watch TV on it.
The Screenfidge, which was unveiled yesterday, was developed by Data Vision Europe of Wootton Bassett near Swindon, in co-operation with internet services company ICL and electrical giant Electrolux.
The unit, which is basically a fridge with a personal computer built into the door, took Data Vision Europe just two weeks to produce over Christmas.
The Company, which has just seven staff, believes it could be the shape of kitchens to come.
Data Vision owner and sales director Mike Kellond said: "It's brilliant. People's jaws drop when they see it."
" It's a simple idea that is very user-friendly."
The firm developed the fridge after being approached by ICL, which has more that 19,000 staff in 70 countries.
The Screenfridge consists of a touch screen and bar-code scanner built into the outside top door of the fridge freezer.
Adrian King, president of ICL's retail systems division, said: "imagine this, You're in the kitchen and you notice that you are running low on eggs.
"You swipe the carton past the bar code scanner, which makes a note on it's personal shopping list. You do this for all the items that you need."
"When you're ready you send the list to a nominated supermarket and the supermarket can then make up and deliver the order to your home.
"Alternatively, the next time you go to the store yourself your supermarket will be able to either give you your list sorted into aisle order or give you your shopping, packed for you in advance by a store assistant - whichever you prefer."
Mr King likened the new device to something James Bond's gadget designer Q might have come up with. He said: "This innovation is not only possible but practical."
Graham Drage of Electrolux said it took internet shopping, which mostly centres on books, CDs and entertainment products, a step further.
He said: "A fridge/freezer that will never allow you to run out of beer, chocolate cake or ice cream" - how close to perfection does that sound to you?"
The fridges will be market tested with the next six months and could go on sale by next year.
It is estimated they will cost £700 to £800 more than a standard fridge/freezer.
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