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SILICON SILIC CHIP www.siliconchip.com.au Publisher/Editor Nicholas Vinen Technical Editor John Clarke – B.E.(Elec.) Technical Staff Jim Rowe – B.A., B.Sc. Bao Smith – B.Sc. Tim Blythman – B.E., B.Sc. Nicolas Hannekum – Dip.Elec.Tech. Advertising Enquiries Glyn Smith Phone (02) 9939 3295 Mobile 0431 792 293 glyn<at>siliconchip.com.au Regular Contributors Allan Linton-Smith Dave Thompson David Maddison – B.App.Sc. (Hons 1), PhD, Grad.Dip.Entr.Innov. Geoff Graham Associate Professor Graham Parslow Dr Hugo Holden – B.H.B, MB.ChB., FRANZCO Ian Batty Phil Prosser – B.Sc., B.E.(Elec.) Cartoonist Brendan Akhurst Founding Editor (retired) Leo Simpson – B.Bus., FAICD Silicon Chip is published 12 times a year by Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd. ACN 626 922 870. ABN 20 880 526 923. All material is copyright ©. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Subscription rates (Australia only) 6 issues (6 months): $65 12 issues (1 year): $120 24 issues (2 years): $230 Online subscription (Worldwide) 6 issues (6 months): $50 12 issues (1 year): $95 For overseas rates, see our website or email silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au Recommended & maximum price only. Editorial office: Unit 1 (up ramp), 234 Harbord Rd, Brookvale, NSW 2100. Postal address: PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097. Phone (02) 9939 3295. ISSN 1030-2662 Printing and Distribution: 24-26 Lilian Fowler Pl, Marrickville 2204 2 Silicon Chip Editorial Viewpoint Be wary of devices that require apps to work Devices controlled by mobile phone/tablet apps might seem convenient on initial inspection. But they can suffer from a range of problems that often make them inferior choices. The first problem is that many of these apps are buggy (sometimes to the point of being useless) and can also have compatibility problems. It’s incredible how apps from multi-billion-dollar companies can be so flaky. For example, many aircons now have apps to control them, and these can be very hit-andmiss in operation, even though the unit itself might cost thousands of dollars. Then there are those compatibility problems that might mean that the operating system on your phone or tablet is too old or too new to work with the app. I’ve run into this on more than one occasion, being able to install and use the app on some devices but not others. Worse, after a few years (possibly not even that long), the company will inevitably decide that they no longer want to update/support the app, so you will be unable to use it on the latest mobile operating systems. This leaves you with the unpalatable choice of either sticking with an older operating system version, resulting in a range of severe security problems, or upgrading and losing support for the app. One member of our staff previously bought a Belkin remote-controlled power point controlled by an app on his iPhone. Belkin decided to stop updating the app, and now the device is a useless piece of eWaste. You might expect that from brands you haven’t heard of, but I thought that Belkin was a more ‘upmarket’ brand. This is a huge problem for iPhone users because the only way to install apps (unless “jailbroken”) is via the App Store. So there’s no way to get a suitable app on your phone once the manufacturer decides to drop support. With Android devices, you can install a .apk file if one is available – but the compatibility concerns still apply. And now there is news that the company (MyGnar Inc.) behind the expensive product called the GNARBOX has gone bust. This is a device costing upwards of US$500 that is used to back up photos and videos from your phone without you needing to carry around a computer. Guess what? It works via an app, and now that the company has gone under, it has been pulled from the App Store. So even though you can still buy a GNARBOX, you can’t use it if you have an iPhone or iPad! Louis Rossmann* posted a video on this at https://youtu.be/Elsbcoyk6jA This puts retailers in a precarious position; presumably, they have already paid for their stock of GNARBOXes, but now they will be in legal trouble if they sell them because the marketing claims for that product are no longer valid. Similarly, many GNARBOX owners now effectively possess expensive bricks. This will have to give anyone pause in future when they consider purchasing a device that can’t be used without a specific app. All hardware devices should be able to be used in a ‘standalone’ mode, and I also think they should stick to using ‘standard’ access protocols such as HTTP over WiFi, avoiding the need for device-specific apps and all the problems described above. * While his electronics knowledge seems a bit limited, Louis is very skilled at computer repair. His YouTube videos on Macbook repairs are often fascinating and entertaining. He also makes some excellent arguments in favour of the Right to Repair, a subject we reported on in detail in the June 2021 issue (siliconchip.com.au/Article/14881). by Nicholas Vinen Australia's electronics magazine siliconchip.com.au