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Home Is Not Where The Smart Is When It Comes To The Internet Of Things

This article is more than 7 years old.

Smart homes...the connected home...Virtual Home Assistants...each promises an easier, more instantly controllable life that saves time, money and effort.  Products and services that aim to solve problem after problem but in reality simply add another layer of complexity to your life you never needed in the first place.  Don't get me wrong, I am all for the Internet of Things and people using energy and resources more efficiently (Thermostats, keyless entry, "assistants") but a connected coffee grinder, a $199 digital post-it note, a wireless plant pot water measure?  No thanks and you should be ashamed of yourselves - these are not problems.

The Issue

Apart from wastage (time, money resources) I worry that this search for a simpler life is - for many - a hand on a gushing wound after taking a knife to a gun fight.  Surely the better idea is to avoid the fight in the first place?  Many friends and people I come across talk about an overcomplicated life and an inability to focus and reduce complexity.  These layers of simplification by addition are fundamentally the wrong way and recognising this is key.

How Can We Fix The Internet Of Things? 

Two words, "wallet protest" or... "common sense".  Sure a connected coffee grinder may be the solution to all your problems but surely a trip out in the fresh air to get freshly ground coffee will taste that much better?  Technology is my livelihood but being able to turn on a water fountain in your garden may sound like the holy grail but really...is it?  A focus or refocusing on what you want from life, your home and future is a good way of deciding whether you need to buy or do most things.  Be hard on yourself - don't buy into the hype and vote with your wallet.  It's the only way people will learn.

Why Smart Homes Aren't The Future Of The Internet Of Things

This rant comes from a Technophile that has seen an increasing amount of "First World Problem" products in the last six months.  Most have zero merit beyond novelty, some have potential (not all products have to save the world) but few are actually viable products beyond the Kickstarter crew.  Smart Homes are on the lower end of the value scale when it comes to the Internet of Things, Smart Cities is where the smart money and brains are at; just ask Spain, India, UAE, Singapore and Australia.  Each of these countries are saving and making money through efficiencies based on real-world data or altering plans based on big data tests thanks to sensors planted years ago.  Looking at what these countries are achieving kind of puts the smart clothes peg (!!!!) in perspective.

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