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I won't connect my dishwasher to your cloud

jeffgeerling.com

31–40 of 682 posts

Re: I won't connect my dishwasher to your cloud

#31
post #4

Legal Action Possibilities: - Product not as advertised, because it failed to disclose the need for a smart phone model supported by their app, and WiFi, and an internet connection, and etc. - Product is not ADA(?) compliant, because all that extra complexity makes using it too difficult for some disabled people. - Product is in violation of data security regulations of some US States, or countries, or the EU, becaus…

I think that's somewhat the intent of this wiki (though it's more focused on making things repairable, less on the IoT shenanigans): https://repair.wiki/w/Main_Page#gsc.tab=0

I've been looking for a resource like that for a long time!

-edit- It's currently preeeeeeeetty sparse. Hopefully it (or something like it) catches on in the future.

Re: I won't connect my dishwasher to your cloud

#32
post #3

Stuff like this is why I never really trust "Consumer Reports" reviews.

CR had some good vetting of stuff about 20 years ago, but has really missed the mark over and over recently and I would tend to just ignore them now. Sad, because their premise is very good.

Re: I won't connect my dishwasher to your cloud

#34

I suppose this means that in the future, when I shop for a home appliance, I'll have to download their manual first and scan for things like this.

Yeah... there was nothing on the product page on Lowes (it was after 10 pm on a busy Saturday, so I didn't have time to dig as deep as I would with a pre-planned purchase) and I thought the 500 series would be consistent from what I had read years ago. There was no indication that certain features (besides Alexa/Google Home integration, lol) would be locked behind the app.

Failing to mention the material fact that the dishwasher barely works without the internet could qualify as consumer fraud round these parts. Private right of action; punitive damages available. (Offer varies by state).

Re: I won't connect my dishwasher to your cloud

#35

And all this stuff could work directly locally, it'd even make alternatives possible and it'd be an immensely better experience. It would eliminate the latency it takes for the requests to reach halfway across the world and back. It would also eliminate a lot of the privacy and security concerns. What makes it worse is that these cloud connections also tend to be insecure and unreliable or both. I've seen multiple ve…

I'm hoping that the Matter protocol will help with local home automation. It is designed to work on the local network using IPv6 networking, with gateway between Wifi and Thread. The downside is that it is complicated from everybody involved in design.

The goal is that device companies will want to get rid of cost of developing cloud software, and effectively outsource it to Apple, Google, etc.

Re: I won't connect my dishwasher to your cloud

#36

I suppose this means that in the future, when I shop for a home appliance, I'll have to download their manual first and scan for things like this.

Unfortunately unavoidable unless you take the cheapest model and miss out on a lot of features you might otherwise like.

> miss out on a lot of features you might otherwise like.

More like ... will never actually need.

Re: I won't connect my dishwasher to your cloud

#37
I put up with a variety of shitty appliances because I'm a renter in 2025 who doesn't anticipate ever owning a home, but if I were in the business of outfitting my place with appliances, they sure as shit would not be the crap quality touch sensor microwave, oven, and dishwasher we currently use, or the dumbass laundry machines with stupid arbitrary labels for each setting. The fridge is fine, it has a door, that's all it needs to do. I want buttons.

Re: I won't connect my dishwasher to your cloud

#39

I had this dishwasher in a rental property I was living in. The landlord fitted it a month or so after I moved in because the old dishwasher died. I was very skeptical of a WiFi connected dishwasher. Very quickly, I loved it. It’s actually REALLY useful to be able to get a ping on my Apple watch that the dishwasher has finished. Once upon a time I had a dishwasher where the door popped open when it was finished. That…

> It’s actually REALLY useful to be able to get a ping on my Apple watch that the dishwasher has finished. Most dishwashers will play a tune or something, and I can't see why would I want another digitalized distraction in my life instead. But TBH I can't imagine why I would want to wear another portable digital distraction source on my wrist, so maybe I'm just old fashioned. > Once upon a time I had a dishwasher whe…

> I can't see why would I want another digitalized distraction in my life instead

Preach. I love my smart devices, but they need to be quiet and dumb on outside, smart on inside. Cars where screens and beeps can be turned off, microwaves without beeps, washers without bops and gyms without forced music.

I think Japan kinda gets it right tho their rice cookers have famously pleasant jingle once it's done cooking.

Re: I won't connect my dishwasher to your cloud

#40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am willing to bet that these features you started relying on will stop working within five years.

I'd also make that but, but only at ten years. It's unlikely but possible that the manufacturer might actually keep the backend service running for 5-10 years without it failing from incompetence or doing a deliberate rug pull. But, I'd surely bet its gone in ten years.

This highlights the need for open standards or some sort of government escrow cloud.
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