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LG dryer traffic – 1GB+ daily up/down

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Re: LG dryer traffic – 1GB+ daily up/down

#11
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't be surprised if we get internet-only appliances soon, which charge customers on a pay-per-use basis. Considering the low margins on the average whitegoods, it could be an attractive business model to bundle the consumables with the hardware as part of a subscription/PAYG model. Or you could lockdown certain modes and temperatures behind a paywall. Similar how the car industry is already doing it.

Thermomix locks a few features behind a subscription. "Subscription-only features include caramelization, slow cooking, and frying." https://www.thespruceeats.com/thermomix-tm6-review-4693221

Wow. And those features don't work without WiFi. Why the heck would it need an internet connection and a subscription to fry something? It already costs $1,500! You'd think maybe it would be using AI to figure out how to best fry the food or something like that, but the article also says the frying function didn't work very well...

Re: LG dryer traffic – 1GB+ daily up/down

#12
post #8
post #4

This sucks. Why connect random ownable devices to your network, especially for the low low benefit of ... knowing when the clothes' drier is done ?!? Connected firmware updatable white goods allow appliance manufacturers to do even less QA because they can always fix it later, which wasn't possible before. If you're the paranoid who won't connect random crap to the net, this is bad news, as you'll get lower quality a…

I wouldn't be surprised if we get internet-only appliances soon, which charge customers on a pay-per-use basis. Considering the low margins on the average whitegoods, it could be an attractive business model to bundle the consumables with the hardware as part of a subscription/PAYG model. Or you could lockdown certain modes and temperatures behind a paywall. Similar how the car industry is already doing it.

See `Unauthorized Bread`

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/01/unauthorized-bread-a-...

Re: LG dryer traffic – 1GB+ daily up/down

#13
What worries me is that soon we won't be able to monitor this anymore because these devices won't be dependent on a customer-supplied internet connection anymore. Instead, they'll all have cellular connectivity and we'll have no idea what is being sent, to whom and why.

And I fear that there will be no device manufacturers in the same price range left that don't include this feature. Similar to how Smart TV's are cheaper than dumb displays of identical specs.

Re: LG dryer traffic – 1GB+ daily up/down

#14
post #8
post #4

This sucks. Why connect random ownable devices to your network, especially for the low low benefit of ... knowing when the clothes' drier is done ?!? Connected firmware updatable white goods allow appliance manufacturers to do even less QA because they can always fix it later, which wasn't possible before. If you're the paranoid who won't connect random crap to the net, this is bad news, as you'll get lower quality a…

I wouldn't be surprised if we get internet-only appliances soon, which charge customers on a pay-per-use basis. Considering the low margins on the average whitegoods, it could be an attractive business model to bundle the consumables with the hardware as part of a subscription/PAYG model. Or you could lockdown certain modes and temperatures behind a paywall. Similar how the car industry is already doing it.

> I wouldn't be surprised if we get internet-only appliances soon, which charge customers on a pay-per-use basis.

Well, that's an everyday sales lead for us these days. The devious "Product as a Service" is by far the most demanded feature.

Re: LG dryer traffic – 1GB+ daily up/down

#15
post #8
post #4

This sucks. Why connect random ownable devices to your network, especially for the low low benefit of ... knowing when the clothes' drier is done ?!? Connected firmware updatable white goods allow appliance manufacturers to do even less QA because they can always fix it later, which wasn't possible before. If you're the paranoid who won't connect random crap to the net, this is bad news, as you'll get lower quality a…

I wouldn't be surprised if we get internet-only appliances soon, which charge customers on a pay-per-use basis. Considering the low margins on the average whitegoods, it could be an attractive business model to bundle the consumables with the hardware as part of a subscription/PAYG model. Or you could lockdown certain modes and temperatures behind a paywall. Similar how the car industry is already doing it.

One short story in Cory Doctorow's "Radicalized" is exactly about that. In the story, immigrants living in social housing supplied with "smart" appliances are only allowed pre-approved detergent, among other things. Can recommend the other stories from the book as well. The one about the doomsday fetishists is something I think about every once in a while, especially now during the pandemic.

Re: LG dryer traffic – 1GB+ daily up/down

#16

What worries me is that soon we won't be able to monitor this anymore because these devices won't be dependent on a customer-supplied internet connection anymore. Instead, they'll all have cellular connectivity and we'll have no idea what is being sent, to whom and why. And I fear that there will be no device manufacturers in the same price range left that don't include this feature. Similar to how Smart TV's are che…

> have cellular connectivity

Then you'll get local shops that sell the machines painted in 2-3 layers of faraday paint (or apply some sort of cage, or solder out the antenna, etc). Or perhaps just like in the old console hardmod days everyone will know someone that can "mod" your dryer so it stops being dumb and just dries your clothes.

Re: LG dryer traffic – 1GB+ daily up/down

#17

What worries me is that soon we won't be able to monitor this anymore because these devices won't be dependent on a customer-supplied internet connection anymore. Instead, they'll all have cellular connectivity and we'll have no idea what is being sent, to whom and why. And I fear that there will be no device manufacturers in the same price range left that don't include this feature. Similar to how Smart TV's are che…

Not long after, hobbyists and hackers will be hijacking that cellular connection.

Re: LG dryer traffic – 1GB+ daily up/down

#18
post #4

This sucks. Why connect random ownable devices to your network, especially for the low low benefit of ... knowing when the clothes' drier is done ?!? Connected firmware updatable white goods allow appliance manufacturers to do even less QA because they can always fix it later, which wasn't possible before. If you're the paranoid who won't connect random crap to the net, this is bad news, as you'll get lower quality a…

Home automation seems to mainly achieve "low low benefits". Like turning on a light from your phone instead of using a light switch. These things make some minor conveniences possible, but don't come close to being essential. It doesn't seem worth it for the privacy, security, management overhead, cost, etc.

Re: LG dryer traffic – 1GB+ daily up/down

#19
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't be surprised if we get internet-only appliances soon, which charge customers on a pay-per-use basis. Considering the low margins on the average whitegoods, it could be an attractive business model to bundle the consumables with the hardware as part of a subscription/PAYG model. Or you could lockdown certain modes and temperatures behind a paywall. Similar how the car industry is already doing it.

Thermomix locks a few features behind a subscription. "Subscription-only features include caramelization, slow cooking, and frying." https://www.thespruceeats.com/thermomix-tm6-review-4693221

I know I'm going to be wrong, but I really hope this is peak rent seeking.

Re: LG dryer traffic – 1GB+ daily up/down

#20
post #4

This sucks. Why connect random ownable devices to your network, especially for the low low benefit of ... knowing when the clothes' drier is done ?!? Connected firmware updatable white goods allow appliance manufacturers to do even less QA because they can always fix it later, which wasn't possible before. If you're the paranoid who won't connect random crap to the net, this is bad news, as you'll get lower quality a…

Home automation seems to mainly achieve "low low benefits". Like turning on a light from your phone instead of using a light switch. These things make some minor conveniences possible, but don't come close to being essential. It doesn't seem worth it for the privacy, security, management overhead, cost, etc.

When done well it provides more than just toggling a switch on your phone. Examples are timers for lights to say turn on outdoor lights at dusk. Turning on thr garage light when the garage door opens. Double tapping the switch by thr front door to turn off all lights in your home.

I'd like to think that shunning home automation isn't the answer, rather demanding open protocols and no internet connection required, such as with ZWave and more so Zigbee.

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