I've been pondering the business model behind the Imp and I think it makes more sense for "cheap" devices (light switches) than "expensive" ones (home appliances).

For the light switches, a builder can roll cheap switches that happen to be Imp-ready into any new-construction house. Most home buyers won't do anything, while some will buy a 20-pack of Imps and have a rocking home automation system. That makes lots of sense.

Conversely, for the fridge, the dish washer, or even the thermostat, there's a lot more going on. Sure, you could stick an Imp slot in a "dumb" thermostat, but that doesn't yield something half as smart as a Nest, with all its extra sensors and more sophisticated control systems. (Not that they exactly *work*, but that's getting off-topic.)

The other trick with major appliances is who gets to "own the experience" of the homeowner. If I'm GE or Bosch or Miele, I want the user to log into ge.com, not electricimp.com. Among other things, they want to connect sales and service. "Ahh, I see your fridge's water filter is expired. Can we bill your card and send you a fresh one?"

And then, there's the whole open question of who gets to be at the center of the "connected home." When you talk about coordinating things like your fridge and your A/C and your electric car, where you want to stay below some maximum current draw, you need central coordination to make decisions. Who gets to own that? Apple? Honeywell? Electric Imp? Heaven forbid we might have a *standard* for how all of this stuff will interoperate.