Don’t trust anything that requires a cloud connection

 ... But you knew that. I have more than a few observations on that point, though I think I’ve maybe only blogged about it once before? (https://flying-geek.blogspot.com/2025/03/when-your-dishwasher-has-to-connect-to.html) Yesterday I got this notice, that my Kevo would no longer have any app or remote functionaltiy, starting November 15th (so, less than a month’s notice, great):

The lock is ~6 years old. I’m on the hunt for a lock that does not require any sort of cloud access, can’t be remotely bricked (essentially; the Kevo will still work as a dumb lock, or even with a fob, but not via a smartphone). Stay tuned.

Shit like this is why I figured out how to locally control the HS105, why I crack DRM on eBooks and keep local copies of the resulting ePub (or whatever), why I have a large collection of physical media (you can’t stream Battlestar Galactica (2004) anywhere?! Really?!), why there’s been a rash of recent videos proclaiming streaming dead and heralding the return of piracy... It’s why most of my home is not “smart,” and won’t be until and unless I ever get off my ass and setup Home Assistant (which, if I’m being honest, was the impetus behind buying the parts to max out my closet NAS 18 months ago (which I finally got around to installing half a year ago already)). Never enough hours in the day...