In recent years, IoT devices equipped with Internet connectivity have been mass-produced. Some are quite handy, like ovens that can notify you when a dish is done cooking or fireplaces for remote activation. However, not everything is nice and perfect.
Recently, a user reported that his smart oven did not allow cooking if… not connected to the internet.
This unlucky user is software developer David Bernard. He owns an oven from the famous American manufacturer of home appliances, GE Appliances, a product provided by the developer who built his house.
When Bernard tries to use the “convection baking function” in his oven, the appliance shows a message that the feature cannot be used without connecting the oven to a Wi-Fi network.
“After a bunch of profanity, I reluctantly downloaded the app and sat on the kitchen floor for over 10 minutes trying to connect it… but failed. This app is total trash.” he shared on Twitter.
And this oven is not a cheap product. It’s full name is the GE Profile™ 30″ Smart Built-In Twin Flex Convection Wall Oven, a high-end model that sells for around $3,665. Bernard says the oven’s reheat function is great, but the function is great. convection baking is not available at all.
In response to the above tweet, the official GE Appliances account apologized: “We apologize for the problem with this oven”and ask Bernard to share the product’s model number and serial number.
The story attracted a lot of public comment, with a lot of criticism about smart home appliances possessing “Yes or no” features, sometimes complicating even the simplest problems. .
News sharing service Hacker News even commented on this story that: “Smart ovens are garbage you wouldn’t buy if you had a rational mind.”
Refer Gigazine