Comment by no_input
4 days ago
I think the problem is that things that once did not require and realistically shouldn't require apps (like the toilet example - which I can't tell if hyperbole or not) are now "app enabled" by default.
Sure, you have taken the time to curate your mobile experience and silence things but a majority of the people in the world don't do that as it takes more time and effort than they are willing or able to give (why silence things or uninstall apps when you can browse instagram or tiktok for 2 hours). These people are the most affected but don't often know how inundated they are.
The example could be hyperbole, but Home Depot and Lowes both offer a wide selection of "smart toilets" and if we think "oh this is just a weird niche thing that will never catch on" let's remember how difficult it is to not purchase a Smart TV when television shopping these days.
Most appliances have "smart" features now, it's getting hard to avoid. But I've never enabled them. My dishwasher and my clothes washer have both bluetooth and wifi features but I never set them up. I just use the controls on the device. I have no interest in getting information about my appliances when I am not physcially in front of them.
Yes, but the controls on the device cost the manufacturer a couple of cents that they will be happy to not pay as soon as they can get away with it. First it'll be (in some cases already is) the advanced or rarely used functionality. Eventually you'll be expected to connect the damned thing before it can be used at all.
I cannot envision what a traditional, but smart toilet may do.
By traditional, not Japanese or anything of the sort. I'm sure it's also not taking medical samples.
So what on earth could it do?! Report the flushes!?! Why? Are you going to magically decide not to crap as much?
Just baffling.
It is kinda funny that “smart” is the branding we’ve converged on for these devices that have unnecessary computer features. Most engineers would, I guess, call it pretty stupid to add a computer to the BoM of your toilet.
Auto-flush, seat warmer, scheduled seat warmer, cleaning cycle, scent dispenser, "you haven't been going as often" sensing, auto high/low flush depending on time on toilet...
Just off the top of my head, and I'm no toilet engineer. I'm sure there are lots of possibilities with just a sensor or two.
There are smart toilet devices that have cameras, so, it's about as bad as one could imagine.
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I could see someone trying to sell a toilet that reduces the water amount depending on your business as an eco feature.
Or one that automatically ads cleaning products and notifies you on your phone when you need to refill them.
Gastroenterologists generally categorize feces into ~7 categories. They can be indicators of a variety of dietary deficencies, including dehydration or insufficient fiber intake. Others can be indicators of a variety of medical issues, up to an including colon cancer. Ubiquitous smart toilets scanning and categorizing our feces would move the needle of overall public health and well-being.
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> I cannot envision what a traditional, but smart toilet may do
"I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't flush that".
The whole point of the label "smart" is to fill in vague positive thoughts for the customary "..." that comes right before "profit" in the standard /. business plan. And the real problem is that it works.
I recently visited both and could not find a single smart toilet... strange.
> I think the problem is that things that once did not require and realistically shouldn't require apps (like the toilet example - which I can't tell if hyperbole or not) are now "app enabled" by default.
It's ridiculous how often & where tech is required these days where it really shouldn't.
One example: recently I discovered that on the (main) train station in the province capital near me, going to the toilet requires a bank (ATM/debit) card. What?!? FYI: we're talking a city with ~100k inhabitants.
Decades ago, you could just use a toilet. Done.
But ofcourse it needs cleaning, and personnel costs money. So, they'd put up a bowl where people could drop a few coins.
That didn't last long lol. Next: some small mechanism attached to door handle. Insert coin, open door.
Of course, some acts of vandalism & theft later: do away with the cash. And because 'everybody' around here pays with card+PIN 'everywhere' anyway, let's stick that onto the access-to-toilet.
On the surface, this whole progression seems 'logical'. But it's not! You've replaced something that shouldn't require tech at all, or at most a simple mechanical thingie, with something that requires electricity, internet connection, an electronic payments system backend, and may have the ability to track who used what toilet, where, when & bank account involved.
Insane! Issues like 'how to pay for toilet use' play worldwide, and this is the best you could come up with?