no need to be sassy, you can add smart home products that are useful, not prone to singular failure, inexpensive, and privacy-preserving.
i've installed a dozen or so zigbee-based ikea tradfri led bulbs and switched outlets in my apartment (along with a half-price zigbee-to-wifi gateway from the bargain bin) and they work great. if any part of the network goes out, i can just use them as regular bulbs by actuating the switches already in the wall or built into the lamp.
my favorite addition is using a motion sensor for the walk-in closet bulb, since the built-in light switch is awkwardly placed in a back corner. i open the door and the light goes on, close it and it goes off a few seconds later, a simple pleasure.
the tradfri gateway also now connects via homekit to my existing apple tv, which is used as the apple home server. that way, i can turn lights on and off from the control center on my phone from anywhere via icloud. the apple tv and gateway are on their on vlan and have restricted access to the internet and the rest of my network.
sure, you can go crazy trying to add automation to everything, but so far, i've had no extra stress or complexity, just simple additional convenience.
i've installed a dozen or so zigbee-based ikea tradfri led bulbs and switched outlets in my apartment (along with a half-price zigbee-to-wifi gateway from the bargain bin) and they work great. if any part of the network goes out, i can just use them as regular bulbs by actuating the switches already in the wall or built into the lamp.
my favorite addition is using a motion sensor for the walk-in closet bulb, since the built-in light switch is awkwardly placed in a back corner. i open the door and the light goes on, close it and it goes off a few seconds later, a simple pleasure.
the tradfri gateway also now connects via homekit to my existing apple tv, which is used as the apple home server. that way, i can turn lights on and off from the control center on my phone from anywhere via icloud. the apple tv and gateway are on their on vlan and have restricted access to the internet and the rest of my network.
sure, you can go crazy trying to add automation to everything, but so far, i've had no extra stress or complexity, just simple additional convenience.