At the beginning and end of the day, my mind is capable of entertaining only the most basic of tasks. Luckily for those I come into contact with, oral hygiene is something I can take care of on autopilot. Even if you incorporate flossing and rinsing with mouthwash into your regimen, the key activity is a simple one: put paste on stick; put stick in mouth; move stick around. But think of all that data going to waste; you're not exactly keeping tabs on the precise length of your brushing session when you're staring, bleary-eyed into the mirror on a Monday morning, now are you? That's where Oral-B's SmartSeries, app-connected electric toothbrushes can lend a hand, logging that info for your scrutiny so you can modify your habits accordingly. If that already sounds like a gratuitous feature for a toothbrush to have, then you're on my wavelength. I'm not against the concept -- there are scenarios where I picture an app-compatible toothbrush being somewhat useful -- but Oral B's initial efforts feel like an excuse to tack on a gimmick and make an expensive product even more so.
James Potter