'I Won't Connect My Dishwasher To Your Stupid Cloud'

A software engineer discovered that his newly purchased Bosch 500 series dishwasher locks basic functionality behind cloud connectivity, reigniting concerns about internet-dependent home appliances. Jeff Geerling found that features like rinse cycle, delayed start and eco mode on his $1,000 dishwasher require connecting to WiFi and creating an account with 'Home Connect,' Bosch's cloud service.

Geerling criticized the approach as potentially part of planned obsolescence, noting that without a current subscription fee, the company will likely either shutter the service or introduce payments for previously standard features.

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