And specifically, inventing demand by removing alternatives. Like with IoT devices. They invent demand by removing alternative designs, raise the price because it's premium, then use those devices to spy on your and sell data to create a sort of rent based model where you pay with your privacy.
Alternatively they just refuse to even sell you the IoT device and force you to rent it from them.
IoT stuff is so frustrating, because the useful aspects are overwhelmed by the need to make it profitable. I DIY'd an environment tracking setup totally local on my network to keep track of things like temp/humidity because I've got some sensitive acoustic instruments and I need to know when they need to go in their case/get a wet sponge/break out the dehumidifier. Now I have a historical graph of temp/humidity/air quality cycles in my apartment.
I bought a "IoT" power strip because I wanted individually addressable outlets for things like lamps and monitors and centralize the interface but fuckin TPlink took away the python API access and requires an account and so it sits in its box until I can possibly reverse engineer it enough to either write my own firmware or just hotwire the relays for my own purposes.
The only way to control it currently is via an app you need an account for so it removes any ability to be an offline device. Its within my skillset to dump the flash and try to patch it, it should be running some embedded linux firmware going by the mediatek chip in the FCC declarations.
I've just had other stuff going on and didn't feel like dealing with it after the initial disapointment. There is the possibility of regaining the python api but that still requires making a tp-link account and connecting the device to the internet period, so I'm not a fan.
For real, so many proprietary applications that will almost certainly just lose support within the decade, rendering the device useless if it can only be used with that particular app.
Exactly, and the apps usually suck. I'm planning on just buying a bunch of ESP32 chips and some relays and building my own out of regular powerstrips. I already have a hacky digital switch I spliced into my 3d printer power chord, can't be too hard to slap one in line with a commercial power strip.
And specifically, inventing demand by removing alternatives. Like with IoT devices. They invent demand by removing alternative designs, raise the price because it's premium, then use those devices to spy on your and sell data to create a sort of rent based model where you pay with your privacy.
Alternatively they just refuse to even sell you the IoT device and force you to rent it from them.
IoT stuff is so frustrating, because the useful aspects are overwhelmed by the need to make it profitable. I DIY'd an environment tracking setup totally local on my network to keep track of things like temp/humidity because I've got some sensitive acoustic instruments and I need to know when they need to go in their case/get a wet sponge/break out the dehumidifier. Now I have a historical graph of temp/humidity/air quality cycles in my apartment.
I bought a "IoT" power strip because I wanted individually addressable outlets for things like lamps and monitors and centralize the interface but fuckin TPlink took away the python API access and requires an account and so it sits in its box until I can possibly reverse engineer it enough to either write my own firmware or just hotwire the relays for my own purposes.
Could you get around that API limitation by routing control through OpenHAB or Home Assistant?
The only way to control it currently is via an app you need an account for so it removes any ability to be an offline device. Its within my skillset to dump the flash and try to patch it, it should be running some embedded linux firmware going by the mediatek chip in the FCC declarations.
I've just had other stuff going on and didn't feel like dealing with it after the initial disapointment. There is the possibility of regaining the python api but that still requires making a tp-link account and connecting the device to the internet period, so I'm not a fan.
I'm sad that there aren't more "generic" devices out there that just use standard free protocols
For real, so many proprietary applications that will almost certainly just lose support within the decade, rendering the device useless if it can only be used with that particular app.
Exactly, and the apps usually suck. I'm planning on just buying a bunch of ESP32 chips and some relays and building my own out of regular powerstrips. I already have a hacky digital switch I spliced into my 3d printer power chord, can't be too hard to slap one in line with a commercial power strip.
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