[conspire] Flashing twelves

[paulz at ieee.org]

 VCRs needed clocks so they could record unattended.  Stoves have had clocks for a long time, also to control cooking time.   
As for manuals, my SOP is to download manuals.   So I can find them in a folder on my hard drive, instead of hoping it’s in some physical drawer.  It can also be helpful to search the text.    Sometimes I download manuals before buying to evaluate the features I expect to use. 
But cell phones.  When I am home, mine is usually on the charger and not far from my car keys so I can find both when I’m going out.  But that means the phone is not normally in the kitchen.  
Here’s my latest “issue”.   A well known organization recently sent digital passes so I didn’t have to remember to take the physical ID card.   The install required putting it into a “wallet”.  So I had to install the wallet.  Because the wallet might also be used for credit cards, I now have to enter a passcode every time I use the phone.   
Paul
    On Friday, March 15, 2024 at 05:08:52 AM PDT, Ivan Sergio Borgonovo <mail at webthatworks.it> wrote:  
 
 On 3/15/24 2:14 AM, Rick Moen wrote:
> Quoting Les Faby (lfaby2018 at gmail.com):
> 
>> The cheapest interface is the owner's smart phone running a simple app. You
>> have got a bigger touch screen, etc
> 
> Not a bad idea.  Perhaps the wave of the future will be near-field
> communication (e.g., Bluetooth) from the owner's personal electronics
> to the cheap device.
> 
> After all, it's already routine for cheap laser printers to have
> built-in Web servers to do administration and look up information.
> Why not have that plus near-field communication built into your next
> clock-radio (assuming clock-radios continue to be a thing)?

Because "supporting" Bluetooth/NFC costs as much as "supporting" the 
whole damn internet accessing your device and it is easier to sell to 
most people. It probably costs more in terms of development too.
There are tons of framework for authentication + webview... controlling 
the hardware even with some good api is going to be harder even if just 
a little bit, but harder.
Want a web app that control your toothbrush... go to a "web agency".
Want to control NFC... well well well maybe not terrible with android + 
iphone api... but you'll start to appreciate the difference between them 
more and you won't be able to go to a "web agency".

https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/toothbrush-hack-cyber-attack-botnet-b2492018.html

The competition between companies is not to convince the microscopic 
market that is aware of the risk or to build up a loyal customer base... 
they just want to: sell, seem enough interesting to be acquired, sell 
you some other service, trap you to some other service, get your data.

And they can do this at the same cost of selling you an NFC device, so 
they don't get more competitive selling you an NFC device, they get less 
competitive.

BIG TECH has no interest in changing this.
And I don't think there is any force on the market that's going to 
change this unless something bad happen that is going to make apparent 
the cost of continuing in this line.

But you're perfectly aware that people are happy to pay hidden costs of 
stuff for decades even when they surpass the benefits.

BTW
https://www.european-cyber-resilience-act.com/

as usual mixed bag...


-- 
Ivan Sergio Borgonovo
https://www.webthatworks.it https://www.borgonovo.net



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