Ah good spot! I’ll probably purchase the Eufy with that discount—too bad doesn’t apply to the white one as well though. I have a CamelCamelCamel setup. Interesting that it hasn’t spotted this deal.
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Your question about WiFi and app-enabled vacuums probably warrants it’s own blog post, but I’ll try and be brief.
My vacuum does not need to be connected to the internet to be effective.
I see little benefit to having my vacuum connect to the internet. My floor plan isn’t complicated and the layout doesn’t change. The programmed pattern that my 3-year-old Roomba has is very effective at cleaning. The only advantage I can see is getting updated cleaning patterns—but it just isn’t worth it.
IoT products add additional points of failure.
I don’t want my robot vacuum to die or break if the power is out or my WiFi is down. Once again, the benefits just don’t outweigh the issues.
IoT software tends to be poorly designed.
Yes, they usually are clunky and look bad, which makes me sad as an interface designer. The looks have improved, unfortunately the security has not. Internet of Things products tend to be the most vunerable to malware.
And finally the last and most important piece of this…
IoT devices connect to the internet for the benefit of the company, not the consumer.
I really don’t believe people want to turn on their vacuums from their phone. It’s one of those things that sounds cool the first time you do it, but it’s actually easier just to lean over and push a button.
The reason everything is connected to the internet now is because data is the new gold/oil. Companies are just discovering that they have access to these valuable new revenue streams. Look no further than iRobot, which is sitting on a treasure trove of floor plan design data.
Now that story isn’t a surprise to me. I was against purchasing IoT devices long before that story broke. But it is amazing to me why people want all these things.
I’m hoping in 3 years or so it will be like 3D televisions. It was a fad and now nobody wants them. Unfortunately, since it greatly benefits the manufacturers, I’m afraid the trend is here to stay.