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submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

xkcd #3109: Dehumidifier

Title text:

It's important for devices to have internet connectivity so the manufacturer can patch remote exploits.

Transcript:

[A store salesman, Hairy, is showing Cueball a dehumidifier, with a "SALE" label on it. Several other unidentified devices, possibly other dehumidifier models, are shown in the store as well.]

Salesman: This dehumidifier model features built-in WiFi for remote updates.
Cueball: Great! That will be really useful if they discover a new kind of water.

Source: https://xkcd.com/3109/

explainxkcd for #3109

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[-] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

Literally nobody is doing this shit.

[-] [email protected] 94 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

"Nobody" like in "SONOS literally bricking its old devices and telling you to buy a new one"? https://www.whathifi.com/news/sonos-explains-why-recycle-mode-bricks-old-speakers

[-] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago

They didn’t brick anything. They gave a button for you to get a discount if you did it yourself

[-] [email protected] 64 points 3 weeks ago

But they can close their server and render the device inoperable, just like what happened to a water sensor I had.

[-] [email protected] 25 points 3 weeks ago

That's why it's important to make sure the device can also run purely locally (e.g. via HomeAssistant).

(Not meant as a rebuke, just good advice for the future)

[-] [email protected] 15 points 3 weeks ago

Exactly this. The device either needs to be open enough that it can easily integrate to HA without internet access.
Or dumb enough that I can mod it with an ESP.

Anything that has to go through the manufacturer's servers goes in the bin, the risks of data theft/rent seeking are too damned high.

[-] [email protected] 25 points 3 weeks ago

They didn’t brick it, but the Nest thermostats that customers bought before Google acquired the company will be offline only now. No opening of the firmware, so they’ll become useless at some point, and already have lost major functionality.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Literally false and you’re retarded.

[-] [email protected] 19 points 3 weeks ago

Hey bud, no need to attack someone's intelligence. You can pick apart their argument with sources like a big kid but nobody logged in to see you be a butthead online today.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

Bullshit asymmetry principle, been there done that. Name-calling serves a small but real purpose in the right contexts.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago
[-] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Hey bud, no need to attack someone's intelligence. You can pick apart their argument with sources like a big kid but nobody logged in to see you be a butthead online today.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago

Don't worry! My name-calling served a small but real purpose in this context

:3

[-] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

starting to see the light <3

this post was submitted on 30 Jun 2025
1306 points (100.0% liked)

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