So much time saving tech, who bothers?

[Thankyou4calling]

I heard ads on the radio for the Igrill by Weber.

Use an App on your phone to set the grill to cook your meat "Perfectly"

So I need an iPhone
Install the app
Buy the grill
Put meat in the grill
Instruct the grill via the app
Go to the grill to remove meat.

Is this really progress? Do people need a wireless grill to do something we've done for donkeys without issue?

Same with these home devices you ask questions to. Alexa turn the TV on. Why not just turn it on! It's not hard.

I'm no Luddite but it strikes me there are an awful lot of things out there which are totally unnecessary and actually serve little purpose.

What do others think?

[WolfieBot]

A lot of it at the moment is technology for the sake of technology and it's not at a stage yet where it really is truly useful, what we're going through currently is the development and standardisation of smart devices.

But yes a BBQ is overkill.

I have an Alexa, and it was worth the money purely for setting multiple kitchen timers quickly without having to faff around with a phone whilst my hands are all messy. Being able to skip tracks and the Sonos is also a minor perk without needing to have my phone on me constantly.

[Triumph Man]

I hate those pretentious barbecuers, and this is going to make them all worse and even more unbearable.

[wiggy001]

WolfieBot said:

A lot of it at the moment is technology for the sake of technology and it's not at a stage yet where it really is truly useful, what we're going through currently is the development and standardisation of smart devices.

But yes a BBQ is overkill.

I have an Alexa, and it was worth the money purely for setting multiple kitchen timers quickly without having to faff around with a phone whilst my hands are all messy. Being able to skip tracks and the Sonos is also a minor perk without needing to have my phone on me constantly.

This.

I've had an Echo Dot for a week now (it was only a tenner, so why not?). I've just walked through the lounge with my hands full and turned the TV, Amp and Sky box off with a single voice command.

Not life changing, but as these things become more ingrained in our lives they will just become "the norm".

[RizzoTheRat]

I've just bought a couple of wireless plug adaptors, being able to turn the Christmas tree lights on or off from a phone app or via Alexa is a lot less hassle than crawling around under the desk to get to the socket

On the other hand the concept of a hands free soap dispenser annoys the crap out of me. Yes I might get some germs on my hand when using a normal soap dispenser, but I think there's already a good solution to that...

[Shakermaker]

RizzoTheRat said:

I've just bought a couple of wireless plug adaptors, being able to turn the Christmas tree lights on or off from a phone app or via Alexa is a lot less hassle than crawling around under the desk to get to the socket

On the other hand the concept of a hands free soap dispenser annoys the crap out of me. Yes I might get some germs on my hand when using a normal soap dispenser, but I think there's already a good solution to that...

Re: Hands free soap dispensers

I also share your thoughts regarding exactly how pointless they are given the fact that you are about to wash your hands. But, as someone who works for a company that sells this type of thing, there is a reason for it. And that reason is - they dispense less soap with the auto dispenser than people with a manual one. Which apparently, saves enough money to make it worth while (or rather, allows companies like us to sell you the more expensive unit with lower running costs). The analogy of spending more money to buy a car that does better MPG springs to mind. People will nearly always do 2 or 3 pumps with a manual dispenser, but the auto one will give you a pre-measured amount and after you've done that a couple of times, it will stop dispensing for a few seconds so you don't "over do" it.

[RizzoTheRat]

Interesting, I can see the point for commercial use in that case, but not for home use.

[anonymous-user]

Thankyou4calling said:

I heard ads on the radio for the Igrill by Weber.

Use an App on your phone to set the grill to cook your meat "Perfectly"

So I need an iPhone
Install the app
Buy the grill
Put meat in the grill
Instruct the grill via the app
Go to the grill to remove meat.

Is this really progress? Do people need a wireless grill to do something we've done for donkeys without issue?

Same with these home devices you ask questions to. Alexa turn the TV on. Why not just turn it on! It's not hard.

I'm no Luddite but it strikes me there are an awful lot of things out there which are totally unnecessary and actually serve little purpose.

What do others think?

In many cases, you’re actually adding stages to what was a simple procedure, it often takes longer to do the new tech option.

That’s not what it’s about for me though. It’s more about a simple pleasure from controlling someone like a light with my voice or an app. It just adds some little sparks of extra enjoyment to mundane activities.

Obviously it’s easy to switch on a light with your hand but it might be more fun to do it by voice, or remotely with an app. Then there’s enjoyment with creating networks like this and adding devices etc.

For me it’s about variety and trying new things and the novelty.

The point is simply that it’s fun.

[okgo]

I bought a coffee machine the other month. It requires about ten minutes to reach pressure/temperature, it was annoying to have to get out of bed to turn it on then get back in bed waiting for it to heat up when I could have spent that 10 minutes dozing or touching myself.

The answer - a timer switch that has a remote control that works up to 30m through walls and doors. Leave the switch engaged on the machine, then blindly fumble for the button when my alarm goes off - then wander into the kitchen having had that extra time to do what I please with the machine ready to use. Ideal.

[jmorgan]

Got the lights and other connected stuff but a BBQ? That is basic man vs fire and tugs at a base instinct. Suggest users of this also use beard oil.

[fatandwheezing]

We just got a new tumble dryer. About as basic an appliance as you can get, except you can control it via your phone. It's too basic to have wifi though, and uses NFC, so you have to be right next to it for it to work, and its therefore completely pointless.

[Shakermaker]

i don't think the Weber iGrill is a BBQ. Its an indoor cooking thing from what I saw online

[TooMany2cvs]

jmorgan said:

Got the lights and other connected stuff but a BBQ? That is basic man vs fire and tugs at a base instinct.

It's not as if it's a real barbecue anyway. It's gas, ffs.

[tedmus]

Isn't the Igrill just a wireless thermometer?

They're handy for long low and slow barbecue cooks as you can monitor the temp of the meat and the cooking area from a distance rather than being sat on top of the bbq/smoker.

[hyphen]

WolfieBot said:

A lot of it at the moment is technology for the sake of technology and it's not at a stage yet where it really is truly useful...

Fools and their money will always be attracted to shiny things, may as well be this tech.

[Filton-flyer]

I used to work with a guy who was an IT bod and loved all the gadgets.
He took great pleasure in extolling the virtues of automatic curtains and lights in his house.
The guy was very obese and I simply couldn't help but wonder,..................

If you actually got off your fat 4rse and drew the curtains and switched on the lights you might not be quite so fat!
I'm no technophobe but can't help thinking we are inventing solutions for non existent problems.

[devnull]

I've love my tech and gadgets, but I draw the line at some offerings, mainly due to the fact they don't really add any value to having them "connected" and obsolescence may render a perfectly good machine useless.

Kettle, toaster, coffee machine - no way. No point.
Philips Hue home lighting - very useful.
Dyson 360 eye robot vacuum - nice to have the downstairs all hoovered on a very regular basis. Expensive, but does a good job.

White Goods: no point. I just replaced my washer dryer with an LG, and my dishwasher with a Miele. Both had "connected" options. The LG admittedly does have NFC, bt that's to download separate programs from a fairly short list on their app. No good to me as I don't use android. Miele white goods claim to have multi year service lives, but I wouldn't entrust an app to be maintained for an extended period. And what benefit is there to see if something is finished when you're on the sofa?

[BoRED S2upid]

Saw something called a Dash Button on Amazon the other day that orders things like washing powder when your running out because your too lazy or forgetful to add it to your list when you leave the house and actually visit a shop!

It’s a slippery slope to being house bound sat on your sofa talking to your only friend that little box that does everything for you with people bringing you food and everything else being delivered to your door. Sad times.

[feef]

okgo said:

I bought a coffee machine the other month. It requires about ten minutes to reach pressure/temperature, it was annoying to have to get out of bed to turn it on then get back in bed waiting for it to heat up when I could have spent that 10 minutes dozing or touching myself.

The answer - a timer switch that has a remote control that works up to 30m through walls and doors. Leave the switch engaged on the machine, then blindly fumble for the button when my alarm goes off - then wander into the kitchen having had that extra time to do what I please with the machine ready to use. Ideal.

my solution was a Wemo wifi switch which is set on a timer and also linked to my Nest thermostat. The coffee machine takes a good 20 minutes to get up to temp and pressure.

That way the coffee machine comes on at 7:30am and turns off at 12:30am, but also goes off when I'm out the house, coming on with the Nest switching form "away" to "home" as I come home. I've also set up Homebridge (an opensource Homekit clone) on a RaspberryPi so I can command the TV, Nest and Wemo coffee machine switch with Siri.

Siri and Homekit isn't as slick as Alexa and an Echo, mainly because I need my phone out my pocket for it to pick up the commands which almost defeats the purpose, but as an experiment with kit I already had, it's served to demonstrate that I probably would use a more polished system, and as Echo Dots are so cheap, I might give one a bash and hook it up to the Squeezebox

[okgo]

feef said:

my solution was a Wemo wifi switch which is set on a timer and also linked to my Nest thermostat. The coffee machine takes a good 20 minutes to get up to temp and pressure.

That way the coffee machine comes on at 7:30am and turns off at 12:30am, but also goes off when I'm out the house, coming on with the Nest switching form "away" to "home" as I come home. I've also set up Homebridge (an opensource Homekit clone) on a RaspberryPi so I can command the TV, Nest and Wemo coffee machine switch with Siri.

Siri and Homekit isn't as slick as Alexa and an Echo, mainly because I need my phone out my pocket for it to pick up the commands which almost defeats the purpose, but as an experiment with kit I already had, it's served to demonstrate that I probably would use a more polished system, and as Echo Dots are so cheap, I might give one a bash and hook it up to the Squeezebox

Sledgehammer to crack a walnut - I love it.

I'm often at various houses in the morning anyway so makes sense that I have it on demand as it were.