Home sweet high-tech home

MANILA, Philippines - We were wide-eyed — and wide-mouthed — with anticipation as we were led to a room brimming with all sorts of gadgets and appliances that may well be the stuff high-tech dreams are made of.

Of course, it was not some nebulous dream or a figment of our overworked imagination. It was the launch of Samsung’s innovative top-of-the-line products that bring its human digitalism philosophy to life.

“Human digitalism will herald an era of smarter design, more varied content, and easier connectivity,” Samsung honchos Stanley Goh and Robert Vu tell the media people covering Samsung’s 2011 Southeast Asia, Oceania and Taiwan forum at the indescribably luxurious, world-class Marina Bay Sands Singapore.

Our tour guide had a hard time shepherding us as we spread ourselves all over the room like a flock of sheep gone amok. Our gracious guide could only hide her exhaustion behind a sheepish grin. I was a lost sheep myself, having been lured into a corner where Samsung’s new state-of-the-art refrigerators stood in all their resplendent grandeur. Imitating those gorgeous models on the Price Is Right showing off prizes given away on the show, we started opening one ref after another, flashing our winning smiles and striking a pose for the camera. We would never have guessed how much those awesome refrigerators were, but surely, we would have loved to bring one home or two or three…

A whiff of Maldives: Samsung’s Maldives air conditioner blends beauty and smart design with sophisticated cooling technology that can reduce energy usage by up to 60 percent.

Cool, Energy-Saving Refrigerator

Shining like a diamond was the gem of a ref designed by renowned Italian jewelry designer Massimo Zucchi. It may well be the toast of the town with its champagne handle that sparkles in pink, gold lines that illuminate light on the handle bar. But of course, the Zucchi ref combines elegant design with functionality. Dual LED lighting illuminates every corner of the Massimo Zucchi refrigerator so you can locate items easily. Its twin cooling system ensures that all stored items are fresh and kept at optimal humidity levels. There’s also no transfer of odors between compartments and the food items’ odor and aroma are retained. More (or should we say less), the Massimo Zucchi is equipped with Samsung’s fourth-generation digital inverter compressor that cuts down energy cost. Now, how cool is that? Shall we raise our glasses to Massimo Zucchi?

Oui, there’s also Samsung’s French door refrigerator — the AW3 — designed for people who are looking for and craving added food storage, convenience, and sophisticated style in a refrigerator.

There’s a lot to rave about this ref: With three extra cubic feet of volume, it’s got four doors for increased access, a large freezer drawer, mid-drawer, and main double French doors that lead to a spacious fridge compartment. And for those midnight snack attacks, there’s a snack pocket inside the freezer box where you can hide those ice cream bars or other frozen delights. If you’re counting calories, just remember this rule of thumb: Anything eaten in the dark does not count.

Picture-pretty: Samsung’s plasma TV lineup — the 8000 and 490 — offers breathtaking picture quality, advanced connectivity options, and superior audio-visual technologies.

Washful Thinking

Those who dread doing laundry (who doesn’t?) will be happy to welcome Samsung’s Pacific washer into their homes. This durable top load washing machine features Samsung’s Wobble technology with specialized fabric care, providing energy savings of up to 37 percent. By efficiently controlling water usage while delivering enhanced fabric protection and cleaning performance, it reduces water consumption by 30 percent. In addition, with the Wobble pulsator, which generates a multi-directional washing flow, you’ll have clean loads that are up to 80-percent less tangled than loads on standard models.

On the other hand, the Eco Bubble washing machine can take on much bigger wash loads at much less carbon footprint. With it, washing can be done at a temperature of 15°C and you get the same wash results as a 40°C cycle without bubbles, thus reducing energy expenditure by 70 percent and providing a more gentle wash environment for heat-sensitive garments.

Clean Sweep

Another tedious household chore you probably dread like the plague is cleaning. Samsung makes the job a lot easier with its new range of lightweight, cordless vacuum cleaners that are so sleek homeowners would probably want to display them rather than hide them in some musty storage.

With these lightweight cleaners, housewives don’t really need a man in the house as cleaning doesn’t have to be a cumbersome task. For instance, Samsung’s SS7550 series features upright cleaners with a strong turbo power brush, providing flexibility and convenience for exceptional cleaning results.

Wash up?: The Pacific washer is a durable top load washing machine featuring Samsung’s Wobble technology with specialized fabric care and energy savings of up to 37 percent.

As we navigated the room, we also came across the Navibot vacuum cleaner that’s got an upward facing camera that maps the ceiling to get an idea of the room layout. Featuring over 50 other sensors, it can expertly weave its way around the clutter and furniture without breaking anything or falling down the stairs and breaking its neck. Very smart robot, don’t you think? Now, your “houseband” can have more time to do what he wants — that is, of course, when he’s done vacuuming the whole house.

The Maldives: To Dive For

Amid the hoopla, as we kept our eyes peeled for the latest gadgets of desire, we caught an invigorating whiff of the Maldives — that is, Samsung’s new advanced air conditioner called the Maldives that blends beauty and smart design with sophisticated cooling technology that can reduce energy usage by up to 60 percent! It’s especially designed for Southeast Asian countries where the energy cost is high and the air pollution is bad. Its “double saving, double cleaning” concept is doubly good for consumers who get gas pains from their “electrifying” electric bill.

Take double note: With the double saving technology, when the system is turned on, increased control technology maintains ideal temperatures without constantly starting and stopping the compressor, which reduces the amount of wasted energy with the Smart Inverter technology. When the system is turned off, an improved control board uses low dosages of energy, saving consumers 90-percent more energy than conventional air conditioners with the Zero Standby power technology.

Hot Stuff

What’s cooking?: The first of its kind on the market, the Samsung Steam Twin cooking oven allows users to cook items independently at two different temperatures, in different partitions of the oven, while using steam technology to healthily cook food.

So, what else was cooking at the Samsung forum? The Samsung Steam Twin cooking oven, that’s what!

To cope with today’s fast-paced living, Samsung introduces cooking in the fast lane. Some fast facts: The first of its kind on the market, the Steam Twin cooking oven allows you to cook items independently at two different temperatures, in different partitions of the oven. Of course, the steam technology lets you cook healthy foods (read: reduced salt and fat).

Here’s more: The divider perfectly seals the cavities of the oven so there’s no transfer of odors or flavors, which means that you can cook anything without transferring flavors — from fish to pizzas, veggies to no-guilt goodies. Why, cooking up a feast for your large family has never been this fun and fuss-free!

With the Steam Twin oven, we can only nurture twin dreams of steamed clams with horseradish dill sauce or beef steamed dumplings with steamed pudding for dessert!

Another kitchen hottie is the groundbreaking OmniPro microwave oven that is so intelligent it can plan and monitor the entire cooking process for you. Indeed, a perfect cooking partner for harried homemakers.

Smart robot: The Navibot vacuum cleaner has an upward facing camera that maps the ceiling to get an idea of the room layout. It has over 50 other sensors.

While most microwave ovens would have a limited selection of cooking options, the OmniPro has 35 to cater to every conceivable palate! It allows you to choose the appropriate program — when you put the food inside, the OmniPro weighs it and suggests the ideal cooking time. While the food is cooking (and maybe you’re watching TV or texting or reading), a humidity sensor simultaneously works to ensure it churns out a delicious meal cooked just the way you like it. No sweat, no muss, no fuss!

TV or not TV

 After that scrumptious dinner, you may want to turn on the telly. There’s nothing like watching the latest news or your favorite show on Samsung’s new plasma TV series (D8000, D490) that offers spectacular picture quality, advanced connectivity options, and superior audio-visual technologies. The elegant D8000 series delivers the best viewing experience in 2D and 3D. On the other hand, Samsung’s slim plasma D490 series is an HD 3D TV with a wide range of features — a great choice for those who want to enhance their TV experience and be mesmerized by the modern, flat panel world. We beg to disagree with Christopher Columbus — the world is not round; it is starkly flat!

Surely, there’s no place like a dream home filled with all these high-tech comforts.