Fine control over an environment that adjusts automatically is what the smart home promises. It helps us drift off to sleep at night when it wakes us in the morning. Gadgets give us a break from domestic drudgery, remind us of our work commitments and protect us from invaders. The smart home is supposed to be more convenient.
The reality isn't close to that vision. I want my dad to know! There is a light that isn't turning on. The man is called Simon! The curtains will not be opened again by the search engine. How do I get my show on tv? The app is for the garden lights. You will see the cracks when you invite smart bulbs, robot vacuums, smart speakers, and other gadgets into your house.
You can see a glimpse of comfort when things are running smoothly. Problem-solving takes on a new meaning when issues crop up. If you've ever lost a morning trying to set up a security camera, sacrificed an afternoon connecting your light panels to your new wi-fi mesh system, or torn your hair out over a robot vacuum that worked perfectly yesterday, then you know what I'm talking about.
There is a one-ring circus.
Controls are the most problematic in my house. You can take smart lighting. The old switches need to be left alone in order for it to work. If you fail, you will lose your remote control, voice commands, and scheduling. Smart switches can add to the confusion. A visitor flicking that switch renders your smart bulbs useless again even if you have everyone in your house coached.
There are applications. There are a lot of applications. There is an app for every device. The more gadgets you add the more disorganized your phone is. It's difficult to keep track of which app controls which device. You have to install them for everyone else and train them, or you have to be the one in charge of setting up the household.
You can always ask for help with things. Yes, right? The security cameras work with the internet search engine, but you have to use the phone to open the door. The dining room speaker plays music, but the bedroom speakers play music. You can't say "Turn on my bedroom light." "Turn on Amy's bedroom light."
It takes a few seconds for your assistant to turn off the light. I feel like telling my wife not to touch the switch or close the curtains by hand is ridiculous. She looked confused when she asked if this was more convenient.
I can't keep up. I don't see how the rest of my family is struggling. Sometimes I want Hal to open the door. Someone is telling me something has gone awry.
There is a brighter future.
There is hope on the way. The new smart- home standard called Matter is due any minute now and will address some of the problems. It will simplify setup, allow you to use whichever smart assistant you want, and improve the response time of devices.
Don't get too giddy. It will provide a robust and reliable foundation to build on, but the individual devices themselves still need a lot of work.
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