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I won't connect my dishwasher to your cloud

jeffgeerling.com

61–70 of 682 posts

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

#61
post #59

While it's utterly true these features will simply get abandoned by the manufacturer, people seem to discount how hard (read: expensive) it is to develop local-first software, especially the one you want to just work with a mobile app that might or might not be on the same local network or subnet (try explaining that bit to your regular Bosch customer). Since we are, ultimately, such a minority, I am sure that not ev…

How complicated of software does one need in a dishwasher? Feels like a solution looking for a problem

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

#62

One thing I've learned when buying a full set of appliances couple of years ago: don't read consumer reports or reviews by randos on the internet -- instead, go to industry literature, and read reports by/for service and warranty providers. They have actual hard data on the types and frequency of problems across brands and models. But back to the main theme of the article: hell to the no was my initial attitude, and…

> Needless to say, none of these ever even got anywhere near being set up,

I have an LG soundbar never set up, or connected to any wifi.

and when my phone gets near it, it asks to connect to an airplay device.

I think that might be a fatal flaw to even getting a wifi enabled device - maybe someone in the adjacent apartment can do the initial setup if you didn't.

hopefully these devices have a physical component to initial setup, and are not succeptible to denial-of-service type attacks.

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

#63
I see that the genius that decided that butonless car dashboards are a good idea, have found a new job, now that the car trend has reversed.

For me the most egregious thing was online account to use my mouse.

Also for dishwashers and washing machines - the eco and other bullshit modes are terrible. Let me waste tad more resources that I will gladly pay for and don't care how greasy the things that I throw in the dishwasher are.

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

#65
post #46
post #17

> When I posted on social media about this, a lot of people told me to return it. > > But I spent four hours installing this thing built into my kitchen. I sympathize with the author and what Bosch is doing here is ridiculous and I am fully against it. But, they're not going to care about your complaints. Returning it and hitting them in the pocketbook is really the only way consumers have to send messages that compa…

If your audience is big enough, your complaints can end up hitting their pocket book.

Exactly. I'm in the market for a Dishwasher and was highly considering a Bosch based on all the positive reviews from CR and such. Now I'm not considering them at all.

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

#66
post #45

I was pleasantly surprised when there was an update to my Flymo robot lawnmower app where they _removed_ the requirement to setup an account to use it. Seems most other companies are going the other way though.

I read that there used to be an activation requirement with smart glasses (xreal?) but they waived it if bought on amazon.

I was wondering - maybe they have a deal with amazon that says what serial number was sold to who?

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

#67

I feel Jeff should have bit the bullet and just returned it. I know it's a waste of time, but these products have to be rejected at retail. Retailers will eventually get tired of the extra support burden and demand manufacturers drop stuff like this. They should all get hit with the open box problem from the returns.

I agree.

And Consumer Reports (which I am a "member") needs to call them out and hard for this.

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

#68
post #59

While it's utterly true these features will simply get abandoned by the manufacturer, people seem to discount how hard (read: expensive) it is to develop local-first software, especially the one you want to just work with a mobile app that might or might not be on the same local network or subnet (try explaining that bit to your regular Bosch customer). Since we are, ultimately, such a minority, I am sure that not ev…

How complicated of software does one need in a dishwasher? Feels like a solution looking for a problem

Or phrased another way, if local first software is so difficult why are we doing it at all when these devices worked BEFORE they had software.

The worst washing machine I've ever had is my current one, and it isn't even a "smart" appliance. It has just enough software to be worse than my one with dials for everything.

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

#69
post #17

> When I posted on social media about this, a lot of people told me to return it. > > But I spent four hours installing this thing built into my kitchen. I sympathize with the author and what Bosch is doing here is ridiculous and I am fully against it. But, they're not going to care about your complaints. Returning it and hitting them in the pocketbook is really the only way consumers have to send messages that compa…

I look forward to Jeff inserting a "Bosch Sux" interstitial into his Youtube videos.

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

#70
I was pleasantly surprised that Yamaha flirted with this then backed off. My receiver is connected to the LAN since this is helpful for streaming, and it has a companion MusicCast app for controlling it on the WiFi or playing audio stored on your phone. No messing around with accounts, it just works. A year or two ago the app started regularly pestering you to register an online account. I, along with who knows how many other people, sent them an annoyed email promising that if an account ever became required my receiver would spend the rest of its days on OPTICAL1 with a different smart frontend. Quietly, the in-app popups stopped. For now, life is good.
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