.

[FXF]

.

[jba302]

Interesting that the Refuel is about the same price as a backup propane tank, while not being as useful as a backup propane tank.

[TheThirstyStag]

Interesting that the Refuel is about the same price as a backup propane tank, while not being as useful as a backup propane tank.

Exactly what I thought when I read that! 

[Chris22]

Interesting that the Refuel is about the same price as a backup propane tank, while not being as useful as a backup propane tank.

Exactly what I thought when I read that!

Same here. 

Or just switch to charcoal, where it is pretty obvious how much you have on hand, and it's better in every way save speed.

[The_path_less_taken]

I never will understand why people want strangers to know anything about them. Never mind corporations that want to sell them shit: "oh look, she bought six bags of dog food: send her a coupon".

Beyond creepy.

[big_slacker]

Gonna be great for me. People barely know IPv4, all of us that know IPv6, multicast, any cast etc... Are gonna be bankin! :)

But I agree with the article. All this tech for the sake of tech or selling more. And the longest lived, healthiest people in the world are growing veggies in the back yard and kneading their own bread. :)

[Schaefer Light]

I never will understand why people want strangers to know anything about them. Never mind corporations that want to sell them shit: "oh look, she bought six bags of dog food: send her a coupon".

Beyond creepy.

I totally agree.  It's why I deleted my Facebook account.

[Thegoblinchief]

But I agree with the article. All this tech for the sake of tech or selling more. And the longest lived, healthiest people in the world are growing veggies in the back yard and kneading their own bread. :)

Lol, yep.

Simpler is better.

Even I was more of a gadget head, the OpSec nightmares all of this stuff poses is ridiculous - and no one writing the gushing "news" stories that started years ago could see the pitfalls. Ars Technica had a good piece focusing on Internet baby monitors the other day.

http://arstechnica.com/security/2015/09/9-baby-monitors-wide-open-to-hacks-that-expose-users-most-private-moments/

[Leanthree]

I agree with the article's general thoughts but also totally understand why Dog FitBit exists. Normal FitBit (which I don't understand in the least) has become very popular. Assuming it is popular for Humans I can see it being popular for pets.

The propane weight gauge thing would be cool if it cost like $1. I see that as a useful thing to have if it were essentially free. I would literally never attach a fit bit to my body even if it were free.

[Chris22]

I agree with the article's general thoughts but also totally understand why Dog FitBit exists. Normal FitBit (which I don't understand in the least) has become very popular. Assuming it is popular for Humans I can see it being popular for pets.

The propane weight gauge thing would be cool if it cost like $1. I see that as a useful thing to have if it were essentially free. I would literally never attach a fit bit to my body even if it were free.

I had a fit bit, and it didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know.  The one thing that WAS cool was the sleep monitor though, that had some value. 

[Spork]

My main concern (other than general uselessness of IoT) is security.  We've learned a great deal about IP security over the past 20 something years.  But it seems like almost every smart dongle thing out there is starting from square one where we didn't know a damn thing.

If you have a crappy product on your network that phones home with a reverse shell (and it seems like most of them do) -- your entire network integrity is shot.

[mozar]

What's hilarious is that my roommate Leo left the oven on twice, and I caught it. Maybe I should get the Leeo.
The vast majority of the stuff coming out of silicon valley is junk. I read about one app that "disrupts laundry" they do your laundry for you. Oy.

[Melody]

Interesting that the Refuel is about the same price as a backup propane tank, while not being as useful as a backup propane tank.

Exactly what I thought when I read that!

Same here. 

Or just switch to charcoal, where it is pretty obvious how much you have on hand, and it's better in every way save speed.

Or tap your fuel tank before you head off to the store to but meat to grill. It makes a different sound on the full part than on the empty part of that makes sense. So this way you can check the level. I have never had a backup tank or a bbq bummer with this simple trick :-)

[Travis]

I feel this way about the bulk of the SkyMall catalog on airplanes - gadgets for the sake of having gadgets.

[Abe]

One of my friends had about a dozen windows in his living room, and they had automatic blinds on all of them. Total cost: $800. One day they just started opening and closing uncontrollably (until they shut off the power breaker and reset them). Whenever I think about buying a "smart home" device, I think about that and have saved a lot of money.

I feel like most of these devices are designed by people who don't have the things they are designed to improve (babies, propane tanks, etc) otherwise  they would see the obvious flaws.

[slugline]

I don't think they are seriously expecting all the product examples to succeed in the marketplace. I really think they are throwing ideas out until a few truly find their audience, like programmable thermostats have. I would never want to go back to a dumb 'stat again.

[obstinate]

I'd be fine with smart home stuff if any of it made life easier. But it ends up taking more time than it saves nine times out of ten. Human computer interaction has a long way to go.

[MsPeacock]

I can't find a link to this particular item - but a year or two ago Home Depot and Target were selling a wifi egg monitor. You would bring your eggs home from the store, put them in the special electronic egg-holder, and then it would send you a message when you were low on eggs. Like, because as you use the eggs you can't tell how many you have unless you get a message to your smart phone. I think it was $80 or so.

http://248am.com/pm/food/the-egg-minder/

The reviews on Amazon were enthusiastic about how awesome it was to have this egg thingamajig. I just... my mind boggles. I don't think it is available any longer.

[dungoofed]

I feel this way about the bulk of the SkyMall catalog on airplanes - gadgets for the sake of having gadgets.

SkyMall used to be kinda cool to flick through, all the gadgets/etc. But these days with most pointless-gadget-makers selling direct, reading a SkyMall is like a trip back to the beginning of 2015!

I think some of them are useful. Slugline mentioned thermostat, and I'm looking at a fancy automatic irrigation system for a rental property. Also, in defense of Fitbit/etc, not everyone has the motivation many of us do; my buddy's Fitbit got him off the couch after everything else had failed (he's now having success with "Zombies, Run!").

[SnackDog]

SkyMall is bankrupt!

[big_slacker]

My main concern (other than general uselessness of IoT) is security.  We've learned a great deal about IP security over the past 20 something years.  But it seems like almost every smart dongle thing out there is starting from square one where we didn't know a damn thing.

If you have a crappy product on your network that phones home with a reverse shell (and it seems like most of them do) -- your entire network integrity is shot.

Haha! Seriously, it's stupid. It's one thing if a company gets compromised and some data is stolen. But wait till a company with MILLIONS of homeowner devices (including cameras and door locks) gets compromised. It's gonna get real personal.

[HipGnosis]

I don't think they are seriously expecting all the product examples to succeed in the marketplace. I really think they are throwing ideas out until a few truly find their audience, like programmable thermostats have. I would never want to go back to a dumb 'stat again.

Me too.  But I equally do NOT want my thermostat (or anything else I can think of) controlled via the internet which is susceptible to hackers.
Which is beside the point that since I have a programmable thermostat with weekday and weekend temps programmed, the only time I even look at it is to over ride the program when I take or get a day off.

[HipGnosis]

I'd be fine with smart home stuff if any of it made life easier. But it ends up taking more time than it saves nine times out of ten. Human computer interaction has a long way to go.

Not to mention that when you get a new phone, you'll have to re-load the app and remember how to configure it.