Serenity Locked Locked Herself Out of Her Smart Home →

November 29, 2017 · 08:50

Serenity Caldwell:

In my bleary-eyed early-morning state, I grabbed my car keys from their front ring and went outside to grab the package, closing the door behind me and thinking nothing of it. I didn’t have my phone, Apple Watch, or even a sweater.

When I brought the package back up and attempted the door, that’s when the realization set in. My fancy smart lock had automatically locked said door behind me — and I didn’t have a key on my car ring or smart device to help me out.

The rest of the story is priceless — must read!


Nest Thermostat Fails →

January 14, 2016 · 01:15

Nick Bilton:

The Nest Learning Thermostat is dead to me, literally. Last week, my once-beloved “smart” thermostat suffered from a mysterious software bug that drained its battery and sent our home into a chill in the middle of the night.

Although I had set the thermostat to 70 degrees overnight, my wife and I were woken by a crying baby at 4 a.m. The thermometer in his room read 64 degrees, and the Nest was off.

These kinds of things are what make me stop and think if I ever want a ‘smart home’.