When I saw this post I got thinking, WiFi Sense sounded familiar. Picked up my Nokia Windows Phone and sure enough WiFi Sense is on it. So I guess WiFi Sense has been around for a little while. My Phone is running Windows 8.1. I have a Windows 8.1 Tablet and Laptop, I'll have to look and see if WiFi Sense is on them too! I'm on my Windows 7 Laptop right now! Just Googled it, looks like it's definitely on the Windows 8.1 Phones. Didn't see anything about it being on Laptops of Tablets. I will still check them tomorrow after I get up!

I am using Parrot Flower Powers extensively and find them very helpful. It's a good way to gain a better understanding of light, moisture, and soil. This kind of thing isn't for everyone... as I see from the comments above. Many commercial growers are using tools like these to increase their yields. Concepts such as 'watering the day before your plant needs it' becomes trivial along with the knowledge to maximize your growth. Of course, it still takes quite a bit of effort and learning to get the most out of it (like most things). My focus is more on the measurements rather than automatic recommendations from a tool. Most important is understanding what exactly is being measured and how. For example, I really don't find the nutrient/EC measurements useful because I prefer to have levels at the very bottom of the sensor's measurement range. For that I use a separate EC meter. Here are just a few of my graphs over the past year, since I am running multiple sensors. Temperatures over the past year including a cold spell outside in May: For light, I have been measuring in different places with this sensor throughout the year. Measurements are in PAR DLI: For watering, the cycles change throughout the year according to temperature. Early this year I arranged to have a good friend water my plants just enough to sustain them (it took her several hours each time as I have over two hundred plants with different needs). Overall, I think tools like these are fantastic and getting the data and trends are incredibly useful. I wish they were much cheaper and readily available, but right now it's a step in the right direction. Commercial measurement tools cost hundreds of dollars and close to a thousand if you include multiple sensors and logging capabilities.

I have LG front loads which I love - bought them for the features but not the wifi connectivity, though it offers that. Not long ago I installed the app just to see what it might do (planned to uninstall because of security issues). The app was useless, no real features that I'd ever find remotely useful... and when I walked 2 ft away it dropped out. I did (for fun) attempt to access the app while standing in front of them, and it was too buggy to work. Personally, I'd buy for other features and read reviews, never wifi connectivity. I uninstalled the app as I'd planned. Karen, consider what you might use it for... if you're not home, would you be comfortable adding to the drying time - or concerned about overheating your clothes or dryer? Why start a washer if you aren't home - no one is there to load it and mine is very quiet. Do you just want to know when the cycle finishes? I thought that might be handy but honestly, mine makes a tune when done, and I hear it anywhere pretty much unless I'm working in the yard - and I don't carry my phone there. If I'm not at home, I can't pull the clothes out anyway and put them in the dryer. My dryer also makes a tune, but sometimes I need to remove and untangle clothes. Some offer diagnostics if experiencing an issue, but these same diagnostics are on my front panels. I don't wish to start or stop drying or washing via wifi, so basically, I don't see a good use for such a thing, even without the possible security issues.

Back when I had 3 active teens at home & a full time job, my old oven's Delay Start & Time Bake were fantastic conveniences. I'd get home at 3 pm, put a refrigerated casserole in the oven, start my 2 1/2 hours of pick ups & drop offs & errands, then we'd all come home to a cooked meal. I can see how remotely operating an oven could be very useful for a busy family. I use my new oven's wifi. It's not essential, and if it fizzles out as the appliance ages, no real loss. But it's a nice convenience for now. I was grocery shopping the other day, & the fish looked great. I have a good baked fish recipe, so I got the fish & other ingredients. Starting the oven in the grocery store, I came home to an oven ready to go. I assembled the fish dish & popped it in the oven, then put away the rest of the groceries. It gave me some time to get off my feet afterwards, especially when the end time rang on my phone & I turned the oven off without having to get up. We had guests recently, & dessert was still baking when they arrived. I could sit with them on our deck & converse because I had my phone with me to keep an eye on the oven. Otherwise, I can't hear the oven timer from the deck. GE sometimes adds features via software upgrades. They've added air fry to some ranges; hopefully they'll add it to my wall oven. This summer they added a weather feature to my clock display, which I like. I can see the current temp, projected high & low, & the day's forecast.