WTF - Welcoming The Future!
By @edent
· firmware future IoT · 3 comments · 200 words
My wife wasn't allowed to go for a post-lunch nap yesterday. Our smarthome wouldn't let her...
OK! OK! It wasn't as bad as all that. I built an Internet-connected electric blanket so I can yell at the Alexa to pre-warm the bed. One of the IoT switches needed a firmware update. All over and done with in a few minutes.
But I can't help wondering how much time we lose to software updates. Every time I turn on my games console, I have to wait for another interminable update. It's practically a trope.
There's got to be a better way to do this. Software updates are - usually - important. But why are they so large and cumbersome?
What bothers me most about this is that there looks to be a webcam icon associated with the internet connected bed... ( OK, OK, I assume it is just actually an artistic impression of a thermostat, but it's an easy mistake to make)
Firmware of a bed. Change of mattress?
I wonder if it's the case that it'd take more effort on the developer/company side to design more streamlined updatable software and they wouldn't see the direct benefit?
So they're not as bothered, given that it's the user's time spent waiting for an update to be applied, rather than their time spent coding a better way of delivering updates.
Related though, I always find I'm more willing to spend time updating if I know it's making an improvement or adds functionality. I like getting a new feature to play with. Maybe always having a recognisable new feature as part of an update so you're more willing to put in the time to do it is something. Use the carrot rather than the stick...