Featured in this episode of Chaos Lever
Terrible security-wise of course. A representative of the EFF stated “I think there’s a chronic problem with consumer electronics- they are not giving people the full picture they need to evaluate whether they want to use these tools.” Realistically, she could have just stopped at “there’s a chronic problem with consumer electronics.”
Just one of the items that received the coveted “Worst in show” listing was a urine scanner from a company called Withings. The device analyzes hormones in your pee- requires an account and a cloud connection of course- and proudly states that they will store your data indefinitely. How many things were wrong with that sentence? [Ed. - All of them.]
The problem, as always when it comes to this kind of cheap, disposable swill, is that companies are focused on cost and speed to market. Safety and privacy are way below the horizon. (And that’s only for the things that actually exist- as usual, CES was filled with plenty of vaporware.)
The other problem is that we’re trying to make connected things for literally no reason. One headline from the event read “The Oven Won’t Talk To The Fridge,” which- what are we doing here. I cannot believe I have to say this out loud but- Your fridge does not need to be online, and neither does your toothbrush. Stop it.