The days of having to log onto your computer or smart phone, navigate to the proper site, and click "purchase" are over, not to mention the quaint notion of visiting an actual store. Your smart appliances can now handle the exhausting task of shopping for you. With Amazon's Dash Replenishment Service, connected devices in your home or office automatically reorder from Amazon when supplies run low.
The company previously released the related Amazon Dash Button in March 2015, a physical button connected to your home Wi-Fi network. When pressed, it places an order for the specific brand or product it's associated with, such as Bounty paper towels or Tide laundry detergent. Individual buttons currently cost US$4.99 at Amazon.com.
Amazon's Dash Replenishment Service is currently available with select Dash-compatible devices. Over 45 Brother printer models are now Dash-ready, while GE washing machines and Gmate Smart Blood Glucose Meters will be ready by month's end.
The service can be activated through the company app or website when setting up the device. Printers can already alert you when their ink or toner is running low, but now customers can sign up for Dash Replenishment through Brother's website when setting up their printers, enabling it to send a purchase order directly to Amazon.
As for GE's smart washers, they're able to store and dispense precise amounts of detergent automatically as needed for each individual load, no measuring needed. Dash Replenishment allows these GE users to preset at what detergent level will automatically trigger an order. The Gmate Smart Blood Glucose Meter connects to a smartphone, and also reorders strips and lancets automatically through Dash when supplies are low.
With the private beta stage of Dash ending, its APIs are now available for any appliance manufacturer or developer to integrate into any connected device. Companies that currently plan on integrating Dash Replenishment into their connected devices include Brita, Samsung, Whirlpool, Oster, Sutro and Petnet SmartFeeder. Purell's smart hand sanitizer touch-free dispensing system is also launching a development project to connect to Dash, a move that will help Amazon edge more into the office supply business.
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