To just want to use a fucking light switch

[Iwrotethelyricstoaxlf]

We’ve had Alexa bulbs (other smart bulbs available) for the last few years.

Alexa is getting more stubborn at turning the bloody things on.

Would I be unreasonable to ding the whole
fucking lot out and just use the bloody switch instead.

Its honestly driving me nuts.

Sure if it works for you then do it, but I don't find turning three or four switches off and on to be so onerous that I want to introduce yet another bloody app, device, WiFi setting, password, connection issue into my life. I loathe it all. I still read actual books, have CDs in the car and buy dvds for 50p. I do have netflix etc but in the simplest way I can. I don't want 15 remotes in my living room .

One of these bulbs has made our mystery landing light switcher-oner problem less annoying. No more having to get out of bed to switch it off. I've also got the curling tongs plugged in to a WiFi socket so I don't obsess over it being accidentally left on & can leave the house first time. I just switch the socket off via the app when I'm out & get those doubts over whether I switched off or not. Not useful enough to justify the expense or complicated setup anywhere else in the house.

I don't know what we use, but I have to say "hey, Google" to make it work.

If my Google was a dog, it would be a Frenchie, like my real dog. Lovely to have in the house, likes you to talk to them for the companionship side of things, but it's hit and miss whether they will

a) actually listen to what I am saying
b) do what I ask.

The flickering lights as it mulls over what I have just said is akin to my Frenchy's sad baby eyes as she stares defiantly at me from under a blanket.

It is a useful aid to run along side the normal stuff. But I couldn't be doing with relying on it.

Well...
What will happen?

I like them.

We can control them from a phone app also. Sometimes when DH is WFH I plunge him into darkness remotely. Just for fun.

That is their only useful purpose though.

I dont really see the point of a lot of smart tech - apart from the very specific situation of facilitating the life of people with physical disabilities and giving them control over their environment and communication. Its exactly how we should be using technology, to help when needed. But for the average able bodied person is the occasional convenience of being able to dim the lights by voice really a huge benefit?

A lot of smart tech seems like solutions in search of a problem to solve, or an extra layer of middle management in basic life tasks. So then you get stuff like this https://flic.io/applications/alexa to allow you to convert your Alexa to be used at the push of a button....

I am usually a late adopter of technology - I don't have objections to tech in principle but will only buy into and use things that actually have a tangible benefit in my life. So while I will fight for a really expensive VR simulator at work because there is a clear use for it, home is smart device free.

DP is a programmer/tech nerd and is much more likely to adopt new tech, but last night we had to order a replacement oven. After narrowing it down by budget and dimension constraints to two options, almost without discussion we decided on the one that isn't linked to smart technology - because realistically its easier to just have an oven that you just switch on when you load the food in, without the hassle of having to link it to apps, have a million functions that are unlikely to be used, give details, sign in, share data permissions, and thus a whole extra layer of things that can go wrong or cause problems. Weirdly enough, examining the reviews of the two products showed a lot of people feel the same way.

There also the dark side - Lots of things that seem like good ideas have very little consideration for safety and misuse. Smart tags on your keys so you don't lose them are a lovely idea but suddenly theres an affordable and available device that anyone can buy, slip into a car/bag/pocket and use to stalk or track people. I think we should demand more from the developers of our tech and be a bit more cynical in buying into it.

But surely you don't want all your lights to come on? I spent my entire day going around switching off all the lights switches that apparently are impossible to turn off if you're a teenager 😁

😁

Our bathroom light is on the outside of the bathroom........

I've got them in lamps because I like the dimming/colours/routines. But I use the app not Alexa. The kids like them in their room as they otherwise have to get out of bed to turn them off at night 🙄😂. But I ditched the rest as Alexa is a pain in the arse.

I was right into the IoT when it first came out, smart bulbs and everything everywhere. Google and Amazon were pumping a lot of money into their AI and home assistant tech and it works quite well.

then they started cutting budgets. And now it’s crap. Sadge.

Most 'smart things' have poor security. They're connected to your wifi. This means they're easy to hack into and, from there, into the other devices connected to your wifi. The potential implications are really bad.

This does actually happen all the time. Even if some hacker's only getting trivial details from your devices (ie, not your banking etc), they sell it on to someone who collates big data and will be able to add it to the other information they've got on you - and the people/places you interact with. Like this.

Even worse, there've been numerous hacks into critical infrastructures, governments, hospitals and large organisations via 'smart things'.

That said, mine aren't isolated and I probably should care more.

We had a lot of smart bulbs in the old house, but here we've got silly chandelier type light fittings in most rooms so it's too pricey to do. It worked for us to have them on voice control and I still do things like smart plugs for things like Christmas tree lights to not have to furtle around backs of trees to turn stuff off on a night - plus we had that set to "Call off Christmas" so could practice our Alan Rickman impressions.

Alexa's getting increasingly stupid as time goes on though and harder to recognise voice commands and lots of people are noticing it.

For ceiling lights it's just extra faff. I had alexa set up for all small lamps and lights with short commands and timers. Bliss because it was faster than switching 4 things, 2 if which had switch behind shelves, on and off. Came on bit by bit in the evening, "alexa good night" switched them off.
I rarely use main lights anyway in living room.

What is the world coming to! I'm not interested in tech, unless it's forced on me, for good reason. I enjoy the ritual at this time of year when it's dark early,of walking round the living room, switching on the table lamps with "warm" white bulbs and rather lovely hand made glass shades, and the fakey electric log burner. Incidentally,has anyone else noticed,every single film TV series you watch, people go indoors, even in the day time,there's always tables and side lamps on everywhere in the room.

I find that Alexa is getting more difficult to work. Wonder why this would be?

I have two, a porch light and a front room lamp. Mainly so I can switch them on remotely or on timer ready for my daughters getting home in winter or from work late at weekends. I like what I've got but would t add any more

I'm disabled. It's only easier in as much as you don't get, "I'm sorry, I didn't understand that request" every other bloody time. It became incredibly frustrating, which is why I ditched mine.

For people with no physical disabilities, which is most of the population, not getting up to turn the lights on is just another way to let your body deteriorate- it might seem minor but if it's so minor just stand up

Qooker is a grand plus installation. You can get a basic Alexa for £20 these days.

Oh, one downside of Alexa is that our 8 year old thinks it’s hilarious to use her to randomly turn off the living room lights from upstairs while we are in there watching TV!

Maybe so but it's an expectation in a high end kitchen.

That sounds tough for you. Have you thought about recording a few voice notes on your phone of you saying the most commonly used commands, then you can play those to the Alexa when you’re struggling with speech.

Agreed but it is a fair effort to go round a room fiddling with the switches on three different lamps, so that is where it comes into its own.

Oh you’re right, if you can’t afford a “high end kitchen” you shouldn’t aspire to boiling water remotely. Know your place eh?

I can confirm that light switches are very effective and really not too strenuous. Shocking, I know.