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Something that I don’t see people talking about here is that MyQ is the core/required integration component for Amazon Key in-garage delivery, a service used by

by oskapt 3y ago

Something that I don’t see people talking about here is that MyQ is the core/required integration component for Amazon Key in-garage delivery, a service used by millions of people to have their packages delivered to their garages instead of having them stolen off their porch. That’s why it needs Internet access. All the talk about how Chamberlain will go bankrupt because a comparatively small number of tech people stop using the product is fluff. I ran into the MyQ API problem with Homebridge a couple weeks ago, and I bought a unit from Meross that integrates directly with Apple HomeKit. I still have the MyQ installed because I _need_ it for Amazon deliveries. Yes, all the fury about ads and user hostility and probable polling requiring extra resources with no recompense is correct and justified. But at the end of the day, Chamberlain doesn’t care if they piss us off. They get all their money from the same people who think their phone screen is _supposed_ to be covered in ads on every page they visit, and they likely get TONS of money from Amazon.

ryukafalz 3y ago
> Something that I don’t see people talking about here is that MyQ is the core/required integration component for Amazon Key in-garage delivery, a service used by millions of people to have their packages delivered to their garages instead of having them stolen off their porch. Would be nice if this functionality could work with arbitrary openers via webhooks. You could even have a fancy auth flow that you trigger from your smart home dashboard so users don't have to know or care how it's implemented under the hood.
lock-the-spock 3y ago
Somewhat off topic but it is quite stunning to me that American carriers just leave the package at the door. I lived in different European countries and in all of them the expectation is that the mailman (official mail, or any of the services like dhl, ups, etc) will ring the bell. If you don't answer they will ring the neighbour and then take it back and either try again another day or you can go to a pickup point. Instead the U.S. has an entire category of devices to avoid package theft when the solution lies in holding carriers to account. I don't want to open the garage for Amazon or Bol or any other delivery company...
- BHSPitMonkey 3y ago
  This is how it used to work in the U.S., too, until the major carriers recently realized they can make that into a paid feature for the customer. Now you can't even request something to be held at the store or distribution center for pickup without a fee or subscription.
- yborg 3y ago
  What you describe is how it worked in the US maybe 10 years ago too. But Amazon's free delivery race to the bottom made the cost of reattempts to deliver eliminate any margin. It's cheaper for Amazon to replace stolen shipments for a few people than to make multiple attempts to do re-delivery for many people. And creating a problem in order to charge people to solve the problem you created is a basic monopolist playbook move.
- rootusrootus 3y ago
  UPS used to do that. I hated it. If I'm not at home I have to wait another day to get my package, or drive across town to get it from the depot. Just put it on the porch. Not everyone lives in an area with a package theft problem, let those folks work out their own solution but don't punish the rest of us.
  - goydefense 3y ago
    [dead]
- lannisterstark 3y ago
  I dont want my neighbors to have my package. Fuck that. I'd rather they leave it on my porch.
- 0xffff2 3y ago
  Meanwhile, it is quite stunning to me that European carriers would intentionally mis-deliver (i.e. leave with a neighbor) packages rather than just leaving them on the porch! Over many years and many neighbors, I've had plenty who I would be happy to let receive my packages and plenty I would very much not. Likewise, I would be quite peeved as a permanent WFH-er to be the neighborhood final delivery guy. There are plenty of places in the US where packages left on the porch aren't secure, but there are also plenty of places where it's completely fine and saves everyone time. I've never once had a package stolen off my porch anywhere from an apartment in the Bay Area to a house on 10 acres in rural Oregon. I really think that the places where package theft is rampant are the exception, not the rule.
nfriedly 3y ago
I just called up the folks that installed my garage door, and recommended that they look for a different brand because of how hostile Chamberlain is being towards their customers. I'm not the only one doing that. Sure, we're just a couple drops in the ocean, but eventually those drops can start to add up.
noen 3y ago
That was my thought as well. I only have MyQ for Amazon Key. Fortunately Amazon also supports the Aladdin Connect - which works with all garage doors. And is fully supported in Home Assistant. I have one on order and will be swapping out, bye bye Chamberlain.
phpisthebest 3y ago
>>MyQ is the core/required integration component for Amazon Key in-garage delivery, I see several other vendors / openers on the Amazon page for this service besides MyQ. Genie being one of them, which seems to also support HA just fine

by oskapt 3y ago

ryukafalz 3y ago

> Something that I don’t see people talking about here is that MyQ is the core/required integration component for Amazon Key in-garage delivery, a service used by millions of people to have their packages delivered to their garages instead of having them stolen off their porch. Would be nice if this functionality could work with arbitrary openers via webhooks. You could even have a fancy auth flow that you trigger from your smart home dashboard so users don't have to know or care how it's implemented under the hood.

lock-the-spock 3y ago

Somewhat off topic but it is quite stunning to me that American carriers just leave the package at the door. I lived in different European countries and in all of them the expectation is that the mailman (official mail, or any of the services like dhl, ups, etc) will ring the bell. If you don't answer they will ring the neighbour and then take it back and either try again another day or you can go to a pickup point. Instead the U.S. has an entire category of devices to avoid package theft when the solution lies in holding carriers to account. I don't want to open the garage for Amazon or Bol or any other delivery company...

BHSPitMonkey 3y ago
This is how it used to work in the U.S., too, until the major carriers recently realized they can make that into a paid feature for the customer. Now you can't even request something to be held at the store or distribution center for pickup without a fee or subscription.
yborg 3y ago
What you describe is how it worked in the US maybe 10 years ago too. But Amazon's free delivery race to the bottom made the cost of reattempts to deliver eliminate any margin. It's cheaper for Amazon to replace stolen shipments for a few people than to make multiple attempts to do re-delivery for many people. And creating a problem in order to charge people to solve the problem you created is a basic monopolist playbook move.
rootusrootus 3y ago
UPS used to do that. I hated it. If I'm not at home I have to wait another day to get my package, or drive across town to get it from the depot. Just put it on the porch. Not everyone lives in an area with a package theft problem, let those folks work out their own solution but don't punish the rest of us.
- goydefense 3y ago
  [dead]
lannisterstark 3y ago
I dont want my neighbors to have my package. Fuck that. I'd rather they leave it on my porch.
0xffff2 3y ago
Meanwhile, it is quite stunning to me that European carriers would intentionally mis-deliver (i.e. leave with a neighbor) packages rather than just leaving them on the porch! Over many years and many neighbors, I've had plenty who I would be happy to let receive my packages and plenty I would very much not. Likewise, I would be quite peeved as a permanent WFH-er to be the neighborhood final delivery guy. There are plenty of places in the US where packages left on the porch aren't secure, but there are also plenty of places where it's completely fine and saves everyone time. I've never once had a package stolen off my porch anywhere from an apartment in the Bay Area to a house on 10 acres in rural Oregon. I really think that the places where package theft is rampant are the exception, not the rule.

nfriedly 3y ago

I just called up the folks that installed my garage door, and recommended that they look for a different brand because of how hostile Chamberlain is being towards their customers. I'm not the only one doing that. Sure, we're just a couple drops in the ocean, but eventually those drops can start to add up.

noen 3y ago

That was my thought as well. I only have MyQ for Amazon Key. Fortunately Amazon also supports the Aladdin Connect - which works with all garage doors. And is fully supported in Home Assistant. I have one on order and will be swapping out, bye bye Chamberlain.

phpisthebest 3y ago

>>MyQ is the core/required integration component for Amazon Key in-garage delivery, I see several other vendors / openers on the Amazon page for this service besides MyQ. Genie being one of them, which seems to also support HA just fine