Not impressed with past few Google products

[pete6032]

I don't understand people that have a purely black and white view of things like say, smart devices. There are clear advantages to some and clear disadvantages to others.

It's pretty clear that the smart smoke detector you use has useful functions. Even my photoelectric smoke detector goes off when I don't want it to due to cooking, and scares my dog to death. I would absolutely love to be able to pre-emptively shut it off. Doesn't happen often but only when I cook a few dishes like a cast iron seared steak for example. I'd also love to know if it is going off when I'm not home. Those are definitely useful features.

Ditto with a smart thermostat that just does the basics, runs a schedule, tracks your energy usage, and most importantly, can turn itself off when you leave home. This can clearly save energy - money for yourself, and reduce load on the grid plus reduce pollution if your energy is not renewable. A convenience thing is I can turn on my A/C or heat about 10 min before I get home as well. I don't see why people have to be so closeminded as to deny all advantages.

Clearly a disadvantage is on 'spying on you' - but that more relates to always listening smart home speakers and also security cameras, depending where they are placed.

Hey if people don't want to take advantage of the good things of smart tech, good on them. Meanwhile I'm taking advantage of some and avoiding others.

Pretty sure they are trolling. One baseless claim after another.

"Your smart smoke detector is spying on you! It won't work if your house is on fire!"

 

[MrSquished]

Pretty sure they are trolling. One baseless claim after another.

"Your smart smoke detector is spying on you! It won't work if your house is on fire!"

I'm not so sure. I know some people in real life, smart and successful people, that refuse to get a smart thermostat for the exact reasons people are posting here.

 

[Captante]

They all need power and some kind of electrically actuated latch

Every one I've looked at also has a physical master key.

 

[Captante]

I'm not so sure. I know some people in real life, smart and successful people, that refuse to get a smart thermostat for the exact reasons people are posting here.

I'm referring specifically to devices/services that rely on having an internet-connection or a mobile-app in order to fully function.

And literally anyone with a voice can use a "smart" device ... it's much easier then devices you have to set up yourself manually not harder and requires far LESS technical expertise. (if any at all)

Hence the popularity despite the glaring negatives.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Yes, door latches can be released manually. Probably by law for egress safety issues.

But to work as intended, they need power, even if only by self contained batteries.

 

[MrSquished]

I'm referring specifically to devices/services that rely on having an internet-connection or a mobile-app in order to fully function.

And literally anyone with a voice can use a "smart" device ... it's much easier then devices you have to set up yourself manually not harder and requires far LESS technical expertise. (if any at all)

Hence the popularity despite the glaring negatives.

The Nest thermostat and Nest smoke detector work like their equal dumb devices when not on wifi. I can use my thermostat even if the internet is out. But my internet is out maybe 1 day every couple years, so that point is kind of moot. But even if it goes out, I can use it like a regular one. But the benefits when on wifi are excellent.

 

[Captante]

The Nest thermostat and Nest smoke detector work like their equal dumb devices when not on wifi. I can use my thermostat even if the internet is out. But my internet is out maybe 1 day every couple years, so that point is kind of moot. But even if it goes out, I can use it like a regular one. But the benefits when on wifi are excellent.

Nest in particular is one of the less worrisome security-wise thanks to Google being "ok" with software updates and they definitely do work since they've been at it awhile. Future security and functionality is hit or miss at best with any IOT device though.

If you refer back to that simple Honeywell panel I posted earlier you'll discover that it too can be set up with a system to use wifi and be fully web-aware using commercial-grade modular parts which are actually secure. (they're also backwards-compatible with older hardware)

 

[MrSquished]

Nest in particular is one of the less worrisome security-wise thanks to Google being "ok" with software updates and they definitely do work since they've been at it awhile. Future security and functionality is hit or miss at best with any IOT device though.

If you refer back to that simple Honeywell panel I posted earlier you'll discover that it too can be set up with a system to use wifi and be fully web-aware using commercial-grade modular parts which are actually secure. (they're also backwards-compatible with older hardware)

I had a honeywell that did the wifi thing before, it was a monochrome screen like that as well. The app was a bit flakey though, sometimes disconnected itself from wifi and was a pain to get back on, and didn't quite have as much tracking info like for usage as the Nest did, and when the utility company offered a free $99 Nest, I jumped on it.

 

[Captante]

I had a honeywell that did the wifi thing before, it was a monochrome screen like that as well. The app was a bit flakey though, sometimes disconnected itself from wifi and was a pain to get back on, and didn't quite have as much tracking info like for usage as the Nest did, and when the utility company offered a free $99 Nest, I jumped on it.

For that price it's hard to go too far wrong provided you know what your getting into. The cynic in me has to wonder if the power company was thinking more of its bottom line then yours though!

The Honeywell systems are geared more towards alarm-installers and the like anyway and are a bear to install although once you're done, your done and they'll work with other companies components.

 

[MrSquished]

For that price it's hard to go too far wrong provided you know what your getting into especially for that price. The cynic in me has to wonder if the power company was thinking more of its bottom line then yours though!

The Honeywell systems are geared more towards alarm-installers and the like anyway and are a bear to install although once you're done, your done and they'll work with other companies components.

It could be a state funded program offering the rebates, after all utilities are heavily regulated by the state of NJ, this is not Texas. All I know is it definitely saves me money with the location based features turned on. I'm always in and out. No way I remember to turn off my A/C or heat every time. Whether I'm running out the house to head out on a social outing or have an appointment, it's going to happen. Plus I track my usage easily through the app and try to adjust my behaviour to use less energy. I remember before I had a smart thermostat I'd gone on 8 hour bike rides and forget the A/C on and I was upset.

 

[lxskllr]

It's almost impossible for me to use less energy. I need a smart thermostat like I need tits.

 

[Brainonska511]

For that price it's hard to go too far wrong provided you know what your getting into. The cynic in me has to wonder if the power company was thinking more of its bottom line then yours though!

The Honeywell systems are geared more towards alarm-installers and the like anyway and are a bear to install although once you're done, your done and they'll work with other companies components.

In some states, the power company can enroll you in automatic energy saving schemes that create a sort of virtual power plant through reduced demand during periods of high electricity demand.

In MA, they are supposed to send an alert (and you can opt out of each event) and it can raise your thermostat by a few degrees temporarily. I think one event happened in my home a few days ago, and it precooled my apartment before the high demand period to keep it comfortable throughout.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Would be cool if power companies had some kind of API you can hook to where you can see how much demand there is to increase or reduce usage. Could tie that into various loads. They could maybe even set it up so there are discount periods where power is cheaper for like an hour or so. Could use those periods to power electric heaters and other loads where you can "store" energy. I guess you could in theory use the thermostat for that and just have it power anything else you want.

 

[dullard]

Would be cool if power companies had some kind of API you can hook to where you can see how much demand there is to increase or reduce usage. Could tie that into various loads. They could maybe even set it up so there are discount periods where power is cheaper for like an hour or so. Could use those periods to power electric heaters and other loads where you can "store" energy. I guess you could in theory use the thermostat for that and just have it power anything else you want.

That does exist in many locations. But, the key is to do it with gradual price increases and decreases. If left totally to market demands, you end up with electric bills going from $34/month to $11,000/month: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-ridiculous-variable-rate-bills-idUSKBN2AN0EQ

Your idea is a good idea though. We need far more energy storage systems. Electric cars (if plugged in) can help a lot with that. Same with house battery backups. Many industrial locations are set up to use more power when it is cheaper. I personally like the flywheel method (with magnetic bearings): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flywheel_energy_storage

 

[snoopy7548]

It's almost impossible for me to use less energy. I need a smart thermostat like I need tits.

Having tits would be pretty cool, though.

 

[MrSquished]

It's almost impossible for me to use less energy. I need a smart thermostat like I need tits.

How do you manage that?

I live on the third floor of a 3 floor building with excellent exposures to the sun and get tons of light, so it gets warm in here. I'd like to get better windows, or at least I'll be adding the tint to them that blocks out UV rays. I'd like to get solar on the roof but the other two owners are renting their units out so not sure they would be as into it as me who occupies my place. I have central air and heat and we have warm/hot summers and cold winters. In a couple months of spring and a couple in the fall my energy usage plummets, but it goes way up the other months.

 

[lxskllr]

How do you manage that?

I live on the third floor of a 3 floor building with excellent exposures to the sun and get tons of light, so it gets warm in here. I'd like to get better windows, or at least I'll be adding the tint to them that blocks out UV rays. I'd like to get solar on the roof but the other two owners are renting their units out so not sure they would be as into it as me who occupies my place. I have central air and heat and we have warm/hot summers and cold winters. In a couple months of spring and a couple in the fall my energy usage plummets, but it goes way up the other months.

A lot of tree cover, and making sacrifices in comfort. In the summer, my ac is set to 80°, though I'll sometimes drop it down to 78° or 79°. Ceiling fans make it feel not so bad. AC hasn't come on yet this year(see trees above). When it does start running, I set it to 84° before I go to work, and drop it when I get home.

In the winter, the thermostat is set to 47°, and my primary heat is wood. Central heat only runs in sustained cold spells, which have been rare the last bunch of years. It's helpful in both seasons that I work outside. I have a different perception of discomfort than office workers have. Then you got the usual stuff of turning lights off when not in rooms, don't run machines unnecessarily, and turning the computer off when I'm not gonna use it for ~12 hours. My yearly gas/electric bill is <$1k.

This is the most recent "energy report" I got from BGE(shows last year for some reason)...

Lower on the page they say I used 11% less energy than last year, which is about right. It's been a relatively cool start to summer. Hoping it doesn't mean I'll be getting extra screwed out of fall/winter this year. That's how the climate is changing in MD. Warmer fall and winter, but cool spring lasts longer than it used to, with some higher peaks in summer. Cooler spring isn't much of a consolation of having little snow, and summer seeming like it'll never end.

 

[Brainonska511]

How do you manage that?

I live on the third floor of a 3 floor building with excellent exposures to the sun and get tons of light, so it gets warm in here. I'd like to get better windows, or at least I'll be adding the tint to them that blocks out UV rays. I'd like to get solar on the roof but the other two owners are renting their units out so not sure they would be as into it as me who occupies my place. I have central air and heat and we have warm/hot summers and cold winters. In a couple months of spring and a couple in the fall my energy usage plummets, but it goes way up the other months.

What kind of heating do you have? Could always change to a heat pump if you want something green and efficient, assuming your municipality doesn't have stupid rules like NYC does that astronomically drive up costs by requiring roof installation.

 

[KLin]

I've used gmail since 2004 and google voice since I forget. Both work nice.