Open Thread: Dumbest "Smart" Technology - Senior Planet from AARP

I long for the days when I was smarter than my appliances.Ive been looking for a few new appliances.Nothing fancy.Or so I thought.Now I can choose between a fridge with wifi, an instant pot with connectivity, and an oven that needs bluetooth.

Why do my appliances need to talk to my phone? To gossip about how analog I am? How apps do I have to keep track of?While the internet and smart devices have many great uses for monitoring safety, or health, or finances.theres a limit.(For me its a smart toothbrush).A fridge has one job.Keep my food from spoiling.An instapot has one job.

Cook the food.Im capable of finding a recipe on my own when I need one.I dont want to need another app or open another account (with a unique password, of course! I already have 62 passwords!).I dont want some manufacturer to harvest my data.

Or decide a few months in, that the features I got for free will now require a subscription.Or be unable to use my dishwasher, printer or whatnot because the wifi is down or have to buy a new phone because the appliance tech has been upgraded.And I dread the day Ill need to buy a car, since cars now have dashboards that look like the dash of a fighter jet.With touchscreens that require you to take your eyes off the road to check that it took.

Whats wrong with a simple button you can press?I think this guy said it wildly profanely but best.And hilariously.
Please, manufacturers bring back dumb appliances and cars!YOUR TURNBut thats me.What smart appliances seem like overkill to you? What do you think about all these smart devices and appliances? When did your smart tech drive you crazy? Share your story in the comments!Virge Randall is Senior Planets Managing Editor.

She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers; her blog Dont Get Me Started puts a quirky new spin on Old School New York City.Send Open Thread suggestions to [email protected].