The Rise of Dumb Smart Appliances

Surprise! It’s Not a Toaster returns for season 2 with a full-frontal assault on the Internet of (Questionably Useful) Things. Chris Boyer and Ed Bennett kick things off with a deliciously irritated rant about smart appliances that aren't actually smart. Why does your dishwasher need WiFi and a cloud account just to run a rinse cycle? When your toaster has a firmware update, maybe it’s time to ask... who’s really in control here? Then it’s time for this week’s Tech Recommendation, and it’s a surprising gem: TubiTV.com. You’ll learn how to stream everything from retro sci-fi to live sports — completely free, no login required. It's weird, wonderful, and totally binge-worthy. And finally, in “Stump GenAI,” the hosts put ChatGPT’s image generation powers to the test — and end up stunned. From real-time image editing to stylized comic strips, the results are almost too good. Are AI tools now the best creative team you’ve never hired? Whether you’re rebooting your router-connected coffee maker or just here for the GenAI wizardry, this episode delivers vibes, rants, and revelations. Mentions from the Show: The Internet of Dumb How “smart” should appliance be - or become? TubiTV.com Chris Boyer on LinkedIn Ed Bennett on LinkedIn Chris Boyer website Ed Bennett of BlueSky Chris Boyer on BlueSky