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Kevo app shutdown

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Re: Kevo app shutdown

#101

Post by wobfan »

flyinglizard wrote: post #48
theamk wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

it's worse than that - those locks are bluetooth-based, so they don't care about the cloud. What happened is that they are disabling the app, so it is no longer usable.

Apps require constant maintenance. If you just leave an app in Play Store or App Store and don’t touch it for a while, in couple of years it will be gone. Compliance requirements, obsolete APIs, forceful upgrades by the Apple/Google all see to that. That means you need to keep the app project updated and all dependencies in reasonable form. It’s not outlandish if you are a big company but as someone who oversaw the d…

This is wrong. Yes, they require constant maintenance. But that maintenance is pretty limited in scope, if it is required even. All they have to do is to push some updates once or twice a year at max, and maybe update the usage of some APIs. It's not like these companies can't do it. In the grand scheme they wouldn't even notice it if one of their developers would do that.

It's that they just don't want to. They're greedy as hell, and they don't care about you.

Even if it would be too much work at one point, e.g. if Apple would finally update their Bluetooth stack more often then every 10 years, and the API completely changes. Why not just open source the whole app, or at least their interface so independent developers could develop something so not all of their products need to go into the waste? Because even in this hypothetical scenario, one thing holds true: They're greedy and they don't care about you.

Re: Kevo app shutdown

#102

Post by ranger_danger »

wg0 wrote: post #99

I worry about TP-Link bulbs and cameras. Some legislation is required. Regulations aren't as bad.

> Some legislation is required

Is it not enough to simply let the people decide who they want to do business with? I'm genuinely curious.

Re: Kevo app shutdown

#103

Post by inanutshellus »

ranger_danger wrote: post #102
wg0 wrote: post #99

I worry about TP-Link bulbs and cameras. Some legislation is required. Regulations aren't as bad.

> Some legislation is required Is it not enough to simply let the people decide who they want to do business with? I'm genuinely curious.

Is the article itself not .... "genuinely" enough?

    1. Buy $thing in good faith
    2. $thing stops working for $reasons
    3. Go to step 1
versus

    1. Buy $thing in good faith
    2. It cannot be sabotaged by its own corporate creator due to legislation
    3. Visit the Bahamas with all your extra money.

Re: Kevo app shutdown

#104

Post by sofixa »

ranger_danger wrote: post #102
wg0 wrote: post #99

I worry about TP-Link bulbs and cameras. Some legislation is required. Regulations aren't as bad.

> Some legislation is required Is it not enough to simply let the people decide who they want to do business with? I'm genuinely curious.

How would a prospective buyer know that the company will shut their product service down?

Sometimes, it's a company that has done it before (e.g. Google). But not always.

Re: Kevo app shutdown

#105

Post by gruez »

StevenWaterman wrote: post #81
vrighter wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

but why???? If i have already gotten off my ass to go throw the clothes in it and so I'm literally standing right next to it, in what universe won't I just press "start" and instead press a bunch of buttons to set up a timer?

If you want to run it overnight, or while you're at work, so it finishes as you arrive and doesn't leave the clean clothes in a clump for hours (or so it runs during cheaper power hours)

>and doesn't leave the clean clothes in a clump for hours

As opposed to having your clothes be in a wet clump for hours? Between the two choices I'd prefer it being dry, because I know at least there will be less microbial activity.

Re: Kevo app shutdown

#106

Post by 542354234235 »

xmprt wrote: post #61
cortesoft wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is fine for the HackerNews crowd, but most people aren’t going to have the skills and/or time to run a local setup, and it’s not unreasonable for them to want smart lock functionality.

If you buy a device that works over Zigbee or Zwave, a layperson doesn't need to have the skills to run a local setup because some third party can always come in and help with the integration (either some third party cloud solution or contractors who can come to your house and set up the local solution for you)

Exactly. Most of those IoT products will connect directly with Apple Homekit, Google Home, Smartthings, etc. without some other hub, app, cloud. Which makes it likely it can be kept working regardless of what that company does. You don't have to go full local setup to avoid the most proprietary IoT devices.

Re: Kevo app shutdown

#107

Post by 542354234235 »

dylan604 wrote: post #64
xmprt wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My house lock is probably the one place where I'm not prepared to compromise security with a DIY solution. Not talking about the software security (in fact open source solutions are probably more secure) but literally the hardware and build quality of any DIY work.

that's kind of funny though as any lock can be picked. if someone wants into your house, most of the time they will not enter the locked front door. they'll find a window in the back that is easier to open with whatever they find in your back yard. they might exit the front door on their way out though. also, most locks are easily picked by someone with practice

If memory serves, something like 2% of break ins use "lock picking" which includes shimming a sliding door, a very low skill attack. Criminals just don't use high skill attacks to burgle homes. Probably a combination of most crimes being opportunistic, most criminals doing them being low skilled themselves, and people like us not being rich enough to move into the level of being targeted by the minuscule percent of high skill burglars.

Re: Kevo app shutdown

#108

Post by 542354234235 »

komali2 wrote: post #50

I never understood the smart lock. Some other connected appliances make sense - HVAC for example. But unlocking my door with a key is such a trivially easy, failure-proof thing to do, and every smart lock I've ever seen so riddled with failure modes, that it boggles my mind anyone would go through the cost and effort to install.

I've had a key break in a deadbolt lock before. I can go running without carrying keys. I can assign a temp code to my pet sitter/handyman/whoever without having to police up keys or worry about keys being copied. I know when and which code is used, in case of an incident (none so far). My partner has lost 3 mailbox keys and zero house keys (since there is no house key). My door auto locks, and forgetting to lock your door is one of the biggest security risks, since crimes of opportunity are so much more common than targeted crimes. I've given my neighbor access during an emergency while we were out of the country. I can pre unlock my door from my smart watch if my hands are going to be full. I absolutely think the cost and effort were worth it for me.

Re: Kevo app shutdown

#109

Post by 542354234235 »

komali2 wrote: post #73
function_seven wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love walking up to my front door and having it automatically unlock when I’m carrying groceries. It’s also really nice to just leave the house and have it lock automatically behind me. But I didn’t fall for cloud bullshit. It’s purely local and z-wave.

But, the obvious failure mode: you assume it locked automatically behind you, but how can you be guaranteed of this without checking? It seems to me at that point it's better to just lock it with a key, which guarantees it's locked.

I like my auto lock feature, but I manually lock it as a habit and only rely on the auto lock as a backup in case I forget. I only have to touch the keypad to lock it and can hear it lock. Also, I can check remotely if it is locked (even though the lock can/does work completely without a need for a connection).

Re: Kevo app shutdown

#110

Post by function_seven »

komali2 wrote: post #73
function_seven wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love walking up to my front door and having it automatically unlock when I’m carrying groceries. It’s also really nice to just leave the house and have it lock automatically behind me. But I didn’t fall for cloud bullshit. It’s purely local and z-wave.

But, the obvious failure mode: you assume it locked automatically behind you, but how can you be guaranteed of this without checking? It seems to me at that point it's better to just lock it with a key, which guarantees it's locked.

I get a notification when the doors lock. I can also check the status of the lock in Home Assistant.

If for some reason the deadbolt jams, or the door was not actually locked, then I risk it for those few hours. It hasn't happened yet.

I have probably "manually" forgotten to lock my door more times than that. (e.g. Carrying items out to the car, I think I will go back for more, then I get distracted and leave instead.)

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