Anyone have ridiculous #InternetOfShit examples you're really fond of?
Toasters, coffee machines, or microwaves that don't work without Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Vacuum, TV, or toothbrush botnets. Preferably something you have a picture of, from first hand experience.
I teach an #EmbeddedSystems class, and it's good to show examples of what *not* to do, in case they pursue the industry. (Boost for reach appreciated)
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Maddie
in reply to Maddie • • •My go-to example is a "smart" mug that keeps the temperature of coffee.
It sounds neat if it worked, but it also sounds like the frivolous kind of idea someone might have from staying up late, drinking too much cold coffee, and trying to think of the next big idea for their company...
Apparently this brand in the image bricked their mugs after an app upgrade. 😬
Maddie
in reply to Maddie • • •Mariel GM
in reply to Maddie • • •Consensus Tullyality
in reply to Mariel GM • • •Charlie Stross
in reply to Maddie • • •Wolfgang Tremmel
in reply to Charlie Stross • • •Maddie
in reply to Wolfgang Tremmel • • •todd williamson
in reply to Maddie • • •would something like ralim.github.io/IronOS/ fit the bill?
(i love my pinecil 🙂)
IronOS
ralim.github.ioMaddie
in reply to todd williamson • • •That looks pretty neat! I never knew about smart soldering irons before. Anything that's "smart" at authentically helping users/creators, without profit or power motive, is a great goal to aim for, IMO.
edit: cc @wtremmel
Wolfgang Tremmel
in reply to Maddie • • •IronOS
ralim.github.ioOllivier Robert 🇺🇦😷🌈♾️
in reply to Maddie • • •jamo
in reply to Maddie • • •Maddie
in reply to jamo • • •Neo Ehproque
in reply to Maddie • • •- There is no spoon
slowtiger
in reply to Maddie • • •Maddie
in reply to slowtiger • • •@slowtiger Nah, tech for accessibility is noble, especially when designed _with_ users rather than _for_ -- the product I saw was "AI powered" and about tracking nutrition data, and some other features I don't want to remember...
All I could think of was what some business major friend told me about how soulless maximizing shareholder value is
HollieK
in reply to Maddie • • •My uncle had Parkinson's. I think this spoon might have got thrown as far as he could chuck it, and then driven over with his mobility scooter.
amazon.com/GYENNO-Parkinsons-S…
Amazon.com: GYENNO Parkinson's Spoon for Tremor Relief Self-Feeding, Adaptive Utensil with Active Stabilization Technology, Intelligent Eating Assistance for Elderly : Health & Household
www.amazon.comMaddie
in reply to HollieK • • •Reliable Lies
in reply to Maddie • • •Jonathan Lamothe
in reply to Maddie • •@Maddie Why inbthe hell would something like this need an upgrade?
It's controlled by an app on your phone, isn't it?
Maddie likes this.
Maddie
in reply to Jonathan Lamothe • • •tuban_muzuru
in reply to Maddie • • •C++ Wage Slave
in reply to Maddie • • •Maddie
in reply to C++ Wage Slave • • •Evan
in reply to Maddie • • •theverge.com/circuitbreaker/20…
A Bluetooth-connected tampon. Hoo boy.
Ashley Carman (The Verge)Maddie
in reply to Evan • • •@scribblesonnapkins whyyyy
This is like.. if the patriarchy were represented by a single artifact, then this is the one
Evan
in reply to Maddie • • •Why do you think it was the first thought on my mind. It's condescending, pointless, and disposable, wasteful.
Plus it can inform on you if your state decides they need to know if your cycle was disrupted. anti-abortion enforcement?
Evan
in reply to Maddie • • •I actually like this take on things. Everyone should have a tor gateway with it's own hidden onion address for their IoT stuff.
But yeah I don't want hackers up by butt.
wired.com/story/sex-toy-blueto…
Smart dildos and vibrators keep getting hacked – but Tor could be the answer to safer connected sex
Matt Burgess (WIRED)Luke Harby
in reply to Maddie • • •We don't have that many in our home but this was my favourite story
ideaproof.io/failure/teforia
Edit: I don't think this story mentions it but without a functioning mobile app the device was completely redundant.
Startup Idea Validator - AI Market Analysis in 120s | IdeaProof
IdeaProof.ioLuke Harby
in reply to Maddie • • •Some great examples in this thread already.
This one also pretty eye-watering. IoT Smart Rectal Thermometer
jwz.org/blog/2016/03/internet-…
jwz: Internet-Connected Rectal Thermometer
www.jwz.orgJernej Simončič �
in reply to Maddie • • •George B
in reply to Maddie • • •Whenever I think of IoT devices, I think of this Mitch Hedberg bit. It's been my guiding principle for all my home automation:
youtube.com/shorts/tqOkWWV6a_U
"An escalator can never break..." 🎤: Mitch Hedberg #shorts
Comedy Central Stand-Up (YouTube)JennyFluff 💾
in reply to Maddie • • •more like a general usability thing but I really hate it when buttons to configure something go away in a product - or are really annoying to set - when the product wants you to configure it in the app.
if the app then doesn't work because it needs to talk to the internet and something isn't working, no progress is being done but frustration.
Offline modes should be a default, not a opt-in if that's even offered.
Random_Seed 💾 🇿🇦
in reply to Maddie • • •Mäh W.
in reply to Maddie • • •Slightly related, maybe you can help me spread the word here?
chaos.social/@maehw/1166588792…
Mäh W. (@maehw@chaos.social)
Mäh W. (chaos.social)Terence Eden
in reply to Maddie • • •I have a few (older) examples in this talk I gave a little while ago.
youtube.com/watch?v=jKIXw_ATdh…
Terence Eden: The (Connected) House of Horrors
Electromagnetic Field (YouTube)Maddie reshared this.
Maddie
in reply to Terence Eden • • •Karen E. Lund 💙💛
in reply to Maddie • • •Sorry I don't have an image, but sometimes when I'm signing in to my home WiFi an option called "LG Oven" shows up.
I have a pretty good idea which neighbor it is. One day I might click that option and find out what they're having for supper.
Maddie
in reply to Karen E. Lund 💙💛 • • •🌬️
in reply to Maddie • • •The eggminder was good for a laugh.
Maddie
in reply to 🌬️ • • •Ψ*Ψ
in reply to Maddie • • •the litter robot 4 stops cycling if the WiFi is spotty. It is Not Fun for anyone in the house when this happens. WIFI SHOULD NOT BE NEEDED FOR THIS. WTF.
On the other end of the spectrum, when the WiFi is out, iirc the SwitchBot curtains and shades work just fine, operated manually (but - if you forget to charge them you can’t go outside because the sliding glass door is blocked by the shade!)
Chloé Raccoon
in reply to Maddie • • •So if your internet breaks, you can't log into the controller to fix it, as the controller needs a working connection to do MFA...
Kathmandu
in reply to Maddie • • •Florence Maraninchi
in reply to Maddie • • •arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/1…
AWS outage reminds us why $2,449 Internet-dependent beds are a bad idea
Scharon Harding (Ars Technica)Maddie
in reply to Florence Maraninchi • • •David
in reply to Maddie • • •Maddie
in reply to David • • •@david42 That's awesome, and as it should be
For a second I thought this was *bhyve* (FreeBSD, illumos) lol
Chewie
in reply to Maddie • • •Internet Connected Lightswitches - Redux!
@edent (Terence Eden’s Blog)Chewie
in reply to Maddie • • •I bought a WiFi PWM controller to automate a fan.
I have to use a Chinese app which won't let me register without giving them my phone number, therefore its useless to me.
Jonathan Lamothe
in reply to Chewie • •Chewie
in reply to Jonathan Lamothe • • •Jonathan Lamothe
in reply to Chewie • •