Re: Unnecessary points of failure
Full disclosure before I start. I have a Nest thermostat, and two Nest protects. Why? I like the fact that they work together, doing things like disabling my gas-fired boiler if there is a carbon monoxide leak, and using the motion sensors in the Nest Protects to determine if I am in the house, to reduce the temperatures if the house is unoccupied. It is also nice to be able to control it from my phone.
That said, beyond possibly a few light switches or LED builbs, I am going to go no further than that down the connected devices route.
Why? Most of it is useless. I've even hung back on buying the switches/bulbs because while they would be nice, I have no real need for them (I did need a new Thermostat and smoke detectors at the time I bought them).
Also, I don't understand the point of Internet connected door locks. It's relatively easy to carry a key (or key ring), and just as easy to get a key out of your pocket as it is your phone (unless you permanently hold your phone), and introducing a phone, internet connection, cloud and all the hardware/software all three of those use is a little too much of a security risk, and multiple points of failure. All so I can unlock my door without moving. I'd rather go to the door and open it manually. That idea Amazon had about their couriers being able to unlock their locks and drop off your parcel(s) inside your house is just asking for theft.
I feel the same about interrnet connected doorbells. I follow a tech channel on youtube. He raised an interesting point that while you can be anywhere when you "answer" the door, any caller is soon going to work out you aren't in when there are no signs of movement several minutes after they call. If you aren't in, why answer the door?
As for internet operated kitchen appliances (i've seen internet connected cookers, fridges, washing machines and coffee makers), I don't see the point. Most of those devices require that you are present to load/unload them. The cooker and fridge don't, but the cooker (for safety) shouldn't be switched on without a person in the house. The fridge is the one device that could potentially have a use for and Internet connection as it can order stuff you run out of automatically, but even that's limited. It's not going to know you have run out of anything you wouldn't normally keep in the fridge. You wouldn't keep (for instance) cleaning stuff or tinned food in the fridge, so you'd still need to order that manually..
Biting the hand that feeds IT
