alt Hacker News> Siri turn off the main light in children's bedroom
This is a fascinating example. You would initially assume it's just inconvenient versus flipping a switch--this can't be labour-saving by default.
The only way it makes sense is if you're doing it remotely; from another room, you're putting your children to bed. That's even weirder though, because you're taking what should be a moment of connection/care and trying to automate it. I guarantee your children would value you taking the time.
It's a use-case that is either inefficient or inhuman, and I find it really odd that it's one that you value.
Replies
We buy technology for the convenience it gets us. When we can't rely on technology doing what it promised for us then we complain because we spent money on something that doesn't work as advertised. Even worse when it did work before and no longer does.
In any case, OPs reasons for wanting to turn off any light in any of their rooms are unknown to us.
Maybe they took their kids out to breakfast and realized they forgot to turn the lights off while they were driving. Good thing they bought those smart lights that can be controlled with siri! Oh no! It doesn't work the way it was advertised!
There's no reason to imply OP is a bad parent just because they want to turn off a light remotely.
I have dimmable lights I need the main light at 20% to read a book and it's useful to whisper to my assistant instead of walking across the room. I really don't get the comment - just because you can't envision a usecase doesn't mean it's not useful to me. Wife was a total skeptic about smart home stuff but having alexa control the bedroom lights while changing diapers or preparing bottles at night for her to switch to using it constantly.
I would have preferred Siri because one less provider but it's just unbelievably bad for this day and age.
Its always frustrating when people describe a tech issue, and the response to that is not to discuss the issue itself, but just point out ways in which the person reply doesn't agree with what they are assuming is the original posters lifestyle choices.
Why waste time and effort just picking apart what someone else does with their free time? I can only assume becasue they disagree with the issues relevance, but that only goes to show the intent of the person replying. They dont care about the tech issue and just want to show why they think they are better than the person with the problem.
Human condition i guess!
Maybe you want to put your kid to bed, they want the light on while they're falling asleep. Twenty minutes later you're back in your room and you don't want to disturb them, so you turn off the light remotely.
I also have a "go to bed" scene that turns on a couple lights so I can see the stairs and turns off most lights around the house.
I don't really need AI to do it, I can just use the app, but Alexa usually gets the job done and I don't need to look at my phone.