6 ms·

My dad has his whole house wired up with echo dots in every room, voice-activated lights, voice-control TV, and those shitty $100 security cameras in every room

My dad has his whole house wired up with echo dots in every room, voice-activated lights, voice-control TV, and those shitty $100 security cameras in every room. I've tried to explain why he doesn't need them. His response (about the security cameras) is always, "If there's ever a break in, I'll be glad I have them." The fact that actually using a light switch sets in motion a 20-minute repair via iPad doesn't seem to bother him. He doesn't view the wiretaps as a problem. He (with my mother's help) recently bought a wifi-enabled fridge and kitchen sink. I love my parents to death, but it's ridiculous. I'm to the point where I usually leave my phone in the next room over when I'm not using it (and please check me in at a psych ward if I ever buy a smart-watch with a cellular connection and an omni-directional microphone). Its beneficial for clarity of thought / lack of distraction as well as for privacy. Connectivity for connectivity's sake will be the death of freedom.

paggle 7y ago
What does a WiFi kitchen sink do?
- LeftHandPath 7y ago
  It's as useless as it sounds. This isn't the one they have, but it's similar: https://www.amazon.com/Trinsic-Pull-Down-Activated-Technology-9159TV-DST/dp/B07CXF215K https://www.amazon.com/Trinsic-Pull-Down-Activated-Technolog...
  - fyfy18 7y ago
    Does it still work as a tap if the WiFi is down? :D
    - mirekrusin 7y ago
      You won't know because you'll be locked a room somewhere it pitch dark.
  - allovernow 7y ago
    $530 to turn on a faucet with your voice? What?
    - PavlovsCat 7y ago
      May I interest you in... "hot.. cold.. and click." -- ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot5yGFtl9rc&t=3m06s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot5yGFtl9rc&t=3m06s Though I would assume that such a holistic, deep vision, that ranges from the dawn of time to configurating our smartphones finally to configurating our smarthomes, costs a lot more than a mere $530.
  - newnewpdro 7y ago
    I know a number of germophobes who would want something like this to avoid touching the knob/lever while preparing meals etc.
    - larnmar 7y ago
      An infra-red sensor, as implemented in many public toilets, seems like a less error-prone solution to that problem. Or a pedal.
- masonic 7y ago
  Leak.
avs733 7y ago
It's funny...we've had this conversation with my mother repeatedly but she doesn't see a way technology companies could 'do anything bad with her asking for directions' My siblings and I have drawn a line at DNA testing. She keeps talking about submitting her DNA to some mail order testing company and it has been made clear that would be the end of our relationship. We will try and help her protect her own privacy but have zero tolerance for her disrespecting ours.
- LeftHandPath 7y ago
  > My siblings and I have drawn a line at DNA testing. She keeps talking about submitting her DNA to some mail order testing company and it has been made clear that would be the end of our relationship. We will try and help her protect her own privacy but have zero tolerance for her disrespecting ours. It's sad that people don't recognize how DNA collected like that (whether by 23AndMe, Ancestry.com/Quest Diagnostics, or anyone else) is used. Almost 100% of the time, it goes into a database that's readily available for searches by law enforcement, without warrant. They can use the DNA of a close relative to figure out what they want to find in a suspect. It WILL be misused, and it is not in our best interest. Nor is the surveillance net made by Blink and Ring cameras, and the pervasive network of microphones made by phones, smart-watches, smart TV's, smart faucets and fridges, smart ovens (seriously?), et cetera, ad nauseaum. It's not only blind trust in the manufacturers of these devices to not misuse the data they collect, but it's blind trust that all of these devices will be properly secured and prevent would-be attackers from listening in to you no matter where you are. People cover up their webcams because they're afraid of hackers, but they put security cameras in their bedrooms, "to catch a thief", without a second thought.
  - blaser-waffle 7y ago
    You committing a lot of crimes these days, killer? I could care less about "misuse" for criminal reasons. The US military already has my prints and blood as part of MEPS intake and Tricare. I'm more worried that DNA companies are going to use my DNA to raise my insurance rates, raise them for all of my family, or use them to predict models that fuck over other people. I also expect them to NOT release any useful data and to hoard that as long as possible.

paggle 7y ago

What does a WiFi kitchen sink do?

LeftHandPath 7y ago
It's as useless as it sounds. This isn't the one they have, but it's similar: https://www.amazon.com/Trinsic-Pull-Down-Activated-Technology-9159TV-DST/dp/B07CXF215K https://www.amazon.com/Trinsic-Pull-Down-Activated-Technolog...
- fyfy18 7y ago
  Does it still work as a tap if the WiFi is down? :D
  - mirekrusin 7y ago
    You won't know because you'll be locked a room somewhere it pitch dark.
- allovernow 7y ago
  $530 to turn on a faucet with your voice? What?
  - PavlovsCat 7y ago
    May I interest you in... "hot.. cold.. and click." -- ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot5yGFtl9rc&t=3m06s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot5yGFtl9rc&t=3m06s Though I would assume that such a holistic, deep vision, that ranges from the dawn of time to configurating our smartphones finally to configurating our smarthomes, costs a lot more than a mere $530.
- newnewpdro 7y ago
  I know a number of germophobes who would want something like this to avoid touching the knob/lever while preparing meals etc.
  - larnmar 7y ago
    An infra-red sensor, as implemented in many public toilets, seems like a less error-prone solution to that problem. Or a pedal.
masonic 7y ago
Leak.

avs733 7y ago

It's funny...we've had this conversation with my mother repeatedly but she doesn't see a way technology companies could 'do anything bad with her asking for directions' My siblings and I have drawn a line at DNA testing. She keeps talking about submitting her DNA to some mail order testing company and it has been made clear that would be the end of our relationship. We will try and help her protect her own privacy but have zero tolerance for her disrespecting ours.

LeftHandPath 7y ago
> My siblings and I have drawn a line at DNA testing. She keeps talking about submitting her DNA to some mail order testing company and it has been made clear that would be the end of our relationship. We will try and help her protect her own privacy but have zero tolerance for her disrespecting ours. It's sad that people don't recognize how DNA collected like that (whether by 23AndMe, Ancestry.com/Quest Diagnostics, or anyone else) is used. Almost 100% of the time, it goes into a database that's readily available for searches by law enforcement, without warrant. They can use the DNA of a close relative to figure out what they want to find in a suspect. It WILL be misused, and it is not in our best interest. Nor is the surveillance net made by Blink and Ring cameras, and the pervasive network of microphones made by phones, smart-watches, smart TV's, smart faucets and fridges, smart ovens (seriously?), et cetera, ad nauseaum. It's not only blind trust in the manufacturers of these devices to not misuse the data they collect, but it's blind trust that all of these devices will be properly secured and prevent would-be attackers from listening in to you no matter where you are. People cover up their webcams because they're afraid of hackers, but they put security cameras in their bedrooms, "to catch a thief", without a second thought.
- blaser-waffle 7y ago
  You committing a lot of crimes these days, killer? I could care less about "misuse" for criminal reasons. The US military already has my prints and blood as part of MEPS intake and Tricare. I'm more worried that DNA companies are going to use my DNA to raise my insurance rates, raise them for all of my family, or use them to predict models that fuck over other people. I also expect them to NOT release any useful data and to hoard that as long as possible.