A WIRED contributor describes how years of accumulating smart home gadgets turned their setup into a complicated mess. Frustrated with constant fixes, they decided to abandon Alexa and reduce cloud reliance. The change aims to simplify daily life through local control.
Until recently, the author's smart home setup was in chaos. After years of testing, buying, and upgrading to the latest smart home gadgets in an attempt to make life easier, it became a bloated mess that was actually making it more complicated.
The article highlights the pitfalls of over-reliance on cloud-based systems like Alexa, which often lead to more troubleshooting than enjoyment. 'If you're spending more time fixing your smart home than using it, it could be time to stop relying on the cloud,' the piece advises. This personal account underscores the growing frustration among users with interconnected IoT devices from Amazon and Google.
By ditching Alexa, the author upgraded their system to prioritize local automation, reducing dependencies that caused instability. The story serves as a how-to guide for others facing similar issues, emphasizing simpler, more reliable smart home configurations.