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A lot of tech-creep is down to the mindset: 'the technology could do this, so we'll programme it in' - instead of the mindset: 'what would actually be useful here ?'.
That's why we have washing machines you can turn on from a hundred miles away, but nothing that will load the dirty clothes into them.
@GeofCox I felt exactly this way about smart kettles. Their utility is restricted unless you keep them full all the time. Otherwise, being able to tell them to boil from the other side of the house is pointless. Likewise, a smart oven. What's the point in remotely having it microwave something if you first have to put it in from right there?
@JustinMac84 @GeofCox Tbf, I would not want a machine that puts things into washing machines or microwaves. I would be eternally terrified of it putting live things in there.
@snoopy_jay @GeofCox Absolutely. All kinds of things could go wrong. But the point is more the need to be there in person makes the remote activation redundant.
@ReggieHere pointed out that some of it is about surveillance, and perhaps the suppliers' remote control, rather than usefulness to us - indeed it might be aimed at making things useLESS to us.
But I still think that a lot if it is just puerile tech playing by people fascinated by that gadgety-gimmicky stuff, and unable to understand that for most of us it's just annoying.
Creating dependency seems to be one of tech's biggest objectives, and everything from engineered redundancy to proprietary file formats have been developed as a means of locking people into a persistent and chargeable commercial relationship.
In this context, remote activation is far less important than supplier-initiated remote termination.
Yes. Most tech creep is also supplier-side innovation disguised as useful features.
The company that makes internet-connected fridges isn't interested in improving the lives of its customers; it wants direct connection to customers, detailed after sales data and an an opportunity to impose online licencing contracts
@GeofCox @Bonfire Washing machines and dirty clothes - I can tell you the same about managing a house as a blind person. They give you the illusion of being independent, with all the "Internet of Things" stuff. Then, when coming to practical issues, the real help won't come. Navigation apps, apps describing visual world by voice, there are plenty of them. But no sophisticated camera detect a square signal on the street, head or shoulder-high, at the least you bump on it. Or nothing warns you if there's a shit on the ground. You straight step on it 💩
