Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I won't connect my dishwasher to your cloud

jeffgeerling.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

271–280 of 682 posts

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

#271

Post by UnlockedSecrets »

sureIy wrote: post #241
tzs wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had sort of the opposite situation. I needed a new washer and all the top rated ones according to Consumer Reports included WiFi. I asked at Home Depot if the one I was thinking of getting, an LG WM3400CW, required me to actually use the WiFi and they said no. I used it for a few weeks without ever even trying to set up WiFi and everything was fine. Then I found at that when you set up an LG washer for WiFi you can…

This sounds like great use of technology if you ask me. The only thing I'd complain about is that data would not be E2E encrypted :)

In terms of a threat-risk analysis, the need of a physical microphone nearby i imagine more than makes up for the risk of an adversary knowing your water quality and electrical consumption as measured by your washer in almost everyones lives atleast..

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

#272

Post by mhb »

SamuelAdams wrote: post #213
didgetmaster wrote: post #73

The only feature that would make me want to connect it to the cloud is if it would automatically load the dishes and then put them back in the cupboard when it finished cleaning them.

You joke but Google is working on this now. What if you could have a maid robot in every household, similar to the I, Robot film and book. https://deepmind.google/discover/blog/gemini-robotics-brings...

Everyone's "working" on it.

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

#273

Post by doctor_radium »

mmmlinux wrote: post #3

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

I don't have a subscription, but will still visit the library sometimes to skim the odd article. CR's problem is...what? They still tailor content to a magazine article size (online content is updated more, but not necessarily deeper), but the magazine today is miniscule due to printing costs? And they really don't have the resources for proper longevity testing?

I believe they still have a letters column, or failing that, an email address. Would highly suggested the OP contact them and complain how they missed the mark.

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

#274

Post by athrowaway3z »

Once the manufacturer decides to add remote controls, its not clear to me a better solution currently exists.

AFAIK Android gives you some freedom wrt notifications, but Apple demands all notifications go through a service.

This is all before we talk about the support nightmare of average people not understanding why they can't connect to their dishwasher when away from home, or what the proper security model should be.

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

#275

Post by aaronax »

flandry93 wrote: post #224
kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dishwasher electronics are subject to elevated heat and humidity levels. A DIY solution will be extremely unreliable. An amateurish job on the power electronics can be a fire hazard and will void any insurance policy if they find out what you did.

Funny how there is always someone who posts "you do X, and you will fail", and then follow up with "you will get hurt and/or hurt others" and then "we will punish you for trying". Like they work for the corporation, to spread the message of hopelessness. Embrace the tyranny of fate! Maybe someone who is skillful enough to be able to DIY a micro-controller will also think about these issues and deal with them too? Or…

Need more Doug Jacksons (SV Seeker) in this world.

Safety third.

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

#276

Post by nerdponx »

belorn wrote: post #99
klipklop wrote: post #56

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.

Those products will earn profits to the producers after sale by bundling ads onto the app. Since the cost of producing the networking is less than projected sales, every unit will sooner or later have said networking and app. The app-only dishwashers will then out compete other dishwashers, slowly replacing all alternatives to app-only dishwashers outside "industry dishwashers" which will be app-free but cost 10x tha…

Bundling ads and selling data. Double revenue stream, double incentive for enshittification.

Also the marginal cost of an app is basically $0, whereas the marginal cost of hardware like buttons and 7-segment displays is >$0, so it's tempting (if you expect to sell a lot of dishwashers) to replace hardware with an app.

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

#277

Post by jenadine »

kube-system wrote: post #222
amiga386 wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps I misspoke, but needing a network connection, needing a smartphone, giving over your details, very likely getting marketing materials you didn't want via app notifications, or email, requiring to comply with terms of service, and at any time the company is free to rescind or change the offer, to me is "paywalling". You are paying out, giving them things of real value, over and above buying the device, and if…

It's annoying, but it's not a paywall. > All the functionality should be in the device itself, and require no sign-up or ongoing relationship with the company to use it. For a dishwasher yes, but I don't agree with that as a blanket statement. There are cloud connected devices that I really like. e.g. I like to run my Roomba on-demand after I leave my house, and I think that's an entirely reasonable use case. Many ot…

> not a paywall

You pay with your data

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

#278

Post by Spooky23 »

bee_rider wrote: post #268
sureIy wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This sounds like great use of technology if you ask me. The only thing I'd complain about is that data would not be E2E encrypted :)

Seems like it’d be a good application for Bluetooth.

Bluetooth modelers don’t age well in these types of environments. Sound is much easier and more reliable.

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

#279

Post by nerdponx »

dawnerd wrote: post #65
kulahan wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Shame on CR for not calling this out. I've become a little mistrustful of them in recent years after having not-great experiences with their high-rated products, and great experiences with products that they didn't rate at all. This adds to my mistrust.

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

#280

Post by nerdponx »

AshamedCaptain wrote: post #200
Aurornis wrote: post #186

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But contrary to some of the other comments, I feel the need point out that it's still a fully functional dishwasher even if you never connect it to Wifi. Thanks. Some of the other comments are implying that they’re missing something important without WiFi but nobody seems to want to explain what’s missing. Can you explain what features are missing without the WiFi connection?

> It says options with an asterisk—including Rinse, Machine Care (self-cleaning), HalfLoad, Eco, and Delay start, are "available through Home Connect app only and depending on your model."

Fully functional, if you don't mind a dishwasher with less functionality than 40 years ago when the buttons were still physical locking buttons with springs.
Post reply on HN