> The idea of a washing machine, coffee maker, refrigerator, etc. including a network card strikes me as a solution in search of a problem.

There are tons of problems that networking these solves. Maybe minor to most people, but convenience is key.

A common example for me: If I am packing for a trip last minute and doing laundry, I don’t want to have to keep going down two flights to check if my washer or dryer is done, disrupting what I am doing.

But I don’t like the idea of everything being connected, so I will live with the problem.