On 6/12/2012 12:09 AM, somebody wrote:
> I hate to admit it, but when you press the bagel button it does make
> perfect toasted english muffins. They come out exactly as I like
> them. Spackled browns but no black. I think all it does is add about
> 45 seconds or so to the toasting cycle though... Another oddity about
> it: I tried to push up the lever to make it stop toasting the other
> day and it wouldn't go up. Didn't want to break it so didn't force it
> too hard, but it would not go up like toasters I have known before.
> You have to press the Cancel button.

You must have a fancy toaster. Most cheap toasters don't have ether of
those features - not even a cancel button. I have to unplug the toaster
for a premature pop-up. That's not a big deal except that someone in
this household keeps setting the darkness control to "Max" and I
frequently have to stop toasting early. What kind of insane person likes
toast this way?

>
> Does this mean they are putting "computers" in toasters now-- even low
> end ones like my $16 one? Or at least more sophisticated electronics
> and possibly microprocessors. Will my next toaster be on the net? I
> hate to think it might get on Facebook or start a blog and start
> posting personal information about me. This one probably has a hidden
> camera and is reporting back to some mother ship, my comings and
> goings and daily habits. Or worse, are toasters the first line ground
> troops of a cyborg alien invasion? I've seen some people with covers
> over their toasters when not in use. Maybe they know something.
>

The old toasters used a crude bimetal temperature sensor that worked
pretty good. The new ones use a crude timer circuit which might be more
reliable but I don't know.