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"Smart" homes

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    #21
    I have serious concerns and reservations about the quality of many IoT things, the cloud services they connect to, and the devices that are trusted to link to their API's.

    I do have a Nest Thermostat which I like (but, ultimately, only connects to anything physical via a relay which is intself only an on/off switch) and the Nest Protects.

    Beyond that, I'm not super keen - especially for anything security related. Google and Amazon already know enough about me, without giving them live streams of my house.

    Comment


      #22
      Originally posted by BR14 View Post
      my doorbell goes 'bing bong' and i go to the door and see who's there.
      my heating is on a simple timer.
      i open curtains/windows/etc manually
      i can switch channels/turn tvs on and off/play music etc, all manually.
      what's the feckin problem again?
      I assume you don't use a remote control for the TV and stereo, or you're a big hypocrite
      Originally posted by MaryPoppins
      I'd still not breastfeed a nazi
      Originally posted by vetran
      Urine is quite nourishing

      Comment


        #23
        Originally posted by d000hg View Post
        I assume you don't use a remote control for the TV and stereo, or you're a big hypocrite
        bolloks

        Comment


          #24
          Originally posted by BR14 View Post
          bolloks
          Someone who doesn't want to walk to the front door is stupid, but you won't cross the room to adjust the stereo
          Originally posted by MaryPoppins
          I'd still not breastfeed a nazi
          Originally posted by vetran
          Urine is quite nourishing

          Comment


            #25
            This would seem quite timely: Beset by lawsuits over poor security protections, Ring rolls out 'privacy dashboard' for its creepy surveillance cams, immediately takes heat • The Register
            ---

            Former member of IPSE.


            ---
            Many a mickle makes a muckle.

            ---

            Comment


              #26
              Originally posted by BR14 View Post
              my doorbell goes 'bing bong' and i go to the door and see who's there.
              my heating is on a simple timer.
              i open curtains/windows/etc manually
              i can switch channels/turn tvs on and off/play music etc, all manually.
              what's the feckin problem again?
              My doorbell doesn't work anymore because there's a door between the bell push and the outside.

              My heating hasn't got a timer, it's me.

              I leave the curtains closed.

              I've got so many different zappers that I get confused.

              Happily the hifi was built in the 70s before such things came along.

              Plus it's not connected up.

              It did sound pretty good when it was next door in an empty room when I was clearing the house out.
              When the fun stops, STOP.

              Comment


                #27
                I do look at these things - but I find it is solving a problem I do not seem to have.

                I can sort of see the value in the heating apps - but my life is pretty stable so i know when i will be home to within 20-30 minutes so do not really have the need to not put the heating on a timer.

                Add to the fact the missus and kids will probably be at home anyway and the value of that drops to pretty much zero.

                Same for voice activated lights - although motion activated lights may be useful - but even then as the mornings get lighter is there always a need for the lights to come on - especially if I am only nipping into the room to grab something.

                And finally I guess i do not live in an area where strange people come sneaking around your really nice house on a regular basis as some of those doorbell adds would have you think....

                Maybe I am just a luddite though.

                Comment


                  #28
                  Originally posted by original PM View Post
                  And finally I guess i do not live in an area where strange people come sneaking around your really nice house on a regular basis as some of those doorbell adds would have you think....

                  Maybe I am just a luddite though.

                  I solved that problem by not having a really nice house.

                  Want to borrow my sabot?
                  When the fun stops, STOP.

                  Comment


                    #29
                    Originally posted by original PM View Post

                    And finally I guess i do not live in an area where strange people come sneaking around your really nice house on a regular basis as some of those doorbell adds would have you think....

                    Maybe I am just a luddite though.

                    I don't live in an area like that either - the postman knows that if he hears the dog barking, the door is probably unlocked and will just set any parcel in the house. But other delivery men don't know that. Deliveries tend to occur during the day when I'm working in my office at the back of the house, or down the garden. It's a lot easier to tell someone to open the door and leave the parcel while still continuing with conference calls etc.
                    …Maybe we ain’t that young anymore

                    Comment


                      #30
                      Surely your smartphone IS 90% of the privacy issue.
                      Originally posted by MaryPoppins
                      I'd still not breastfeed a nazi
                      Originally posted by vetran
                      Urine is quite nourishing

                      Comment

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