Whirlpool has entered a new contender in the race for kitchen bells and whistles.  It is called the Central Park Connection and its gimmick is a digital photo frame that is built into the door.  The theory behind this new gizmo is that it will cut back on kitchen clutter by reducing the number of photos posted on the fridge with magnets.  They plan to add an intuitive interface that will allow you to charge and play MP3 player, satellite radio, DVD and CD players, a family calendar and cell phone.

I honestly cannot see the point of this new fridge. The storage and usage is comparable to other refrigerators on the market.  Why would anyone need this?  It won’t necessarily cut down on fridge clutter- anyone with children will still want to display their artwork and many people post community notices and invitations on the fridge. 

This new refrigerator must be aimed at the minimalist, modern designer with money to spare. (The MSRP is 1999.00)   I also can’t help wondering what happens when the frame breaks or becomes obsolete?  Then the photos will need to posted around it making more of a mess. 

This is not something I’ll be pining for.