Oh what a wonderful job I've got.

[Cricketbat70]

If you keep up with industry news you might be aware that starting this month any product sold in the UK that can connect to the internet through WiFi, from your TV to a washing machine, has to have a notification of compliance to UK government legislation regarding precautions being taken against hacking.

Since the middle of March, Samsung products have had a blue notice stuck to the outside of the box but as a retailer any products that we already have in stock we have to put one of these notifications with the product. Samsung have sent us the files and we have printed off over 400 labels.

After spending half an hour or so taping labels to the boxes I was told, oh they don't have to be on the outside of the box they can go inside. So I've just done three pallets of stock pushing the notes through the hand holes of the boxes in the time it took to tape these notices to one pallet.

It all seems pointless legislation to me.

 

[DCarmi]

Hmmm! Last weekend we received a new Samsung Washing machine. Wifi enabled (but not yet connected).
It was unpacked down the street, so I never saw the box nor got a leaflet of compliance. Pointless is the word!

 

[Revolutions]

It’s an important industry… for the people that work in the industry.

My work is definitely high up on the list of bs jobs that don’t need to exist, so I can’t really say much,

 

[Cricketbat70]

My

It’s an important industry… for the people that work in the industry.

My work is definitely high up on the list of bs jobs that don’t need to exist, so I can’t really say much,

My complaint is I've got far better things to do in my job than sticking these pointless labels in boxes😂 just glad deliveries into us are slow this week.
Dreading the next few weeks after the industry trade shows. Our warehouse is already full because manufacturers still expect us to hit targets to get a decent trade price this year, when the country is in a credit crunch and sales are down 15% for the entire industry.

Normally at this time of year we would have run stocks down to about £500,000 ready for the big orders from the trade shows. We currently stand at about £1.2million.

 

[Cricketbat70]

Hmmm! Last weekend we received a new Samsung Washing machine. Wifi enabled (but not yet connected).
It was unpacked down the street, so I never saw the box nor got a leaflet of compliance. Pointless is the word!

Ooh you've got a Samsung washing machine, is it one of the models with the little man on the back panel.
When we first started selling Samsung washing machines at work every model had this back panel, now only a few models do

I love it.

 

[DCarmi]

Ooh you've got a Samsung washing machine, is it one of the models with the little man on the back panel.

Funnily enough, I can't see the back panel! However, I will let you know when it finally dies (after many years of service) and we have to get it out.

Incidentally, the tune it plays when the wash finishes has to go!!!

 

[Friesiansam]

Incidentally, the tune it plays when the wash finishes has to go!!!

We have an LG machine, with a similarly irritating, silly tinkly tune at the end of the wash.

 

[Gray]

Can someone explain to me the advantage of a washing machine being on the internet?

Is it just so you can control it with a phone?

 

[Cricketbat70]

Funnily enough, I can't see the back panel! However, I will let you know when it finally dies (after many years of service) and we have to get it out.

Incidentally, the tune it plays when the wash finishes has to go!!!

My wife loves it on our Samsung washing machine 12 year old and counting. Ours is in the garage though and if we are in the kitchen when the cycle finishes we can hear the little tune through the kitchen wall.

 

[Cricketbat70]

Can someone explain to me the advantage of a washing machine being on the internet?

Is it just so you can control it with a phone?

Probably. Worst example of a WiFi enabled device we used to sell a hoover vacuum. You downloaded an app and the app would tell you when the clear plastic dust bin - that you can literally see - was full. 😡POINTLESS

 

[Gray]

Pointless for me.
My washing machine is off at the mains when not in use - and in use less than most.

Technology often seems to do things, just because it can.

As for Robovacs - anyone that's bought one of those, needs to seek help (and I don't mean a cleaner).

 

[Cricketbat70]

Can someone explain to me the advantage of a washing machine being on the internet?

Is it just so you can control it with a phone?

Well I've just been told by one of our shop staff that the only advantage of Samsung washing machines having WiFi is that if you download the Samsung smart things app to your phone and there is a fault with the washing machine it will tell you exactly what's wrong with it and the engineer will know what parts he needs to repair it. So no need for a first visit to diagnose then wait weeks for another engineer to arrive with a part.

 

[Cricketbat70]

Pointless for me.
My washing machine is off at the mains when not in use - and in use less than most.

Technology often seems to do things, just because it can.

As for Robovacs - anyone that's bought one of those, needs to seek help (and I don't mean a cleaner).

Hate those robo vacs. Another product we used to sell, iRobot Vacs. They even had one in the offices upstairs. It was vacuuming the landing at the top of the stairs one day and one of the lads said to a director, "it's getting close to the top step Mike"
His reply "don't worry these know when they are near the steps it will turn away"
Less than two seconds later an almighty crash as it tumbled down the stairs.
It took my colleague a lot of effort not to laugh as he turned away and the director uttered the f word😂

 

[My2Cents]

If my washing machine gets hacked, can the hacker not only do the washing for me but also the drying, ironing, folding and putting it all back in the cupboard?
Also, are the hackers smart enough to separate the colors and the whites or should I do that for them?

 

[Cricketbat70]

If my washing machine gets hacked, can the hacker not only do the washing for me but also the drying, ironing, folding and putting it all back in the cupboard?

If only😂

 

[podknocker]

The Internet of Things will prove to be a bad move from the technology industry. Anything on the web could get hacked and some products could be updated with dodgey firmware, possibly corrupting the item and making it useless. It's the obsession with technology that bothers me. 'Just do it anyway' even if it's totally unnecessary and could possibly lead to failures and extra repair costs. I'm far from a Luddite as I've worked in the IT sector for 25 years, but it's getting a bit silly now. I don't intend to buy any more electrical goods and if my current devices fail, I will find something else to do with my time. I've become very disappointed with many products over the years and many people, including myself, have been persuaded, even brainwashed into thinking having more gadgets and stuff cluttering up the living room is the way forward. It's not and the amount of E waste in garages, cupboards, drawers and attics must be huge. We are using the world's resources at an alarming rate and all this materialism and consumerism won't last forever. It's time to recycle and make do with the stuff we already have. Buying an internet capable appliance for the kitchen seems pointless to me. Just press the button, walk away and return to the thing a bit later. I used to watch the BBC program 'Click' and stopped watching after one episode of total nonsense. They were using a phone app to control a small drone and knocking plastic skittles over in a mock living room. Hmm. What a productive way to spend your time and money. The banality of this 'hobby' just shows how ridiculous the world has become. If you have enough spare time to do this nonsense, then you have time to do some charity work, or help the environment, something I did, before long hours working in IT. People are wasting their lives being slaves to technology, most of which serves no real purpose, perhaps only to entertain a child for an hour. It's pathetic really.

 

[Cricketbat70]

The Internet of Things will prove to be a bad move from the technology industry. Anything on the web could get hacked and some products could be updated with dodgey firmware, possibly corrupting the item and making it useless. It's the obsession with technology that bothers me. 'Just do it anyway' even if it's totally unnecessary and could possibly lead to failures and extra repair costs. I'm far from a Luddite as I've worked in the IT sector for 25 years, but it's getting a bit silly now. I don't intend to buy any more electrical goods and if my current devices fail, I will find something else to do with my time. I've become very disappointed with many products over the years and many people, including myself, have been persuaded, even brainwashed into thinking having more gadgets and stuff cluttering up the living room is the way forward. It's not and the amount of E waste in garages, cupboards, drawers and attics must be huge. We are using the world's resources at an alarming rate and all this materialism and consumerism won't last forever. It's time to recycle and make do with the stuff we already have. Buying an internet capable appliance for the kitchen seems pointless to me. Just press the button, walk away and return to the thing a bit later. I used to watch the BBC program 'Click' and stopped watching after one episode of total nonsense. They were using a phone app to control a small drone and knocking plastic skittles over in a mock living room. Hmm. What a productive way to spend your time and money. The banality of this 'hobby' just shows how ridiculous the world has become. If you have enough spare time to do this nonsense, then you have time to do some charity work, or help the environment, something I did, before long hours working in IT. People are wasting their lives being slaves to technology, most of which serves no real purpose, perhaps only to entertain a child for an hour. It's pathetic really.

Yep I agree internet capable kitchen appliances pointless. We have sold internet capable fridges that can automatically do a shopping list for you. LG with an American style fridge freezer with a screen on the door and cameras inside the fridge so you can see the fridge contents. What is wrong with opening the door and looking? You could go on and on with this one.

 

[My2Cents]

We're dooooomed!

 

[DougK1]

The Internet of Things will prove to be a bad move from the technology industry. Anything on the web could get hacked and some products could be updated with dodgey firmware, possibly corrupting the item and making it useless. It's the obsession with technology that bothers me. 'Just do it anyway' even if it's totally unnecessary and could possibly lead to failures and extra repair costs. I'm far from a Luddite as I've worked in the IT sector for 25 years, but it's getting a bit silly now. I don't intend to buy any more electrical goods and if my current devices fail, I will find something else to do with my time. I've become very disappointed with many products over the years and many people, including myself, have been persuaded, even brainwashed into thinking having more gadgets and stuff cluttering up the living room is the way forward. It's not and the amount of E waste in garages, cupboards, drawers and attics must be huge. We are using the world's resources at an alarming rate and all this materialism and consumerism won't last forever. It's time to recycle and make do with the stuff we already have. Buying an internet capable appliance for the kitchen seems pointless to me. Just press the button, walk away and return to the thing a bit later. I used to watch the BBC program 'Click' and stopped watching after one episode of total nonsense. They were using a phone app to control a small drone and knocking plastic skittles over in a mock living room. Hmm. What a productive way to spend your time and money. The banality of this 'hobby' just shows how ridiculous the world has become. If you have enough spare time to do this nonsense, then you have time to do some charity work, or help the environment, something I did, before long hours working in IT. People are wasting their lives being slaves to technology, most of which serves no real purpose, perhaps only to entertain a child for an hour. It's pathetic really.

Excellent post Pod

 

[Cricketbat70]

We're dooooomed!

😂

 

[Revolutions]

The best bit about the future is looking at generative AI and realising the future of tech has been trained on the quasi-imitation of reality we’ve created on the internet, and not real-life itself.

When robots become fully integrated into our lives we’ll be living in a meta-dystopian nightmare, not of one where AI becomes self-aware & destroys humanity, but because it’ll take the cosplay version of reality we’ve created here, reflect it back to us & turn it into reality.

 

[Leon74]

People are wasting their lives being slaves to technology, most of which serves no real purpose, perhaps only to entertain a child for an hour. It's pathetic really.

That basically started with internet itself becoming available to the wider public. Would we be that much worse off without it? I don't think so. Yes of course it brought us some real advantages but it also brought a lot of negative consequences, for individuals and society as a whole.

 

[podknocker]

That basically started with internet itself becoming available to the wider public. Would we be that much worse off without it? I don't think so. Yes of course it brought us some real advantages but it also brought a lot of negative consequences, for individuals and society as a whole.

I agree. We survived as a species for half a million years without this forum and Tiktok etc. and although electricity, the transistor and a myriad of media capable devices fulfil our every need, is it really a step forward? I think the amount of pollution, greed, mental and dietary disorders, along with a huge collective online insecurity, are destroying our species. It can't be progress when we have 8 billion people on the planet, many starving and many obese, with huge differences in quality of life and there seems to be a race towards AI controlling everything, without really understanding the real consequences if this actually happens. Apart from time travel, I don't think the Terminator films are very far from what we're heading towards. It's a great time to be alive and I don't think it will get better than this. Enjoy it while you can, because that dystopian future is closer than many people would like to think. Sorry to be a gloom monger, but we have lost direction as a species and I don't give humanity more than another thousand years. I see people sharing a meal and drink in my local pub and they don't talk to each other. I saw this earlier and all people want to do is stare at their device, immersed in some trivial online banality that won't bring any real benefit to their lives. We might wake up from this global obsession one day, but I don't see any sign of it. I watched the Bo Burnham film 'Inside' again recently and he really does see the world with dystopian eyes. There are sketches in this film which ring true and scare me sometimes. The thought that people see the virtual world as real and the real world as some forgotten and unnecessary relic from ancient times, is scary. I had a work colleague, in his late 30s now and he literally told me he prefers to stay inside playing computer games, because the real world scares him. We're a lost cause if this becomes the attitude of most people out there. It's a future I don't want to be part of and I do my best to find a balance. Computers to earn money and then switch the thing off for a while and enjoy the real world.

 

[Gray]

I agree. We survived as a species for half a million years without this forum and Tiktok etc. and although electricity, the transistor and a myriad of media capable devices fulfil our every need, is it really a step forward? I think the amount of pollution, greed, mental and dietary disorders, along with a huge collective online insecurity, are destroying our species. It can't be progress when we have 8 billion people on the planet, many starving and many obese, with huge differences in quality of life and there seems to be a race towards AI controlling everything, without really understanding the real consequences if this actually happens. Apart from time travel, I don't think the Terminator films are very far from what we're heading towards. It's a great time to be alive and I don't think it will get better than this. Enjoy it while you can, because that dystopian future is closer than many people would like to think. Sorry to be a gloom monger, but we have lost direction as a species and I don't give humanity more than another thousand years. I see people sharing a meal and drink in my local pub and they don't talk to each other. I saw this earlier and all people want to do is stare at their device, immersed in some trivial online banality that won't bring any real benefit to their lives. We might wake up from this global obsession one day, but I don't see any sign of it. I watched the Bo Burnham film 'Inside' again recently and he really does see the world with dystopian eyes. There are sketches in this film which ring true and scare me sometimes. The thought that people see the virtual world as real and the real world as some forgotten and unnecessary relic from ancient times, is scary. I had a work colleague, in his late 30s now and he literally told me he prefers to stay inside playing computer games, because the real world scares him. We're a lost cause if this becomes the attitude of most people out there. It's a future I don't want to be part of and I do my best to find a balance. Computers to earn money and then switch the thing off for a while and enjoy the real world.

...on the bright side - it's nearly summer

 

[Leon74]

I agree. We survived as a species for half a million years without this forum and Tiktok etc. and although electricity, the transistor and a myriad of media capable devices fulfil our every need, is it really a step forward? I think the amount of pollution, greed, mental and dietary disorders, along with a huge collective online insecurity, are destroying our species. It can't be progress when we have 8 billion people on the planet, many starving and many obese, with huge differences in quality of life and there seems to be a race towards AI controlling everything, without really understanding the real consequences if this actually happens. Apart from time travel, I don't think the Terminator films are very far from what we're heading towards. It's a great time to be alive and I don't think it will get better than this. Enjoy it while you can, because that dystopian future is closer than many people would like to think. Sorry to be a gloom monger, but we have lost direction as a species and I don't give humanity more than another thousand years. I see people sharing a meal and drink in my local pub and they don't talk to each other. I saw this earlier and all people want to do is stare at their device, immersed in some trivial online banality that won't bring any real benefit to their lives. We might wake up from this global obsession one day, but I don't see any sign of it. I watched the Bo Burnham film 'Inside' again recently and he really does see the world with dystopian eyes. There are sketches in this film which ring true and scare me sometimes. The thought that people see the virtual world as real and the real world as some forgotten and unnecessary relic from ancient times, is scary. I had a work colleague, in his late 30s now and he literally told me he prefers to stay inside playing computer games, because the real world scares him. We're a lost cause if this becomes the attitude of most people out there. It's a future I don't want to be part of and I do my best to find a balance. Computers to earn money and then switch the thing off for a while and enjoy the real world.

@podknocker 100% agree. It's even more scary when you think about the fact that roughly 65 years later there won't be any living person anymore who will remember a time before internet, smartphones etc.
Like for you, it is a future I don't want to be part of - when I think back to how my grandparents lived, their life was so much simpler and happier, especially in the years after the second world war till let's say 1980.