There are some other good reasons mentioned here, but this is the one that makes me glad they are: firmware updates. Insecurely designed, networked embedded de

There are some other good reasons mentioned here, but this is the one that makes me glad they are: firmware updates. Insecurely designed, networked embedded devices are a serious issue. Look at the botnet based on CCTV cameras for an example. A company that doesn't care about security is still going to produce crap devices and isn't going to update, but for a company that cares about security, ability to patch devices in the field is an absolute necessity to stay on top of vulnerabilities. The ability to add features and keep your device 'fresh' is a nice bonus.