Thread

1. sandworm101 · 1790169670 · focus · HN ↗

   The fridge compressor answers to software? Idiocy. It need be nothing more than a relay attached to a thermocouple. I can see having a smart screen to deliver aps/ads and to collect data on people in the home, but why on earth would that need to actually manipulate temperatures?

   1. Grombobulous · 1790172902 · focus · HN ↗

      My non-Samsung fridge lets me change the temperature settings from my phone.

      That’s why the compressor answers to software. How else would I change the temperature remotely if it didn‘t?

      I find that the anti-smart device brigade among tech enthusiasts is very detached from the reality of what consumers want. The general public does demand smart features and they want them to work well.

      The sin here isn’t that the fridge is smart, the sin is that bad software was pushed out.

      My particular refrigerator also has a purposefully limited set of features. You’ll notice that real luxury brands like Sub-Zero don’t pack their refrigerators with crazy feature lists and touch screens. Their smart apps are basic and focus on essentials like “door left open” or “change filter” notifications and remote temperature adjustment. They don’t have complicated features like craft cocktail ice and even basic stuff like water dispensing is an optional extra (since it’s assumed that luxury clients may have a separate dedicated reverse osmosis and sparkling water machine for that). They don’t push out frequent updates and they keep their smart functions as modular components since it’s assumed that the refrigerator will remain installed permanently for decades (e.g., you can add a newer control system with touch screen and WiFi to your older Sub-Zero fridge).

      It would be nice if non-luxury brands followed some of these philosophies a little more.

      1. CWuestefeld · 1790173398 · focus · HN ↗

         My non-Samsung fridge lets me change the temperature settings from my phone. That’s why the compressor answers to software. How else would I change the temperature remotely if it didn‘t?

         I can't tell if you're serious or sarcastic, so I'll bite: why on Earth would you ever want to change the temperature settings of your fridge?

         1. Ensorceled · 1790177557 · focus · HN ↗

            Check out his comments in this thread, this guy appears to be a corporate apologist.

            1. kstrauser · 1790178047 · focus · HN ↗

               Check them out on other threads, too. I think he’s just a garden troll.

               1. Grombobulous · 1790178377 · focus · HN ↗

                  I don’t really appreciate being assumed to be a troll just because I’m holding a contrary opinion. That’s very much against the guidelines of this site.

                  I think if you are the type who is interested in digging up comment history you’ll find plenty of comments from me that show that I’m pretty much a regular person who has respectful conversations.

                  I apologize if I didn’t follow the popular “corporation bad” narrative. Like, I do recognize that ink is grossly overpriced and all that. At the same time, I don’t really think we are held hostage by printer companies these days. I buy ink once a year or less and it’s not even a laser printer. It isn’t a significant expense or inconvenience.

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