At Jeff’s house in San Francisco, thermostats, light switches, smoke alarms, doorbells, speakers, baby monitors, garage doors, air pollution monitors, sprinkler controllers, meat thermometers, clocks, TVs, and e-bikes are hooked up. app or his voice.
In my New York City apartment, I turn on the lights, adjust the air conditioning, and test the temperature of meat with a human-operated device that isn’t connected to the internet.
I think Jeff lives in a nerd’s paradise filled with pointless garbage gadgets. He thinks of me as a surly old lady mumbling about why I need a luxury like a cold room.
I hope our friendly disagreement has provided a glimpse into the promises and pitfalls of how technology is transforming home life.
Smart home devices can make your living space more comfortable and convenient. paranoia.
Geoff tested a bunch of smart home gadgets, scrutinized their privacy policies, and learned the hard way what’s worth and what’s not, and how you can tell the difference.
This is an edited transcript of our conversation.
Shira: Seriously, why do we have so many smart home things? What are the benefits of trading the simplicity of light switches and clocks for smarter versions?
Jeff: The magic of these devices is that they automate tasks and make you think less. My Lutron Caseta light switch turns off automatically at certain times or when no one is home. It cuts my utility bills and it’s convenient.
My current favorite smart home use case: Say “good night” in the baby’s room and the lights slowly dim, giving your munchkin a visual reminder that it’s bedtime.
I also like the Weber iGrill thermometer for smokers. When the meat reaches the target temperature, the Bluetooth thermometer will ping your phone so you don’t have to keep looking.
Shira: I admit, it sounds convenient. But is this worth the complexity and complexity? If the internet goes out, will you be locked out of your home? And what’s wrong with low-tech automation? There are lights with simple sensors that
Jeff: The best of my household items make life simpler. Remember that thermostat with that clunky little tab you pushed in? If you want more, just turn the dial like a giant iPod.
However, not all of these products are improved. Connected color-changing light bulbs sound groovy, but smart light bulbs tend not to work unless the wall switch is always on. They annoyed my family and house guests.
Shira: So what advice do you have for making sure you’re buying smart home gadgets that actually work?
Jeff: It would be fun to make a tech home improvement show.
1) Don’t fall for the app trap! Be careful installing important home features that work only with the app. As a backup, you should be able to unlock the door or turn on the light the old-fashioned way. This is why I stopped using his Philips Hue bulbs, even though I knew they had a lot of fans.
2) Building smart homes in Switzerland… figuratively.many of these products Limit your optionsFor example, Amazon’s smart plugs only work with Alexa. You may love Alexa today, but you never know what voice AI, smartphone, or facial computer you’ll have in five years.If possible, choose products that work with Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit When new A smart home standard called Matter.
(Note: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post.)
3) Watch out for spies. Some companies collect and store suspiciously large amounts of data. looking at you AmazonIn some cases, you can adjust your settings to tell us to collect less information. Privacy reset guide can help. But the best products, like Eve branded products, don’t reside in the cloud and collect as little data as possible.
4) Security is your responsibility. Different passwords and two-factor authentication are required for each home product. hacker invitation into the your homeSheila: That’s why Damhome is good!
Shira: Let me be smug about my smart home skepticism. Which smart device is worthless?
Jeff: I’ve tested or researched a lot of home gadgets that I wouldn’t want to keep on hand.
Smart toilets are one of them. No. And I’m not convinced that adding screens and internet connectivity would make refrigerators, washing machines, and microwaves much better.
i don’t have a smart door lock. kept failing on my old door Something as important as a lock shouldn’t be subject to random gadget failures.
I don’t even have a robot vacuum cleaner. Because it has a strong suction, you need one on each floor of your house, and it tends to chew on cords and rugs.
Other information from CES in Las Vegas: What was intriguing or strange was:
Chances are you’ve already received emergency alerts on your phone about major weather disasters, missing children, or other threats nearby.
It’s also worth signing up for notifications from your local government with more frequent and detailed alerts.
Text alerts aren’t available everywhere in the US, but you can add yourself to the list by texting your zip code to 888777.
Also, Google the name of your state or county and search for “emergency alerts” for more options, including notifications about road or transit problems, or earthquake warnings. (In New York, where I live, you can also receive emergency bulletins by fax. For some reason.)
Read more about Heather Kelly: From shootings to wildfires, how to never miss an emergency alert
Show off your small victories! tell me An app, gadget or tech trick that makes your day a little better. We may take your advice in a future edition of The Tech Friend.
