We all know that one person that finds the absolute worst way to use their smart home technology. Well, I’m using this blog as a platform to push my own personal opinion about what I think are the absolute worst uses for smart home technology. Don’t agree with me? Well that’s your right. If you have time, leave me a comment and tell me how you think I missed the mark, and what you think the worst uses for smart home technology are.
Spying
I can’t stand those neighbors that use their security cameras to spy on other people. Yes, I appreciate a security camera as much as the next person if it helps a neighborhood identify someone that is breaking into cars or someone that is not picking up after their pets (seriously people, pick up your dog’s poop), but they shouldn’t be used as a means for spreading rumors or facilitating gossip.
Light Shows
OK, so light shows are cool for the holidays. Especially if you’re that awesome person that is syncing it to death metal. I’m also cool with you using a light show as part of a Halloween display, to light up some scary stuff in your window or something. But that is as far as it goes. You don’t need to simulate a person walking through the house just to throw off would-be robbers. Try using your cameras for capturing motion and shining a light on robbers, instead.
Showing Off
It’s no fun to go visit a neighbor, friend, or family member and have them show off their smart home technology without shame. Oh, you can look at the inside of your fridge on your phone? That’s cool – but no, I don’t need to see it. I can just walk ten steps and open it to get my beer. Thanks. It’s also cool that you can turn your lights on and off without using the switch, but I don’t need to see you turn them on and off for a half hour. I’ll just believe you when you tell me you can do it.
The Worst Offense
In conclusion, the worst offense in my opinion is a simple one: not using the tech you bought. It happens all the time. People purchase smart home technology because it looks cool, and it seems fun. And it is. It takes a lot of work though, to set it up and maintain it through software updates, and through owner phone and tablet updates. A lot of people simply lose interest after using it a few times, and they either return it, or let their cool device collect dust. As someone that gets pretty excited about technology and smart home devices, I’m always a little sad to see technology wasted. My advice to anyone that is looking at getting into smart home tech is always to do your research ahead of time. Think about what you need and what you’ll really use before making a purchase.
