The problem comes from wanting something “simple” like “tell my phone when the dryer is done.” Because we lack anything resembling a “home wireless notification protocol”, the alternatives are practically non-starters for a range of reasons. Assuming that we need a wireless leg to the user’s device, here’s the state of the art:
SMS requires the dryer to also be a cellphone
Bluetooth range is too short to be useful for everyone
A private dryer network would require your phone/device on multiple WiFi networks at once
Email or any other online chat protocol requires the dryer be online too
Phone app that only talks across the home LAN WiFi (e.g. 192.168.x.x) requires user to understand IP networking*
Packet radio would work, but is non-private, would be a disaster in apartment buildings, and nobody has a receiver
A solution that uses a phone app that talks to an online service, and a WiFi connected device that does the same is the path of least resistance. And I say this as someone who really doesn’t like this fact.
(*A device that can display a QR code to auto-configure a phone app would work a treat, but dot-matrix displays cost)
There’s zwave and zigbee. Downside is that you need a central hub, alot of hubs I’ve seen (cough hue cough) only really work with their products. It’s a cool technology that has been ruined by corps refusing to play ball with each other, even when in different market segments.
I agree.
The problem comes from wanting something “simple” like “tell my phone when the dryer is done.” Because we lack anything resembling a “home wireless notification protocol”, the alternatives are practically non-starters for a range of reasons. Assuming that we need a wireless leg to the user’s device, here’s the state of the art:
A solution that uses a phone app that talks to an online service, and a WiFi connected device that does the same is the path of least resistance. And I say this as someone who really doesn’t like this fact.
(*A device that can display a QR code to auto-configure a phone app would work a treat, but dot-matrix displays cost)
There’s zwave and zigbee. Downside is that you need a central hub, alot of hubs I’ve seen (cough hue cough) only really work with their products. It’s a cool technology that has been ruined by corps refusing to play ball with each other, even when in different market segments.