@doot nuke it from the orbit, salt the earth
@rysiek @doot
I think the absurdity makes this example an excellent case study of how companies fool people into buying those "smart" devices.
Look how they take the experience of "eating is enjoyable" that you already have, and try to sell it to you as "eating is enjoyable because of our device", and add the "and it measures salt consumption" to justify its existence, and to give you an excuse to feel good and virtuous about buying it.
Basically, they want to paywall meal enjoyment.
I don't really see the point of smart devices, but then I understand the point of them is to gather data for abuse and sale. oh and to ram more adverts down your throat. No thanks
@krupo @zleap @rysiek @doot
Well, I think there are valid usecases for putting networked microcontrollers in some appliances.
For example, a "smart kettle" that can notify you on your phone when the water has boiled, and then keep it at a set temperature until you pick it up, could be very convenient.
As long as it's not using a proprietary protocol to talk to a centralized vendor-run service that profits off of user data and can disappear at any time rendering your kettle unusable.
@wolf480pl that's the definition of over-engineering.
Keep the water hot until I pick it up, no need for IoT crap.
@rysiek @wolf480pl @krupo @doot
We can already do that with hot water machines for cafes that keep water hot
@zleap exactly. My completely non-smart (aka Safe) electric kettle can do that too.
@wolf480pl that's a risk I am willing to take.
@rysiek @krupo @zleap @doot you do you, but there will be people not willing to take that risk, and a stance of "either use safe, non-networked devices, or the ones that send all your data to adtech companies without saying it on the box" isn't very helpful in that case.
It is possible to do home automation in a way that doesm't ever touch the Internet, so it avoids 3/4 of the problems with IoT. And some people will want that.
@wolf480pl and that's cool. I still think "smart" kettle is an over-engineered boondoggle. 🤷♀️
@rysiek I would concur, but then I have owned and used a plethora of water boilers.
No network needed!
Bring water to a boil, and then: keep it warm.
Some will reboil after a certain temperature threshold has been hit indicating the water is too cool.
Others: have vacuum lined housings to maintain water temperatures as best as possible.
They're pretty economical $50ish-$200ish.
Popular brands: SPT, Zojirushi.
Widely used by tea houses and tea aficionados.
@wolf480pl @rysiek @zleap @doot you don't need a classic kettle whistle.
My smart dumb kettle just beeps loudly when the selected temperature is reached. No IoT needed!
@wolf480pl @krupo @rysiek @doot
sure, I think the networked to a centralised server takes the smart out of smart devices, but i I agree, however in some cases it is another component to go wrong, so perhaps in a kettle there could be a jumper or switch so if that part breaks, you can switch to a normal kettle, and reduce the amount of e-waste.
The exception to networked could work in sheltered accomodation where a staff member could be alerted to a potental problem, but that would be a wide area network within the sheltered accomodation.
@zleap @krupo @rysiek @doot I don't quite get what you mean by the first part, but IMO connecting over LAN to a local server running an open-source home automation hub like HomeAssistant, would be one of many ways of making it "smart" without relying on the Internet.
Also, yes, the "smart" parts should ideally stay out of the critical path. Ideally, they'd be an optional, detachable module.
@zleap @wolf480pl @rysiek @doot Delicious irony that folks like us are the least likely to want or accept these "smart" devices