“Be Ready for Today” They’re so supportive and enthusiastic, and because of this they’re killing off most of (maybe all?) of their WeMo line:

But hey, at least we know that they’re very appreciative of us, and that they wanted to provide us with simple to use accessories, and that they’re proud. Their empty corporate words make up for the pieces of ewaste we now have.

I believe WeMo with a lot of hacking can be controlled locally via a direct IP connection if set up through Home Assistant. It’s a pain, and it still requires their app, so maybe try to set it up now before they officially end support. Even without this workaround, it’s pure enshittification and Belkin is back on the “Don’t ever buy” list.

  • SwizzleStick@lemmy.zipEnglish
    3·
    16 days ago

    If a device relies on any kind of external service to initially set up or function thereafter, do not buy. Regardless of brand.

    Or accept that it has a finite lifespan that you cannot control. It’s not a matter of if the rug will get pulled, but when.

    There is a grey area for things that can be reflashed or rebrained, but I prefer to not rely on this. Local access methods like ZigBee, Z-Wave and 433Mhz are immune to this kind of enshittification by design. Even WiFi devices can fit in here, with appropriate restrictions in place.

    An acceptable middle-ground would be for EOL devices to be offered (with a big disclaimer) a final update that removes the reliance on the service but retains the core function. That’s a pipe dream though.

    • Zikeji@programming.devEnglish
      1·
      16 days ago

      If a device relies on any kind of external service to initially set up or function thereafter, do not buy. Regardless of brand.

      This is what I strive for. When I was looking for a wall charger for my EV I was shocked at how there was only one option that wasn’t “cloud” based. And those aren’t cheap.

  • Mark with a Z@suppo.fiEnglish
    2·
    16 days ago

    aFtEr CaReFuL cOnSiDeRaTiOn, We hAvE MaDe tHe DiFfIcUlT dEcIsIoN

    Difficult decision my ass

  • katy ✨@piefed.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    1·
    16 days ago

    “careful decision”:

    executive 1: can we make money off it?

    executive 2: i don’t think so

    executive 1: it’s gone

    • jonne@infosec.pubEnglish
      1·
      16 days ago

      It really should be a law that if a company does this, they should open source the code for both devices and servers and provide a way for people to reflash their devices.

      Like, they’re retiring a light switch that’s 3 years old, I don’t think anyone buys a light switch thinking they’ll get a new one just 3 years later.

  • vladmech@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    16 days ago

    A lot of our light switches and smart plugs are pre HomeKit WeMos and this is super frustrating. They weren’t a great product but we had them and they worked well enough, but Belkin’s on my fuck off list now.