The Zojirushi Corporation has developed the first Internet-Enabled Hot Pot. The i-Pot monitors its usage statistics and sends them off wirelessly (802.11x, presumably), allowing other parties to monitor your tea-drinking habits with bated breath. The marketed application for the i-Pot rests largely with the elderly—if your obaasan misses her regular tea break, the i-Pot can send a message to someone so they can check up on her. As the product page says, "The electric pot becomes the barometer of vigor." Available for roughly $50 in Japan, with a one month trial option available.

Translated Product Page [Mimamori via GearLive]

Contact information for this author is not available.