technology

Home Assistant is great. If i had more time I'd set up some ESP modules (cost is not an issue, they are very cheap).

It runs on a raspberry pi 3 or newer or a docker container on an existing server, plus a zigbee or zwave usb device that can be bought off AliExpress.

I would like to get a weather sensor or non-cloud doorbell camera working with it, but for now i have cheap zigbee lights and switches.

For less than the cost of a few philips hue bulbs and bridge, I put in some cheap floor, ceiling, and wall lamps and smart bulbs - my old house has very few ceiling lights. I can see better and they automatically dim and get warmer at night.

'Smart' adult toys are generally extremely insecure.

I'm convinced someone had this fetish fantasy.

In capitalism, yea, most of it is a scam. Especially the manufacturer-specific cloud service stuff (basically everything that tells you to download their app to use it). I won't get anything that needs an internet connection to install or use.

Constant light control, automatic blinds that assist heating/cooling, and demand-based heating/cooling control saves energy and will be mandatory after the revolution.

I was in the middle of writing a rebuttal, adding that you can have outlets on remote switches to give you easy access to lights in the room… thankfully I watched the video before showing my whole ass. WTF they’re bricking devices that didn’t need a subscription when you bought them if you don’t pay up??? That is so back asswards it sounds like a joke

Wait, so I get to live in a Dahir Insaat house? Hell yeah

You fail to pay your rent on time and the walls start moving in like a trash compactor

shortly after I moved into my apartment they rekeyed all the doors with "smartlocks" presumably so they can just reset the code instead of having to change the locks between tenants but I still don't like it.

I know some Airbnbs run by apartments or property management companies have noise sensors in them that automatically snitch on you. It wouldn't surprise me if landlords started doing this or installed doorbell cameras, etc.