Not sure if you could still get to the wifi connection if you didn’t pay for the monthy fee. The Zojirushi company makes some nice home hardware, I know I’d like to own one of their automated rice cookers but the hot pot with wifi is a tad over kill. Might be good in an office if your too lazy to turn around and check the water level if you want tea (remember offices in Japan can be pretty small)
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.
