this post was submitted on 30 Jun 2025
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submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) by xkcdbot@lemmy.world to c/xkcd@lemmy.world
 

xkcd #3109: Dehumidifier

Title text:

It's important for devices to have internet connectivity so the manufacturer can patch remote exploits.

Transcript:

[A store salesman, Hairy, is showing Cueball a dehumidifier, with a "SALE" label on it. Several other unidentified devices, possibly other dehumidifier models, are shown in the store as well.]

Salesman: This dehumidifier model features built-in WiFi for remote updates.
Cueball: Great! That will be really useful if they discover a new kind of water.

Source: https://xkcd.com/3109/

explainxkcd for #3109

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[–] originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com 75 points 1 day ago (78 children)

welll........ devils advocate.. i could see the wifi being used so the device can be incorporated into the home automation system [climate control]. its not about dehumidifying, its solely about engaging the dehumidifying as needed.

[–] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 125 points 1 day ago (23 children)

Yeah, or the manufacturer bricks the device bcz they want to sell you a new one.

[–] Badabinski@kbin.earth 30 points 1 day ago (1 children)

That's why projects like this are great: https://github.com/Hypfer/esp8266-midea-dehumidifier

My Midea Cube dehumidifier can never be bricked and will never send data outside of my home. It talks to Home Assistant via MQTT and nothing else.

[–] TachyonTele@piefed.social 9 points 1 day ago (2 children)

A dehumidifier that doesn't have any wifi can't be bricked either.

[–] kn33@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Yeah but I want to control it with the average humidity from sensors across my house

[–] Jessica@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

It's almost like you can just set the dehumidifier to a certain humidity level and fan speed and then never touch the settings again. That's what I did with my humidifier. It's as dumb as a box of rocks, but it quits working during the summer when the humidity goes up and then turns back on the rest of the year with zero interaction besides adding more water

[–] kn33@lemmy.world 1 points 21 hours ago

You can, but it only measures the humidity at the (de)humidifier. I want it to account for the state of the whole house.

[–] Badabinski@kbin.earth 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I mean, yeah. I wouldn't have found that project and gone to the effort of using it if a simple dehu was all I needed. I wanted something I could control with my local home assistant install, and you can't just hard power cycle a dehumidifier, it kills them.

[–] TachyonTele@piefed.social -2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Ok

What is "hard power cycle" a dehumidifier? Have you never used a normal dehumidifier before or something?

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