Internet of Bings

[retina]

Originally Posted by ewmayer

The thermostat in my apartment isn't even - so far as I know - web-connected, but still is annoyingly 'smart' in the sense of imposing complicated default daily programming on the user. I just want to be able to turn it to 'cool' when things get warm, set a desired temp, and have it turn on the A/C until said temp is reached. Crazy, I know. Turns out that that way of doing things is in fact a deviation from the programmed presets, i.e. triggers an 'override' mode. The problem I was having was that on hot days where the heat lingered into the evening, the A/C would always shut off at 6pm, and not allow any way of turning it back on. Until 10pm, when it would suddenly spring back to life. So had the building maintenance come over and go through the complex procedure needed to fiddle the programming so as to make 75F (the temp we suually set when using the A/C) the default target during all 4 daily 'time zones' into which the programming divides each day. Mind you, there is no way to simply disable said programming and just run the thing in on-demand mode.

So adding all that extra complexity, and associated costs, turned out to be useless and pointless.

The desire to make things "smart" has blinded us (the collective us) to what we actually need; which is stuff that does our bidding, not what some manufacturer tells it what to do.

Whenever I see someone peddling some new "smart" thing and trying to explain to me how wonderful it is because it learns, or it get its commands from a remote server, or something, I just walk away. No thanks, I don't want crap that does its own thing or obeys the controls of someone else.

[ewmayer]

Resetting these [GE] smart lightbulbs is so dumb it's funny | Mashable

The article does alas lose a bit of its sting by being followed with a "WATCH: How Google Assistant is planning a huge swing with amazing new features and devices — MashTalk" link, unaccompanied by a "Sponsored Content" disclaimer.

[xilman]

Originally Posted by retina

Nope. I still don't see why that requires the car to be connected. If the occupants want to have connection then let them use their own devices. But don't compromise the one+ tonne killing device on wheels just to let the occupants watch the ever-so-important latest propaganda "news".

How does the occupants doing "work", or whatever, require the car to use the Internet to make those "quick decisions"?

I'd already given you an example - cooperative collision avoidance - and thought you were looking for additional use cases.

[retina]

Originally Posted by xilman

I'd already given you an example - cooperative collision avoidance - and thought you were looking for additional use cases.

That doesn't need Internet. There is no requirement to communicate further than ~100m or so. Just the same as human drivers don't need to know about other cars on other roads in other countries, neither do the self-driving vehicles.

We already have solutions for near distance communications that don't use the Internet. Anything more is just adding unnecessary risk for no more benefit than to line the pockets of Internet companies.

[retina]

Those Google smart home spy things sends your audio to the mothership. I'm sure you already knew that. And you were satisfied by Google's assurances that they had a policy to prevent misuse. So, yay, you will be protected of course. And there is no way anyone would ever go against the policy, because of course they wouldn't, it's a policy and no one breaks policies.

Well now Google is making a "review" after some contractor of theirs somehow managed to go against the all-protecting policy, and leaked personal conversations.
https://phys.org/news/2019-07-google...ersations.html

I hope that Google will realise their error, and that two things will happen.

1) They make the policy wording stronger. Because stronger words obviously will protect you better, and
2) That any leaks are less publicised so that you won't learn about any problems.

That'll fix it.

Gotta keep that personal data flowing in. Please ignore the man behind the curtain.

[ewmayer]

Pampers smart diaper to launch this fall - CNN: Lemme guess, this is gonna involve a whole new marketing scam based on "surge pricing".

[retina]

Originally Posted by ewmayer

Pampers smart diaper to launch this fall - CNN: Lemme guess, this is gonna involve a whole new marketing scam based on "surge pricing".

The true Internet of

[Dr Sardonicus]

Originally Posted by ewmayer

Pampers smart diaper to launch this fall - CNN: Lemme guess, this is gonna involve a whole new marketing scam based on "surge pricing".

If the parents are too far away to hear the kid screaming when the diaper's loaded, what difference does it make?

[Xyzzy]

.

[xilman]

I've asked for one of these to evaluate. Free as in beer.

[retina]

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-ne...-user-n1055796

Smart-home devices, such as televisions and streaming boxes, are collecting reams of data — including sensitive information such as device locations — that is then being sent to third parties like advertisers and major tech companies, researchers said Tuesday.

As the findings show, even as privacy concerns have become a part of the discussion around consumer technology, new devices are adding to the hidden and often convoluted industry around data collection and monetization.

A team of researchers from Northeastern University and the Imperial College of London found that a variety of internet-connected devices collected and distributed data to outside companies, including smart TV and TV streaming devices from Roku and Amazon — even if a consumer did not interact with those companies.

"Nearly all TV devices in our testbeds contacts Netflix even though we never configured any TV with a Netflix account," the Northeastern and Imperial College researchers wrote