I have mixed feelings about connected appliances. I can see possible advantages say of being able to check cycle progress from the living room. At least for "normal" people. I, myself, don't mind going and checking the washing machine in person, and I usually do so mid-cycle. (Often I like to see what the rinse water is like, and whether to authorize a second deep rinse.) I can also see the possibilities of being able to one day do some customization of cycles. That would appeal to my Inner Control Freak. (Although here I find that I can do quite well with an old fashioned mechanical timer dial...) And this could allow for software patches to potentially add new capability or fix undiscovered problems.
Another feature AW.org types might like: a web cam inside dishwashers that can allow one to watch the dishwasher at work via the Internet.
But...there are problems. Hackers are one issue. Eugene's furnace example is one real problem. It could be simply addressed by making it impossible to set the thermostat below, say, about 40 via Internet connection. But whether all--or even any--such protections would be thought about, let alone implemented, is another question.
And, of course, this opens a new area of planned obsolescence. At some point, wi-fi standards will likely change. Will people buy a new dishwasher? Or set up a system where they have 2 wifi networks--the fast, modern one with a slow legacy one for the dishwasher? Also any software running on smart phones could pose a problem. At some point, an app of today won't run on smartphones/tablets/computers of tomorrow. And it's very likely given the throw away mentality of the appliance industry of today that new versions of control apps will only be issued so long.
>In ten years we'll look back on today's smart apps for appliances the way we look at, oh, say AppleWorks (thanks Lord Kenmore!).
You're welcome!
And yes, it's quite true that software can seem very primitive just a few years after release.
dishwashers.reviewed.com
