Now the trash can needs to be powered on, connected to my wifi network - does my wifi reach to the curb where I leave my cans? - and I'm locked in to the cans provided by the trash company.
> and I'm locked in to the cans provided by the trash company.
Municipal trash contracts are frequently locking you into cans provided by the trash company already -- they do it to ensure compatibility with the side load machinery, and also so they can charge you based on use; if you produce more waste on a weekly basis, you need to order a larger bin; if you produce less, you can request a smaller bin.
a firmware update has failed on your can, causing your license key to not authenticate to the new api, resulting in a locked lid and license violation fees being added to your account
No need for wifi -- install a 3G modem. Very little data to transmit. The super cans could also signal the garbage people if the batteries are running low.
