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Ovie Smarterware makes your leftover food smarter

Ovie Smarterware is an innovative, useful product, though there are situations where complications may arise.

ovie smarterware
Image: FrAndroid

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Ovie Smarterware introduces a new way to track your leftover food. Essentially a Bluetooth button you can stick on leftover containers, Ovie Smarterware is simple to use and can recoup its price quickly by conserving food with smart precision. Smarterware also features specialized bag clips and containers to help distinguish them, so it’s easy to reach into the freezer or fridge for a specific item without time-consuming sifting.

Where to Purchase Ovie Smarterware

Ovie Smarterware is available to pre-order on Kickstarter, with a pledge of $75 guaranteeing one Smart Container Kit — 25% off its expected retail price of $100. Pledging more money can provide additional Ovie SmartTags, the technology’s primary communicator, in addition to six-cup containers and an Ovie Hub, which lets your SmartTags “speak to the Ovie app.”

Compatibility and Use

ovie

Compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, Smarterware works by having you inform your digital assistant of choice what’s in the container you’re storing. Alexa or Google will communicate the information to Ovie’s cloud, which is a comprehensive database of common foods and the length of their safe storage times. You can inform the assistant of the container’s contents via a smart speaker or by using the Ovie app to identify your food.

Once the container information is within Ovie’s cloud, Ovie tracks the time the item is in the fridge. Over time, a light ring on the button will change from green to yellow and then red, signifying when the food is approaching time to throw it out.

A yellow light means that you should consider eating the food ASAP. A red light indicates that it may be too late and requires caution if you do indeed decide to digest.

Ovie’s battery life projects to run 12 to 18 months, with the makers also planning to offer a battery replacement program. Each Ovie container can hold six cups of contents and is made of BPA-free durable Tritan plastic, with other sizes being a possibility in the future.

Text Notifications and Reminders

You can enable the Ovie app to send text messages to your phone whenever a food item is reaching specific territory. For example, if you want to know when your chicken leftovers are in their final 24 hours of safe consumption, you can set the Ovie app to send you a text notification.

Such notifications can be extremely helpful in tight situations. For example, a work deadline may prompt you to stay in the office late. A text notification may inform you earlier in the day your chicken dish is no longer safe to eat, giving you ample time to find out an alternative plan for dinner within your busy day.

Tackling the Problem of Food Waste

Ovie Smarterware is a logical response to a growing issue involving food waste. America alone wastes about 76 billion pounds of food each year. American households specifically waste about 40 percent of their food.

With Ovie Smarterware, families can save a significant amount of money on food items. Then, they can use their extra cash to help with community initiatives, such as donating or feeding the homeless. A greater surplus of food and less unnecessary spending for the average household will only result in good things for society.

Potential Obstacles

Ovie Smarterware is an innovative, useful product, though there are situations where complications may arise. For example, more seasoned chefs may have a leftover dish with a variety of ingredients, some of which may last longer than others.

It’s not certain whether the Ovie app will allow users to put in specific recipes, or if the data more relies on ingredient-specific information. Nonetheless, Ovie provides a creative start to resolving today’s rampant issues with food waste.

Leftovers are lame. Do we really need something that helps them stay around longer? Let us know your thoughts down below!

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Kayla Matthews is a technology writer and blogger who runs ProductivityBytes.com. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter to read all of her latest posts!

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