One embodiment provides a method including: prior to an initial period of operation of an appliance, storing in memory a first set of characteristics of the appliance; during an initial period of operation of the appliance, learning a second set of characteristics of the appliance; during subsequent operation of the appliance: detecting an adverse operating condition of the appliance; and based on the first set of characteristics, the second set of characteristics and the detected adverse operating condition, determining a corrective action to be taken with regard to the appliance, the corrective action comprising at least one of: switching off the appliance and warning a user of the detected adverse operating condition. Other aspects are described and claimed.

A vehicle mount computer having a configurable behavior controlled by a vehicle's ignition switch. A user can configure the computer to perform an action, switch modes, or execute a software application in response to the ignition switch being pressed or the position of the ignition switch being adjusted. For example, the computer can be configured to switch to a standby mode or hibernation mode, shutdown, prompt the user to select an action, or do nothing in response to the ignition switch being placed in an off position. The ignition switch can be electrically coupled to an input of the computer so that the computer's operating system or another application can monitor the status of the ignition switch. The operating system or application can cause the computer to perform the configured response upon detecting a change in the ignition switch's position or an actuation of the ignition switch.

An electronic device comprises a plurality of non-programmable hardware elements, each non-programmable hardware element being configured for providing at least one non-programmable function; at least one programmable hardware element configured for providing at least one programmable function, wherein the programmable hardware element comprises at least one standby entity, wherein the standby entity is configured for providing at least one programmable function for replacing the non-programmable functions of at least two non-programmable hardware elements; and at least one arbiter configured for deactivating at least one non-programmable hardware element and for activating the standby entity for replacing at least one non-programmable function provided by the non-programmable hardware element with at least one programmable function.