Iterate Weekly - Issue 159
This week my Nest Secure system was finally shut down, laid off tech workers start creating content, initial thoughts on my new smart induction range, Substack partners with Spotify, and Steve Martin!
Welcome to issue 159 of Iterate Weekly.
Hope you’re all doing well. This is just a friendly reminder that you can always reply directly to these messages or leave a comment on the Substack post. Feedback is highly encouraged and I’m happy to answer any and all questions that come up.
Thank you as always for reading!
🤖 Tech
My Nest Secure stopped working and nothing can replace it
The saga of the Nest Secure home security system continues.
For those who aren’t aware, Google decided to kill off another one of their most beloved products. They gave plenty of notice, but there has been an impending doom for us Nest Secure owners that April 2024 was the end of the line. We have reached the end of the line. Here are my thoughts.
I was actually kind of excited to see what would happen to the system on the proposed end-of-life date of April 8th, 2024. I guess it coincided with the solar eclipse in the US? Was that planned? Anyway, I wasn’t sure what would happen. Would the thing spontaneously burst into flames? Would it truly be a paperweight with no functionality at all? Would it still be somewhat usable?
Google made no promises, so I expected the worst. On the 8th, I saw my Nest Secure system listed as “offline” in the Google Home and Nest App. There was nothing I could do to revive it. When I tried to manually set the alarm using the keypad, I received an error sound telling me that my Nest Secure was offline. Ok then, all this was pretty much as planned.
But one thing I wasn’t prepared for was that the door sensors continue to chime when doors are opened and closed. They won’t detect an intruder and set off an alarm in the house, but it’s still pretty useful to hear a sound when people (or pets) exit and enter your home. So as long as you leave that base unit plugged in, you should (presumably) continue to enjoy that functionality. It may actually be enough for some low-risk scenarios especially if you have other cameras that will notify you of movement.
So what did I buy to replace this system? Despite what people say, there really isn’t a logical replacement product that it exists…yet. I actually used the half-hearted Google store credit on an additional camera and some earbuds rather than buying another security system from ADT. Instead, I purchased the Iota from Abode (I can’t tell you how many times I confuse it with Adobe). It promises to be a pretty smart system that offers features comparable to Nest Secure.
This may warrant a deeper dive in the future, but so far I’m unimpressed by the Abode system. It doesn’t have a numerical keypad on the base unit, I shouldn’t need to have an additional accessory for that. The base unit does have a camera which the Nest Secure did not. Sadly, I find that camera to be of horrible quality. And maybe most importantly, I find the Abode app to be somewhat of a mess. Not intuitive, kinda ugly and not worth the effort of using everyday.
There you have it. That’s my depressing update on this product sunset from Google. Where do I go from here? I’m likely going to return the Abode system and wait for something better to come along. Rumor has it that ADT will be releasing a new product that looks eerily similar to the old Nest Secure. Rumor also has it that they’re not planning to release it until after Google’s vouchers for free ADT products expire in May. That’s just smart business sense right? Google wants to force people to buy an inferior ADT product, use it frustratingly for a few weeks/month until they’re past the return window. And then ADT will release the true Nest Secure successor with all the bells and whistles and “googliness” that we loved in the original and us hardcore fans will pony up the cash.
I’ll certainly have an update here if/once we have an official launch date for the new product from ADT. But until then, everyone stay safe out there.
🎓 Education/Productivity/Work
Lost your job? Start creating content!
Are you a well-paid finance or tech worker who was recently laid off? Do you want a new job without a human boss that gives you tons of flexibility? Then becoming a full-time content creator may be the path for you! Or at least that seems to be the trend these days.
All jokes aside, an alarming number of knowledge workers are holding off on polishing that resume or reaching out to recruiters once their severance runs dry. Instead they’re turning on their cameras, poking at their keyboards, or dusting off their podcast mics. In other words, they’re looking to enter the creator economy to hold themselves over until something new comes along or possibly for a longer-term career pivot.
TechCrunch keeps a comprehensive list of all big tech layoffs by month and the numbers continue to rise with some 260,000 employees being let go in 2023-2024. Are all of those people starting YouTube channels? Obviously not. But the premise may be more appealing than it was a few years ago.
In some instances, that new creative content outlet could be resume fodder to land that next dream job. Or you could be one of the lucky ones to really break through and start making some serious income from your content network of choice. However you look at it, it’s a shift in mindset in how people think about their careers. There is no longer one linear track to career fulfillment, and that should be celebrated in my humble opinion.
♻️ Health/Environment/EVs
Initial thoughts on my new smart induction range
At long last, I’ve finally received my new smart induction range.
If you’re not aware of all the benefits of ditching gas cooking in your kitchen, I’ll direct you to more reputable sources here and here.
Many of these induction cooktop/electric oven combos (induction range) have been in short supply the past few months. After regularly checking manufacturer sites and retailer’s supplies, I was able to get a real delivery date for my GE Profile model.
Induction cooktops are clearly the way of the future but what about the humble oven below it? I was really torn about how many bells and whistles were needed and how “smart” my oven needed to be. After much deliberation, I thought that an oven that could connect to wifi was non-negotiable in 2024. Some may disagree and I totally respect that, but using your voice to pre-heat your oven from a different room or even on the way home is super valuable to me.
I’m just starting to experiment with everything the new gadget is capable of, but I’m impressed so far. I have no doubt that there will be moments of futuristic wonder when the oven behaves. Like when the beautiful 7-inch touchscreen shows me fun food-related factoids and suggest recipes I may like. And there will undoubtedly be frustrations, wifi disconnects, frozen screens, and less-than perfect meals too. Like when the in-oven camera looked pretty great as I watched a homemade pizza slowly brown up from another room in my house. But then the in-oven light wouldn’t shut off after the camera feed froze and the pizza crust wasn’t as crispy as it would have been under the same conditions in the old oven.
I can live with the issues. I’m in for this ride. I know I’m an early adopter. With no physical switches, buttons, or knobs at all, you have to just let go and dive into this futuristic cooking environment for better or worse. I’ll likely have some updates as I properly vet out the pros and cons of the new system. New kitchen appliances are obviously a big investment. Yes, you just want them to work and work for a long time at that. However, I can’t deny that little rush when the tech works and it makes something as mundane as boiling water into a magical moment from the future.
🛍 Grab Bag
Substack gets serious about podcasts with Spotify’s help
Substack is doubling down on their commitment to helping its users become serious podcasters. Their new partnership with Spotify will make it a lot easier for Substack podcasters to get their work into the millions of ears who listen to the platform daily.
I’ll be honest, I’ve been toying with the idea of podcasting on Substack pretty much from the start of using the platform back in 2021. But it always just felt a little off. Writing on the platform seemed natural but podcasting just seemed shoehorned into a system that didn’t exactly fit it.
The update here is including Substack as part of its Spotify Open Access program joining the likes of Patreon, Supercast, and others. Basically, it just makes it a hell of a lot easier to create your podcast for your Substack subscribers but let them enjoy it on a platform they’re already using like Spotify.
Another cool part of this agreement is that Substack podcasters will still be able to put specific audio content behind paywalls or let it be experienced by the greater Spotify community.
It seems like a pretty perfect marriage that benefits both companies. And hopefully it can’t help solidify Substack’s place in the audio creation community. As for my podcast? I may start experimenting in the coming weeks, likely by reading some existing written content and providing some color commentary. But I’m certainly more excited by the idea if I know I can reach listeners within the Spotify ecosystem. Because I too am one of those people who have slowly migrated over to Spotify as my podcast player of choice. RIP Stitcher.
💬 Quote of the Week
"I'm spending a year dead for tax reasons."
-Douglas Adams
🎥 Content Recommendation
Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces
Looking to scratch your itch for a great documentary this week? Look no further than “Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces” (a fine title if I don’t say so myself).
Most of us know Steve Martin right? He’s been part of the pop culture landscape for over fifty years. He’ll fit into a different archetype depending on your age. Some may consider him a standup comedian who pushed the envelope further than his contemporaries. Some consider him to be a huge movie star from “Father of the Bride” or “The Three Amigos”. Personally, I’ve never seen him do comedy in-person, but I have seen his amazing banjo-playing skills live on stage so he has that too.
Anyway, the man has lived a wild (and crazy?) life in the public eye for decades. I was blown away by his autobiography “Born Standing Up” that I read over a ten years ago now. This documentary brings may parts of that book to life in a way that is both clever and extremely entertaining.
There is a long story to tell here with his career in showbiz, hence the two parts. You may need to break this one up over a few nights, but it will be well worth it.
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!
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