[NEWS] The smart home is still not ready for our kids

[phillynewsnow]

The smart home is still not ready for our kids



Credit: Roger Fingas / Android Authority



Opinion post by
Roger Fingas


Just recently I began testing Ecovacs’ Deebot X1 Omni, its new top-of-the-line robot vacuum. While it’s too early to formulate a real opinion, one small thing I’m appreciating is the child lock on the X1 Omni’s docking station. Normally you can use the dock’s buttons to start or end vacuuming, but if you hold down a pair of those buttons for a few seconds, you disable that function so that small kids can no longer run the vacuum on a whim.

That shouldn’t be a big deal, but as the parent of a four-year-old, it suddenly brought the lack of childproof smart home accessories into focus. At times it feels like smart home gadget makers are deliberately targeting childfree buyers, or at least those with older children. As Android Authority‘s resident smart home specialist I find I have to go out of my way to keep my son from wreaking havoc, when I really shouldn’t — there are a few steps companies could be taking to make smart home gear more child-friendly.



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