Technology you thought was silly/unnecessary... Until you actually used it.

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betarhoalphadelta

betarhoalphadelta

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So I'm sure we all collectively have some great examples of this.

The idea is something that you looked at and thought "there's no way anyone actually needs this--it's solving a problem that doesn't exist, or can just be ascribed to laziness."

I'll give an example: rain-sensing windshield wipers. When I first heard about this, I thought to myself "why would anyone need this?" You're driving the car. You know if it's raining or not. The windshield wipers already had an intermittent function. I mean, could this possibly be that big of an improvement?

And then I got a car with rain-sensing wipers. And now I realize just how incredibly convenient it is when you're in spotty light rain or mist and the intermittent wipers aren't at the right setting so you're constantly fiddling with it, and all of a sudden this is just automatic. I don't even live somewhere that it rains very often at all, and I can now understand why it's such a beloved feature.

What ya got?
 
latest for me: a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth enabled temperature controller for my Big Green Egg

I've used an DigiQ from BBQ Guru for years. It controls pit temp by monitoring internal temp with a probe and adjusting airflow to arrive at and maintain temps. It also has a food probe, and a mode to ramp down pit temps as the food finish temp gets close. The perfect thing for maintaining temps on a lengthy overnight low-n-slow session for brisket of a pork butt.

Fast forward to this week when I received my UltraQ order - same concept but with three food probes + Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connection via an app and a LED display ring referencing operations/temps that's visible from a long distance.

Why is this transformational to me? I can now monitor/adjust temps overnight by checking my phone without the need to get up and look out the window or walk outside if action is necessary. I can also run an errand and keep track of temps without worry about what's going on back at home. When in Wi-Fi mode I can even receive texts/emails at temp targets I define.

I'm sure many won't get it - I was once in this camp. I'll say it was a HUGE change for me to purchase an EGG and let go of my Texas style side-by-side grill/smoker. It got the job done well, but required constant babysitting so brisket or butt smoking was also a sleepless night. The Egg helped bring consistency and control, but still required occasional monitoring once warm-up to temp was achieved. The DigiQ brought consistency and control, but still required I be at it to monitor and make adjustments.

For me the greatest benefit is recaptured time that I can focus on other things while the cooking is plugging along. It also brings consistency in temps (pit, internal cooking, and finish/done temps) so I can plan better and be more timely in when dinner is ready

https://bbqguru.com/info/UltraQ
 
@betarhoalphadelta I thought the same thing about automatic headlights, which are also nice as they help to prevent needing to jump the vehicle. I do admit to thinking that about the wipers but I don't have a vehicle with them.

Electric kettle (best with preset temperature buttons). I even use it for homebrewing.
 
For me, smoking a butt or a brisket has always been mostly an excuse to sit outside for hours on end smoking cigars and drinking beer and/or bourbon. The egg by itself has already made the process so much easier just because it seemingly can go forever at 225 without reloading. Seems like an ultra-Q would make me almost irrelevant and if my wife were to figure that out she'd expect me to do some actual work while the food was cooking itself. :(
 
PCABrewing said:
Smart Phone
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I don't buy this one. The technology progression there was fairly straightforward, although Apple clearly knocked it out of the park with the original iPhone. We went from phone to texts to early "smartphones" with Blackberry and Windows phones that had email and web browsers, and then Apple unlocked the real recipe.

Deadalus said:
@betarhoalphadelta I thought the same thing about automatic headlights, which are also nice as they help to prevent needing to jump the vehicle. I do admit to thinking that about the wipers but I don't have a vehicle with them.

Electric kettle (best with preset temperature buttons). I even use it for homebrewing.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I view auto headlights as kind of a "it's nice, but I really don't think I'd fail to turn on or off my headlights if it was dark" sort of thing. It's kind of a one-time thing at the start and stop of driving, whereas the rain-sensing wipers are a constant thing any time there's moisture in the air.

HBT_Admin said:
Back up cameras. Never thought I'd need the one on a car I purchased. Now I love the one in this car, and don't want to do without it.

Also, I have the self dimming brights on this new car. That is handy and keeps me from clicking on, clicking off, etc.
Click to expand...

I'm with you on the back-up cameras. My Ford Flex has it and it's a huge thing, especially with the proximity alarm and the cross traffic alert system. My Jeep Wrangler has neither. Now, I don't even have a top on the Jeep, and have amazing field of vision behind me if I look behind, but it ALWAYS seems like a weird thing to have to use my own neck to see, rather than the back up camera with multiple alert systems to make sure I don't back into anything.
 
1. Full Self Driving. Went from “I’ll never use this” to “it’s freaky” to “laying back with my arms behind my head.” Lol

2. Ring Doorbell. I absolutely positively did not want one. My in-laws gave us one last Christmas. I love it now.

3. Taking it back much further:

GPS! I seriously hated the idea of GPS when it first hit the scene. I’ve been a map guy since 3rd grade when I started playing D&D. I chose my Army MOS based on being in control of operational maps. I was adamant that I would never use GPS to get around.

Welp, that changed lol.
 
betarhoalphadelta said:
I don't even have a top on the Jeep, and have amazing field of vision behind me if I look behind, but it ALWAYS seems like a weird thing to have to use my own neck to see, rather than the back up camera with multiple alert systems to make sure I don't back into anything
Click to expand...
I've had backup cameras since my 1999 Sienna, but I still reflexively crane my neck to look all around instead of looking at the screen first. And my new car is always telling me that an object is approaching when there is no object actually approaching (i.e., it's actually a stationary object that I am not going to come anywhere close to hitting on my current path).
 
betarhoalphadelta said:
...
Yeah, I view auto headlights as kind of a "it's nice, but I really don't think I'd fail to turn on or off my headlights if it was dark" sort of thing. It's kind of a one-time thing at the start and stop of driving, whereas the rain-sensing wipers are a constant thing any time there's moisture in the air.
Click to expand...
It's not start and stop though, some states have headlights on in the rain laws, or you put your running lights on in a fog, park under a street light or in a lighted parking lot, back into the driveway and get something out of the trunk, etc. Prior to common adoption most people will either have done it once or jumped a family member's battery for doing it. They have timers now too.

You'd think people wouldn't leave their interior light on either. Fortunately most auto lights don't draw as much power anymore either.
 
betarhoalphadelta said:
I don't buy this one. The technology progression there was fairly straightforward, although Apple clearly knocked it out of the park with the original iPhone. We went from phone to texts to early "smartphones" with Blackberry and Windows phones that had email and web browsers, and then Apple unlocked the real recipe.
Click to expand...
Should I care if you buy it?
I was very closely associated with the industry so I am quite aware of how it progressed.
The topic was something that "I" didn't see a need for not what you think I should see a need for.
 
Deadalus said:
It's not start and stop though, some states have headlights on in the rain laws
Click to expand...

That's a good law, and I believe MA is like that but I'm not positive. In any case my 2017 Durango will turn on the headlights & running lights if it decides to activate the wipers [edit] for long enough that it decides it's raining...

Cheers!
 
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It isn't really a "technology", but the "Nutrition Facts" labeling on food items. When I was younger I thought they were silly. When I decided to lose the spare tire and fat some years ago, they were quite handy. I pay attention so I can track calories, protein content, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, etc. I have the food value of many common items memorized now, but it was an eye opener to see how many excess calories there are in "junk" foods particularly.
 
Vacuum sealer.

No matter how well you package meat for the freezer you'll get some freezer burn. Vacuum sealer really extends the time you can keep meat in the freezer and maintain the freshness and flavor.

With the right accessories you can use it to seal mason jars also. That's how I store my hops in the freezer. This is what I originally bought it for. The meat thing just became a nice additional use.

We have a small hydroponics system. Nice to have fresh herbs growing in the house year round. No need to wash before using them. Thought this would be a phase we were passing through but it's really been a lot of fun and very useful.
 
NOTHING

I'm a luddite.

Okay, maybe a temp controlled fermentation fridge. It's okay I guess.

I wish smart phones would go away, though.
 
PCABrewing said:
Should I care if you buy it?
I was very closely associated with the industry so I am quite aware of how it progressed.
The topic was something that "I" didn't see a need for not what you think I should see a need for.
Click to expand...
Fair enough and I probably came off overly argumentative. Apologies for that.

I will say that I thought at the time--and still do--that a virtual keyboard is inferior to a physical one though. It's the one thing I miss from my Blackberry days.

I also hate touchscreens in cars. I mean, literally you can't operate them tactilely--you have to take your eyes off the road to see what you're pressing. On older cars, once I learned the car I could do almost everything purely by touch because I knew where the buttons and knobs were.

Yeast Farmer said:
I wish smart phones would go away, though.
Click to expand...

To an extent I understand this... But then I realized it wasn't smart phones that were the problem. It's people. I wish they'd go away.
 
betarhoalphadelta said:
Fair enough and I probably came off overly argumentative. Apologies for that.

I will say that I thought at the time--and still do--that a virtual keyboard is inferior to a physical one though. It's the one thing I miss from my Blackberry days.

I also hate touchscreens in cars. I mean, literally you can't operate them tactilely--you have to take your eyes off the road to see what you're pressing. On older cars, once I learned the car I could do almost everything purely by touch because I knew where the buttons and knobs were.



To an extent I understand this... But then I realized it wasn't smart phones that were the problem. It's people. I wish they'd go away.
Click to expand...
No apology needed, I was a little sensitive for an unrelated reason.
Wholeheartedly agree on the keyboard(s) and drive by touch.
 
dwhite60 said:
This is what we have. The first picture is HIGHLY optimistic about what you can fit in it.
Click to expand...

lol! Thanks - and you weren't kidding :D

1677978183523.png


Cheers!
 
Semi high speed internet. About 15 years ago the kids were freaking out because we only had dial up. I said, who needs that? But after their mother convinced me to get it, I found I was able to buy govt surplus on auction!

And it is blessing me still, by allowing me to participate in HBT.

Sometimes I wonder though....
 
We often lose our humble DSL connection to our house up in the White Mountains and that's when you find out how much you've come to depend on connectivity. No comms of any stripe, no streaming of anything...and if you didn't load a book on your device beforehand there's no Kindle, either.

It's not bad at all if you're out skiing or fishing though :)
 
DSL is all I have here, and yeah, I download anything improtant , like repair manuals, and file, and keep nothing in the cloud.
 
HBT, never thought i'd need other homebrewers to talk to... i never got twitter, facebook, instagram, onlyfans or any that stuff... but occasionaly i like to puruse the "what i am drinking now thread"....
 
Ear buds.

When I was a kid the guy walking down the street talking to himself got a wide berth. You knew he was the "crazy" guy. Now everyone looks like they are talking to themselves.

Battery operated hand tools
 
CKuhns said:
Battery operated hand tools
Click to expand...
Actually, I knew those were a great idea the first time I saw one. Didn't realize it would be about a decade before the batteries were good enough to make it worthwhile until I used a 12 volt drill that had negative torque and held a charge for about 6 minutes.
 
Smartwatch. Getting call, text, etc notifications discretely on my wrist has been a gamechanger. My phone used to constantly make noise because I was really bad about muting it during meetings and worse about unmuting it outside work hours which is a really bad thing when you have a teen driver and aging parents/in-laws. I don't believe I've had my phone off vibrate since I got the watch. Plus my sleep has gotten more consistent since I get a gentle reminder just before desired bed time.
 

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