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LiftMaster uses your iPhone as a remote garage door opener
Sometimes I begin to wonder if the entire "let's control your life from your smartphone" thing is going a little too far. We've seen iPhone-powered barista tools, ADT sells a smartphone-connected security system, and now garage door opener manufacturer LiftMaster is selling two openers that can use your iPhone or computer to open and close your garage door. From the marketing materials on the LiftMaster website, it's apparent that they want you to be able to open or close your garage door from any room in your house, from your backyard, or while you're on vacation thousands of miles away. Call me old-fashioned, but why can't you just walk a few feet and punch the wall-mounted garage door button to open and close it? The system, which LiftMaster refers to as MyQ, uses an internet gateway that connects to the garage door opener. Install the LiftMaster Home Control app (free) on your iPhone, and now you're opening and closing your garage door from that internet café on Novaya Zemlya. Sure, MyQ can also turn on and off lights in addition to opening and closing that garage door, but what ever happened to the good old days when you either a) used timers on lights, and b) had your neighbors check on your place? That's certainly less expensive than this system, which ZDNet reports has a price tag of $350 - $500, plus a $15 annual fee for the privilege of using your phone to operate your garage door. Seriously?
