I'll pass on those internet connected thermostats, thanks....

[912gdm]

[walkingman]

1. We are a "gadget" nation - for some reason people seem compelled to get the latest gimmick.

[jberryhill]

2. Except they don't actually work that way

Access to the internet is not required for any of those types of thermostats to function.

While the internet provides remote control capability, and the ability to adjust the schedule due to weather, and internet connection is not required for any of those thermostats to simply maintain the currently set temperature or the current schedule.

I would pass on believing "stuff that random people on the internet say".

[Major Nikon]

10. You mean you can actually walk over to an internet thermostat and adjust it?

Who could have ever imagined such a thing!

[jberryhill]

11. Umm yeah

The trick is doing it in the middle of July when you are on vacation abroad and realize you left the air conditioner set at 72.

My wife and I travel a lot, and it’s nice to be able to have the system set to “away” when we’re gone, and then to tell it to go to normal settings in time for things to warm up or cool down when we arrive.

It’s saved me a fortune.

[Major Nikon]

12. Next you'll try to tell me TVs can be manipulated in such a fashion

[jberryhill]

13. Not sure about that

I wouldn’t know how to change the channel on my tv without a remote.

[procon]

3. Well that's something I never considered.

I'm installing a new HVAC system this month that will use one of those smart thermostats. We already have problems with local Wi-Fi service. I'll have to ask if there is a manual overide so the unit will still function.

[jberryhill]

7. Yes, check your manual

I have saved a fortune with one of them. I won't mention the brand, since I don't want it to appear to be an endorsement, but if the internet is off, it simply functions as an ordinary thermostat.

An internet connection is not required for the thermostat to know what temperature it is supposed to maintain or what the schedule is.

[SoCalNative]

8. It is still hard wired

into the wall as your previous thermostat. You do not have to connect to the wifi or even set it up on the thermostat at all if you don't want to.

[frazzled]

4. Oh, that's just the half of it

A recent story from the Chicago Tribune:

Arjun and Jessica Sud routinely use a baby monitor to keep tabs on their 7-month-old’s bedroom. Last month, they heard something chilling through the monitor: A deep male voice was speaking to their child.

“Immediately I barge into the room because I’m like, ‘Oh my God, maybe someone got in there,’” said Arjun Sud, 29. “The moment I walk in, it’s quiet.”

The couple grabbed their son, now fully awake, and headed downstairs. When they passed their Nest thermostat, normally set around 72 degrees, they noticed it had been turned up to 90. Then, the voice was back, coming through the speaker in a downstairs security camera. And this time, it was talking to them.

The voice was rude and vulgar, using the n-word and cursing, he said. At first, he yelled back. But then, Sud composed himself and stared into the camera.

The Lake Barrington family’s Nest cameras and thermostat had been hacked.

...

Nest users across the country have reported similar incidents in recent weeks, but the Google-owned company has insisted that it was not breached. Instead, Nest has said that affected customers could have done more to protect their devices. And on Wednesday, Nest sent an email to users telling them what they can do to “get the most out of” its security features.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-nest-cameras-hacked-20190204-story.html

[redstatebluegirl]

5. I won't have any of this stuff in my house.

My husband is into gadgets, but his privacy is really important to him so he won't have them either. There are lots of stories like this one out there. I swear there will be no privacy once this stuff becomes the norm.

[eppur_se_muova]

6. Not everything in the world needs to be networked. Most of it doesn't, in fact.

Why people are so damned eager to connect every miscellaneous gadget they can think of to easily accessible -- therefore hackable -- networks is beyond me.

[Major Nikon]

14. Network security is like any other lock

Some don't use them at all and others have ones that are easily defeated. Those that have nefarious motives will always go for the low hanging fruit.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

9. I call bullshit.

That’s not how these things work.