Internet of Shit

First, let me recommend @internetofshit. Worth a follow definitely.

I’ve not been a fan of IoT - for a long time, I owned no “smart-home” products. Recently I bought an LED lamp that supports Google Home integration. To be honest I bought it because it was the most inexpensive good LED lamp that would support colours other than cool blues. And so I’ve tried out the Google Home integration. Its kind of fun to tell your phone to turn on the lights - but it gets tiring fast. I used that feature once when I set it up, and then immediately stopped using it.

This story is another example of why I dislike IoT shit.

With a 21.5-inch touchscreen embedded in one of the stainless steel doors, Samsung touts the monster refrigerator as a centre for “non-stop music, video & TV entertainment” as well as stopping fresh food from going a bit whiffy.

About as whiffy as the security certificate lurking behind some of its online components, judging by the state of the device lurking in the Oxford Street branch of John Lewis.

While Samsung is keen to trumpet the three cameras that can display the contents of the interior on that screen for users so focused on the future that actually opening the door is a chore to be avoided, we’re pretty sure that a missing cert is unlikely to be on anyone’s shopping list.

When your fridge displays certificate errors

Written on October 16, 2019