Making one’s home “smart” may appear to be a logical step for modern dwellings, but with virtual assistants triggered by voice prompts, refrigerators that sense when your food is running low, and vacuum cleaners that zip around your home crashing into walls, we have substituted the home of the past for something altogether different. But is the smart home actually smart? And, if it’s not there yet, what could do the trick? Read the full transcript here. (Presented by Deloitte)
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Featuring
Scott Nover is a tech reporter at Quartz and the host of season 5 of the Quartz Obsession podcast. He is obsessed with TikTok, fantasy football, and The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.
Julia Malleck is a writer at Quartz. She is obsessed with Lynchian horror, peach gummies, and medieval tavern ambience.
Show notes
Smart House, dir. LeVar Burton, 1999
“The World’s Fair: Tech’s bygone showcase,” season 5, episode 1 of the Quartz Obsession podcast
Daxue Consulting, “Over 82% of new homes in China utilize smart home systems”
Credits
The Quartz Obsession is produced by Rachel Ward, with additional support from executive editor Susan Howson and platform strategist Shivank Taksali. Our theme music is by Taka Yasuzawa and Alex Suguira. This episode was recorded by Eric Wojahn at Solid Sound, in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Dax Liniere at Puzzle Factory Sound Studios in London.