I think they're really handy for monitoring the status of routine household tasks, though.
"Did I get a package today? What time does the mail normally arrive? How is the dog doing? Did the garbage truck come by yet? Did the storm do any damage while I was away?"
Most of that sounds like the side-effects of FOMO.
Did I get a package today?
Unless you live in a neighborhood or building where packages get stolen, who cares? You'll find it when you get home. If it's important, you have a tracking number and know if it was delivered.
What time does the mail normally arrive?
Who cares? My office window overlooks the mailboxes, and it comes at a different time every day. As long as it comes.
How is the dog doing?
He's fine. And if he's not, you'll find out when you get home.
Did the garbage truck come by yet?
Who cares? Even when I had an HMO, we had eight hours to get the trash cans off the curb.
Did the storm do any damage while I was away?
Nice to know, if it's a tornado. But again, there's nothing you can do, so why do you need to know? It's not like you're not going to push a button on your phone and magically lift your patio set out of the neighbor's pool. If you come home and see flashing emergency lights, then yes, there is damage.
What does your health care plan have to with getting talked to by the home owners association?
Or alternatively, if you have a camera, you can find out immediately and come home.
I use mine to find things I've misplaced. Saved my ass the other month when I was running late for a flight but couldn't find my keys.
Or sometimes I just forget to take them out of my pocket.
You were running late for the flight. Couldn't find your keys. Presumably pretty panicked. And you sat down and watched multiple streams of cameras to see if you might see yourself putting the keys down somewhere?
Also, being late for a flight doesn't make me panic.
Some packages will fit in my mail slot. Some packages won't fit and will sit outside. If I bought something that could be damaged by water, and it is sitting outside in the rain, I might drop by the house to move it inside. If it is safely out of the weather, I can save time by not doing that.
> Who cares? My office window overlooks the mailboxes, and it comes at a different time every day. As long as it comes.
I have used the data from my cameras to find out that my mail comes on a fairly consistent schedule. If I am expecting an important letter (especially something that might be a prereq for other errands I have to run), this can be helpful information to plan my schedule in a way that saves time.
> Who cares? Even when I had an HMO, we had eight hours to get the trash cans off the curb.
I live on a hill, so it's nice to put my cans away promptly so I don't have to chase them down the street or retrieve them from the middle of the road. When they're empty it's easy for them to blow away.
> Nice to know, if it's a tornado. But again, there's nothing you can do, so why do you need to know?
I disagree with this more than anything. Plain ol' thunderstorms or winter storms can do significant damage, and if the damage is to the roof, a window, or a pipe, the resulting water damage could be exponentially more extensive if it isn't remediated quickly. I have some family who were on vacation when a pipe burst -- if they would have caught it quickly, it could have been mopped up and shut off. Instead they had to stay in a hotel while their interior was gutted and replaced.