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Reporter Regrets Letting Amazon's Delivery People Into His House (washingtonpost.com)
An anonymous reader writes:
Washington Post reporter Geoffrey A. Fowler describes his short-lived experience with "Amazon Key", a $250 smart lock system with a security camera that grants Amazon's delivery people access to your home. The lock sounds "like R2-D2 with constipation," and at one point it actually jammed (though his persistent delivery person eventually got it working properly). The unlocking of the door triggers a live video feed of the delivery -- which is also stored in a private archive online -- plus an alert to your phone -- and the Post's reporter writes that "The biggest downsides to the experience haven't been the strangers -- it's been Amazon."
They missed their delivery windows four out of eight times, and though the packages all arrived eventually, all four were late by a least a day. But his larger issue is that Amazon "wants to draw you further into an all-Amazon world... Now Amazon wants to literally own your door, so it can push not just packages but also services that come through it, like handymen, dog-walkers, groceries, you name it." His ultimate question? "Who's really being locked in?"
The Post's reporter notes that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post, "but I review all tech the same." He did identify some advantages to the $250 smart lock system -- the door can now also be unlocked with the Amazon Key app, and he can even share that access with his friends by giving them a special access code.
But he also notes that security researchers discovered a way to freeze Amazon's security camera, potentially allowing a rogue delivery person to lurk in your house. And all things considered, it was apparently all too creepy. "After two weeks, my family voted to remove the Amazon Key smart lock and take down the camera."
They missed their delivery windows four out of eight times, and though the packages all arrived eventually, all four were late by a least a day. But his larger issue is that Amazon "wants to draw you further into an all-Amazon world... Now Amazon wants to literally own your door, so it can push not just packages but also services that come through it, like handymen, dog-walkers, groceries, you name it." His ultimate question? "Who's really being locked in?"
The Post's reporter notes that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post, "but I review all tech the same." He did identify some advantages to the $250 smart lock system -- the door can now also be unlocked with the Amazon Key app, and he can even share that access with his friends by giving them a special access code.
But he also notes that security researchers discovered a way to freeze Amazon's security camera, potentially allowing a rogue delivery person to lurk in your house. And all things considered, it was apparently all too creepy. "After two weeks, my family voted to remove the Amazon Key smart lock and take down the camera."
(AC FX)
Not exactly. Hard to believe, but there are areas of the USA where Google Maps does not work and GPS data is unreliable. It's hard thinking that being a "tech" site and all, but until I saw it with my own eyes trying to run routes blind as a swing... it's true. Additionally -- Even if you know the area, you still have to find the house and considering how people have complained about a box being SLID (not thrown) across their porch... I don't think people would take too kindly to some driver going up and down the road flashing their flashlight all around their house and all their neighbors. People will put their house numbers in really, REALLY stupid spots.
UPS & FX don't want you using a GPS device in their trucks anyway, as they consider that an "electronic distraction" and it increases accidents as drivers switch their attention from the device to the road and back again.
Weekends... UPS is starting to do Saturday ground, plus FedEx home delivery does Saturday also. Most air deliveries are B2B and without the business volume, the density is not there to pay the driver without a massive surcharge. That's why if you get a UPS Air / FedEx Express Saturday package, there is the surcharge. During the week, we run around 70 routes, on Saturday we typically run 15 and cover 90% of the same area.
There is also the issue of finding the bodies to work the weekends. Most drivers are older and have families and treasure the weekends. That may change as retirements happen, but right now, getting a M-F route is where people want to be.