TSMC Plans to Double 16nm Chip Production in Preparation for iPhone 7

According to a new report from Economic Daily News (via DigiTimes), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has plans to double the output capacity of its 16nm chip production from 40,000 12-inch wafers in February to 80,000 in March. The news corroborates previous reports that suggested TSMC was ready to expand its 16nm FinFET production capacity in the second quarter of 2016, solely for the iPhone 7.

In a recent investors meeting, TSMC’s co-CEO CC Wei said that the company’s percentage share of the 14/16nm market is expected to increase from 40 percent in 2015 to over 70 percent in 2016. Apple isn’t specifically referenced in the report today, but among TSMC’s other purported 16nm customers — Xilinx, MediaTek, HiSilicon, Spreadtrum and Nvidia — it is one of the bigger names.

The upcoming ramp-up of 16nm production capacity will buoy TSMC’s sales performance starting March, the report quoted market watchers as indicating. The foundry’s 16nm FinFET processes consisting of 16FF (16nm FinFET), 16FF+ (16nm FinFET Plus) and 16FFC (16nm FinFET Compact) will generate more than 20% of its total wafer revenues in 2016.

Previous rumors around the iPhone 7 production have pointed to Apple picking TSMC to be the sole manufacturer of the smartphone’s processor, presumably called the A10. The foundry was said to have won over Apple because of its 10nm manufacturing process, and a likely attempt at avoiding the dual-sourced A9 chip blowback Apple saw in the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Tag: TSMC
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DisplayPort 1.4 to Use ‘Lossless’ Compression for Higher-Quality 8K Video Over USB-C

The Video Electronics Standards Association yesterday formally announced its new DisplayPort 1.4 standard, setting the stage for improved video quality and color for external display connections over both DisplayPort and USB-C connectors.

Rather than an increase in actual bandwidth, the improvements in DisplayPort 1.4 come due to improved compression, taking advantage of VESA’s new Display Stream Compression 1.2 standard to support High Dynamic Range (HDR) video up to either 8K resolution at 60 Hz or 4K resolution at 120 Hz.

DSC version 1.2 transport enables up to 3:1 compression ratio and has been deemed, through VESA membership testing, to be visually lossless. Together with other new capabilities, this makes the latest version of DP ideally suited for implementation in high-end electronic products demanding premier sound and image quality.

In addition to video-related improvements, DisplayPort 1.4 also expands audio capabilities with support for 32 channels, 1536kHz sample rates, and broader support for “all known” audio formats.

The approval of DisplayPort 1.4 comes even though consumers are still awaiting the arrival of devices supporting the previous DisplayPort 1.3 standard. Intel had been expected to support DisplayPort 1.3 in its current Skylake generation of chips, but the company instead opted to offer dual DisplayPort 1.2 support. As we detailed earlier this year, the lack of DisplayPort 1.3 support in Skylake could lead Apple to hold off on releasing a new 5K Thunderbolt Display until next year when chips supporting the standard become available.

Intel hasn’t laid out its DisplayPort support plans beyond Skylake, so it’s unknown whether the company will first move to DisplayPort 1.3 or if it can jump straight to the new DisplayPort 1.4 standard. Either way, we’re unlikely to see Macs supporting DisplayPort 1.4 until 2017 at the earliest.

Related Roundup: Thunderbolt Display
Tags: 8K displays, DisplayPort, USB-C, DisplayPort 1.4
Buyer’s Guide: Displays (Don’t Buy)
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DIY magnetic message board for your fridge – CNET

Alina Bradford

Having a message board on your fridge is great for keeping track of your grocery lists or your weekly dinner menu. The basic dry erase boards you can buy at the office supply store are bland and clash with a well-planned kitchen design, though. So, why not design your own board that not only looks nice, but also works better than most of the ones on the market? This message board takes only a few minutes to make and is made of glass, which is an ideal surface for dry erase markers.

Supplies

• Picture frame with glass pane (I used a 5 x 7 inch frame)
• 2 Sheets of decorative paper (wrapping paper, scrapbook paper, a page out of a coloring book)
• Pencil
• Scissors
• 4 Self-adhesive magnets with a magnet strength rating of around 7
• Small plastic cup
• E6000 glue or super glue
• Dry erase markers

Instructions

Lay the frame on top of one of the sheets of paper and trace around the frame with a pencil onto the paper.
Cut the paper along the lines you just traced.
Place the paper inside of the frame like you would a picture.
Remove the adhesive backing from the magnets. On the back of the frame place a magnet on each corner.
Cut a length of paper that is as wide as the cup is tall.
Glue the paper to the cup. You can also leave the cup plain if you like.
Glue the cup to the bottom edge of the frame and fill with dry erase markers once the glue dries.

10 easy ways to keep your fridge clean and…

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Skullcandy Grind Wireless Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Last year Skullcandy finally made a headphone I liked: the Grind, an on-ear model that’s comfortable and sounds really good for its relatively modest price (it costs less than $50 online). Now the company has introduced a Bluetooth version — The Grind Wireless — which hits stores in April for $90. No word yet on UK or Australia pricing, but that price converts to about £65 and AU$125.

From a design standpoint the Grind Wireless is very similar to the Grind and will come in six different colors at launch (I asked for the simple black version). The pre-production sample I got sounded very good for a sub-$100 Bluetooth headphone and features the same well-balanced sound as its wired sibling. There’s only a little bit of treble and bass push.

The Skullcandy Grind Wireless ships in April and will come in multiple color options for $90.

Skullcandy

This is a good Bluetooth headphone for what you’re paying. I’d call it quite competent, actually. But it’s still a Bluetooth headphone, so you’ll get that touch of Bluetooth dullness when you listen to it — especially if you compare it to a good wired headphone.

The headphone does come with a cord if you want to listen in corded mode (yes, it sounds good in corded mode) and I found this wireless model just as comfortable wear as the original Grind.

Battery life is rated at 12 hours, but you’ll probably do better than that if you listen at a more moderate volume. As with all Bluetooth headphones, there’s a built-in mic for making calls. But there’s no carrying case included.

My only small gripe is with the button controls. Typically, the “multifunction” button on the integrated remote (it’s in the right ear cup) doesn’t allow you to skip tracks forward and back. Rather, you have to press and hold down the volume controls to make the tracks skip forward and back. Not a huge deal, but it takes some getting used to.

As I said, the Grind Wireless ships in April and we’ll have a little more in depth write-up of the sound once we get a final production sample. As a rule, CNET does not do rated reviews of pre-production units.

These are the top Xiaomi phones you need to know

The manufacturer you may have rarely heard of is making some great devices.

Xiaomi is a smartphone manufacturer that is growing in stature day-by-day, despite having virtually no physical presence outside of Asia. Sales of its phones in territories including India and its native China have propelled the relatively young company into the top 5 smartphone manufacturers in the world. Impressive, certainly, and it seems Xiaomi is set to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Apple and Samsung in the higher reaches of the smartphone market.

And yet while so many may have heard the name, the phones are still relatively alien to many in the west. Xiaomi has a reputation for building devices that are an extremely good value without cutting corners in the process. If you’re interested in picking up a Xiaomi phone or just interested in the brand, these are the phones you’ll need to know about.

Article updated March 2016

Xiaomi Mi 5

Released March 2016: The Mi 5 is a big deal for Xiaomi. Not only has it been two years in the making, it was also Xiaomi’s first product launch to take place in Europe. It’s a harmony of fantastic design, high-end hardware and low price. The last two of those, at least, becoming hallmarks of Xiaomi phones in recent years.

The flagship product for 2016 and direct successor to the Mi 4, the Mi 5 comes in a regular and a Pro model, with minor differences between the two. Ultimately you’re getting a Snapdragon 820 processor with Adreno 530 GPU, 3 or 4GB of RAM, 32, 64 or 128GB of internal storage and a 5.15-inch 1080p display. The Pro even has an option for a ceramic back, still costing just $354 on the direct conversion.

The Mi 5 also boasts a 4-axis OIS system on its 16MP rear camera, but more incredibly doesn’t have a camera hump. The Mi 5 is pretty slim, incredibly light and has a camera that sits completely flush to the rear of the phone. It’s also Xiaomi’s first new phone to run MIUI 7 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and while the west looks on with lustful eyes, the Mi 5 is on sale in China from March 1.

Hands-on with the Xiaomi Mi 5

Xiaomi Mi 4c

Released September 2015: Xiaomi’s Mi 4c doesn’t pack the pure hardware appeal of the Mi Note or Mi 5, it sure has price on its side. For a little over the equivalent of $200 you’re getting a 5-inch phone with a 1080p display, a Snapdragon 808 CPU a 13MP camera and a 3080mAh battery.

Not just that, but also 16/32GB of internal storage and 2/3GB of RAM, depending on which model you spring for, and USB-C. Xiaomi is right on the money with leading mobile technologies and the most expensive version of the Mi 4c still costs less than $250.

The worst part is that it’s limited to China, at least initially. That’ll probably change, and there’ll be plenty of interest when it does.

Xiaomi Mi Note/Mi Note Pro

Released January 2015: Xiaomi’s high-end smartphone for 2015 was also its best ever to that point. The Mi Note is a 5.7-inch phone running MIUI 6 out of the box and comes in two flavors depending on your thirst for the best-of-the-best hardware or saving a few bucks. The Mi Note is no slouch with a Snapdragon 801 CPU, 3GB of RAM and a 13MP rear camera with OIS. There’s Gorilla Glass 3 on the front and back (or bamboo, if you fancy) and a 1080p display.

The tricked-out Mi Note Pro ups the hardware to a level that any Android flagship for 2015 would be proud of. The display resolution is upped to 2K (2560 x 1440), the CPU is a Snapdragon 810, there’s 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Xiaomi boasted this is the “best smartphone in the world” and while others will have something to say about that, there’s no doubting the Mi Note Pro’s credentials.

Xiaomi Mi 4i

Released April 2015: The Mi 4i is a trimmed down, cheaper version of the Mi 4 and is Xiaomi’s first phone to launch first outside of China. Swapping metal for plastic all round, the Mi 4i has a 5-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 615 CPU, 16GB of internal storage, a 13MP rear camera with two-tone LED flash and a whopping 3120mAh battery. Oh, and you get all that for around $200. Crazy.

The Mi 4i was also the first new Xiaomi phone to debut running the Android 5.0 Lollipop based version of MIUI 6. And it’s yet another example of Xiaomi packing in good hardware without jacking up the price.

First impressions of the Xiaomi Mi 4i

Xiaomi Redmi 3

Released January 2016: As if Xiaomi’s smartphones weren’t already affordable enough, the Redmi range takes it one step further. The Redmi 3 is the latest super-low cost phone aimed at markets such as India and can be had, unbelievably, for a smidge over $100.

For that you get a metal body with a striking diamond pattern etched on the rear, a 5-inch 720p display, Snapdragon 616 CPU, 16GB of storage, 2GB of RAM and a 13MP rear camera. Oh, and it has a ridiculously large 4100mAh battery inside. It also runs MIUI 7, Xiaomi’s latest, though it doesn’t include a fingerprint scanner. But still, you get a lot of phone for not a lot of money.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3

Released December 2015:The Redmi Note 3 represents incredible value for money while still offering a great experience. If you want a larger Xiaomi phone but would prefer to spend less than the Mi Note, this is the one to go for.

Hardware-wise there’s a 5.5-inch 1080p display while inside either a MediaTek Helio X10 CPU or Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 is paired with 16GB of internal storage and 2GB of RAM or 32GB of storage and 3GB of RAM. There’s a 13MP camera around the backand a whopping 4000mAh battery squeezed inside it’s all-metal chassis. The Redmi Note 3 is also one of Xiaomi’s first phones to feature a fingerprint scanner on the rear and it ships with the Android 5.0 Lollipop-based version of MIUI 7.

Urban Armor Gear announces new case to protect your LG G5 from clumsy drops

Urban Armor Gear has announced a new case that can safely house your new LG G5 and offer better protection against sudden drops or scrapes. Utilizing composite materials, the case can offer advanced protection without adding unnecessary bulk.

As an added bonus for those who enjoy using their phones outside, UAG has included non-slip grip and tactile buttons to ensure ease of use even in the toughest conditions. As well as offering protection, the case will also provide access to the phone’s fingerprint reader.

UAG will offer the case in four translucent colors so your choice of G5 will remain visible from underneath. As for pricing, the composite case will set purchasers back $34.95 and can be found on the company’s website.

See at UAG

Samsung Pay adds Wells Fargo to its supported cards

Samsung Pay, the mobile payment solution from Samsung, has added support for Wells Fargo. This marks support for 70 different banks and credit unions, which Samsung says covers around 70 percent of the U.S. credit and debit card market. Some of the other banks and credit cards that are supported include American Express, Chase, PNC, Bank of America and many others.

Recently, Samsung announced that Samsung Pay would be headed to China, Canada and other countries in March. You can find all of the details about Samsung Pay and Wells Fargo below.

Press release:

Samsung Pay Expands with Addition of Wells Fargo

After five months on the market, 70 major banks and credit unions support Samsung Pay in the US

NEW YORK – March 2, 2016 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. announced that, beginning today, Samsung Pay—the most widely accepted mobile payment system—will now support eligible Wells Fargo credit and debit cards. With the addition of Wells Fargo, Samsung Pay now supports eligible credit and debit cards from 70 banks and credit unions, covering over 70 percent of the US credit and debit card market.

“I am delighted to have Wells Fargo on board with Samsung Pay and that our users can now enjoy more choices in debit and credit cards,” said Injong Rhee, Head of R&D, Software and Services, Samsung Electronics Mobile Division. “Samsung Pay is gaining its momentum in customer adoption, and we will continue to expand the list of issuers. I look forward to offering many compelling mobile payment services to our joint customers together with Wells Fargo.”

“We are pleased today to announce that Samsung Pay is available for Wells Fargo customers,” said Jim Smith, head of Virtual Channels for Wells Fargo. “Innovations like Samsung Pay further our commitment to giving our customers the ability to make payments anytime and anywhere, including from a mobile wallet.”

Samsung Pay announced last week that about five million registered users processed over 500 million dollars in the first six months, showing a strong adoption rate in South Korea and the U.S.* This also demonstrates the increasing use of Samsung Pay for its convenience, flexibility and security.

Samsung Pay supports all major payment networks and many of the country’s major banks. It continues to expand its partnership ecosystem. Click here for the full list of financial partners that support Samsung Pay.

• SIMPLE: To make a payment on Samsung Pay, users can simply swipe up, scan their fingerprint and pay.
• SAFE: Samsung Pay uses tokenization, Samsung KNOX, and fingerprint authentication to provide secure payments. And, as terminals are upgraded to EMV, that security is leveraged, too.
• ALMOST ANYWHERE**: Samsung Pay is compatible with the majority of existing and new terminals, including most magnetic stripe, EMV and NFC terminals. That means Samsung Pay works at more places than any other mobile payment service.

Canada’s mobile landscape flattens as Wind Mobile moves from upstart to incumbent

After a brief three-month review period, Canada’s Wind Mobile is now fully owned by Shaw, according to a press release issued by the Calgary-based company this week.

Wind Mobile, which has 940,000 subscribers in three Canadian provinces, is considered the country’s fourth national carrier after Bell, Rogers and Telus. The carrier emerged after the government’s AWS-1 spectrum auction in 2008, and has endured a rough ride, struggling to compete against the so-called Big Three, which already possessed considerable infrastructure and user bases when Wind launched in 2009. Other national new entrants from that time, Mobilicity and Public Mobile, were purchased by Rogers and Telus in 2015 and 2013, respectively.

Until the $1.6 billion acquisition, Shaw Communications was one of the few telecommunications companies in Canada with no wireless entity, though it does operate a large network of high-speed Wi-Fi hotspots in medium-sized cities like Calgary and Edmonton. Shaw will now oversee Wind Mobile’s transition from an HSPA+ 3G network to a more modern LTE one, taking advantage of 50Mhz of AWS-3 spectrum the company acquired in a spectrum auction last March.

What’s unclear is whether Wind Mobile will, once LTE launches, maintain its balanced approach of moderately-priced monthly plans and generous handset financing options. It’s also unclear whether Shaw will maintain the Wind branding for all demographics, or launch a separate, higher-priced brand under the Shaw Mobile name to compete with Rogers, Bell, and Telus in the high-ARPU stream. While Wind Mobile’s average revenue per user (ARPU) has risen steadily over the past few years, it is still around $15 less than the incumbents’, which have all benefited from increased LTE data consumption.

Shaw will also have to wait until devices compatible with AWS-3 spectrum launch later in 2016. The standard was only recently ratified by the 3GGP, a standards body responsible for GSM band licensing plans, as Band 66. In the meantime, Shaw says, “We are better positioned to deliver better value and capability to WIND customers. The strength of Shaw as a company and as a brand will provide Canadians with more choice and opportunities to stay connected.”

Crush your rivals in Clash Royale, now available worldwide

Clash Royale is now available on the Google Play Store. Launching worldwide, this latest game from the same company that brought us Clash of Clans is a mix of multiple genres, including card collection, tower defence, and even MOBA “laning”. What’s more is if you don’t need to be a Clash of Clans fan to enjoy this latest title from Supercell.

The aim of the game is to duel others in real-time, attempting to destroy your opponents’ towers. As noted above, it’s a slight mash-up of multiple gameplay elements to form quite the addictive title. Here are some highlighted features available in Clash Royale:

• Duel players from around the world in real-time and take their Trophies
• Earn chests to unlock rewards, collect powerful new cards and upgrade existing ones
• Destroy opponent’s towers and win Crowns to earn epic Crown chests
• Build and upgrade your card collection with the Clash Royale Family along with dozens of your favorite Clash troops, spells and defenses
• Construct your ultimate Battle Deck to defeat your opponents
• Progress through multiple Arenas all the way to the top
• Form a Clan to share cards and build your very own battle community
• Challenge your Clanmates and friends to a private duel
• Learn different battle tactics by watching the best duels on TV Royale

Ready to get stuck in? Download Clash Royale from the Google Play Store.

Nespresso gets connected: Here are a few more must-have smart kitchen gadgets

The kitchen is commonly referred to as the “hub of the home” or the “heart of the home”, which is fitting given how much time many of us spend in it. Whether you have a kitchen that’s old or new, big or small, open-plan or enclosed, there are several gadgets available now or coming soon from smaller devices to bigger appliances, that can help turn your hub into a smart one.

A smarter kitchen doesn’t just mean a more convenient one, it means all kinds of advantages from knowing when your washing needs hanging up to making a Nespresso coffee remotely from the comfort of your bed. We have rounded up some of the connected gadgets that will make your kitchen that little bit smarter, and your life that little bit easier.

Nespresso

Nespresso Prodigio

The Nespresso Prodigio is the first connected Nespresso machine. It will connect to your smartphone via a dedicated app and allow you to prepare your coffee remotely, whether that’s from the comfort of your bed or the dining room table. You could even do it from the bath if you really wanted to.

You’ll also be alerted when your favourite pods are running low, when you need to empty the capsule container and when you need to top up the water tank. Nespresso claims it will only take a couple of swipes in the app to brew any of the 23 Nespresso Grand Cru coffees and the machine also offers capsule ordering to make things super simple.

The Nespresso Prodigio comes in Silver or Titan colour options and there is also the Prodigio&Milk model that offers an integrated Aeroccino3 milk frother. Both have multiple size settings.

PRICE: £159 for Prodigio and £199 for Prodigio&Milk from Nespresso

Smarter

Smarter Coffee

Talking of remote coffee, the Smarter Coffee machine also allows you to start brewing a cuppa from wherever you are in your home using the Smarter app. You’ll be able to adjust the strength of your coffee and how many cups you want so a great option if your entertaining.

The Smarter Coffee machine is available in three colours comprising red, black and beige, but they all have removable fronts and all the colours come in the box so you can change your machine to suit your feeling on a weekly basis if you want to.

There is enough water for 12 cups and a built-in water sensor will let you know how many cups you can brew. There is also a Wake Up mode and Home mode and the Smarter Coffee machine’s app is compatible with Android and iOS devices.

PRICE: £179.99 from Smarter

Smarter

Smarter Wi-Fi iKettle

The original Wi-Fi iKettle from Smarter was announced a couple of years ago in 2013, followed up by the more recent Kettle 2.0. As you might expect, it allows you to start boiling water from anywhere in your home using the iOS or Android app. Of course you still have to fill it with water in the first place and pour it into your cup when the water has boiled, but it means you could have boiling water ready by the ad break in your favourite show without you having to move.

It’s finished in stainless steel and it comes with a water level sensor to tell you exactly how much water there is left in it. A Formula mode enables you to schedule the kettle to boil and let you know when it has reached your desired temperature, which can be anywhere between 20 and 100-degree celsius. 

There is also a Wake Up and Home mode, along with a Keep Warm function to keep your water at the temperature you desire. It might not be as good as breakfast in bed, but it’s a good start.

PRICE: £99.99 from Smarter

Pantelligent

Pantelligent

Pantelligent is a smart frying pan, yes that really does exist. The device features a temperature sensor inside it and the smarts talk to an app to help you cook the perfect meals.

The app will monitor the temperature and tell you when you need to flip, when to stir or add ingredients, as well as when to adjust the temperature on your hob. It will also let you know when it’s time to finish and your lovely piece of salmon or steak is cooked and you can even choose how you want your steak cooked.

The idea is to stay near the target temperature, which the app will help you do. The app will take data from the pan to adjust the recipe in real time and you can also get on-screen or spoken expert tips. Like having Gordan Ramsey in your kitchen but in the form of a frying pan. The app is iOS and Android compatible.

PRICE: $199 from Pantelligent

Pocket-lint

Samsung F-Hub RB38J7755B1

If you thought a smart frying pan was metal, this one might be a little bit much for you. Samsung is launching a Wi-Fi and touchscreen fridge in the UK that also features a trio of cameras to capture what is within the appliance.

The 21.5-inch touchscreen is designed to look like a huge smartphone display and it will display the time, weather, a shopping list or even a hand-drawn screen. There is also internet browsing, TV mirroring to watch shows, and you can also listen to music via Spotify or Tune-In through it.

The cameras mean you can mark items with notes on the day they were bought to ensure freshness and this image is accessible via the app so you can use your smartphone to check if you’ve got some fresh milk left. The 380-litre Family Hub fridge measures 595 x 1927 x 650mm.

PRICE: TBC

Belkin WeMo

Belkin WeMo Switch

The Belkin WeMo Switch is one of those gadgets that works in the background to make something else smart, such as a coffee machine if you don’t fancy the Nespresso or Smarter options.

The Switch is part of the WeMo modular system so you can connect as many or as few kitchen gadgets as you want to and the beauty of this device is that it will give you wireless control over any of your home appliances and electronics, be that a lamp or iron, meaning it can easily extend beyond the kitchen.

The WeMo Switch is plugged into an outlet and you then plug the respective device into the Switch. Setup is completed via an Android or iOS app and once everything is installed, you can turn any device or appliance plugged into a WeMo Switch on or off from anywhere using your smartphone.

PRICE: £39.99 from Belkin.

SITU scales

The SITU scales aren’t just any kitchen scales, they are scales that connect to an iPad via Bluetooth and present exactly what it is you’re consuming in terms of calories, nutrients and weight.

There are several screens within the app including a scale screen that features drag and drop functionality to allow you to easily select the food you are weighing when you swipe through the food categories.

The whole family can use it and each user will be able to track entire meals as well as track nutrition intake history within the app. A settings screen also enables you to use Government recommended daily allowances to see how you’re doing in relation to them.

PRICE: £79.99 from SITU.

Samsung WW9000 washing machine

A washing machine doesn’t necessarily always go in the kitchen but it is an appliance and the Samsung WW9000 is a super clever one, not just because it turns dirty clothes into clean ones but because it tells you when it’s done it via your smartphone.

It comes packed with features, as many of Samsung’s home appliances do, with six speciality cycles including Cooking & Dining, Active Sports and Active Kids, but more interestingly, the WW9000 can be monitored via an iOS or Android app.

The app will allow you to see the remaining time of a cycle, keep an eye on cycle selections, start or pause a cycle, as well as alert you when a cycle is complete. It’s also smart in that it has sensors to detect information about the washing load you are doing and selects the program with the right temperature, washing time and spin speeds.

PRICE: £1700 from Samsung.

READ: Samsung WW9000 washing machine review

AGA iTotal Control

Moving into much pricier territory is the AGA iTotal Control cooker that offers three ovens which can be controlled from wherever you are using a smartphone, PC, Mac, tablet or even a standard mobile phone.

It’s not a cheap investment by any stretch of the imagination, but the the iTotal Control does feature a touch-screen user panel on the appliance itself and you will be able to remotely ensure the three ovens are warm and your dinner is cooked at exactly the time you need it no matter where you are. There are five commands comprising ‘All Ovens On’, ‘All Zones Off’. ‘Roasting Oven On’, ‘Baking Oven On’ and ‘Simmering Oven On’.

For those who don’t have a smartphone, laptop or tablet, they can send a text message to the AGA telling it which oven they want turned on and the AGA will reply to let them know it has been switched on or off. There is a SIM-card within the AGA iTotal Control cooker to receive the commands.

PRICE: From £11,295 (told you it wasn’t cheap) from AGA.