'Home' devices now 'TOO' smart!!?? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: GlennSprigg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 10:53:52 am
content: I apologize if this guy has been posted/commented on before... but I've only just seen it!.He seems to speak with some level of authority/experience, in regards to modern WiFi/Bluetooth systems.He talks about low cost built-in chips & software in numerous common modern household appliances, on topof the typical computers, phones, routers, smart-TV's etc. They are being set-up to not only 'talk' to each other,but more importantly to communicate outside the home via other neighbors etc, forming an integral part of newnetworking systems. In my mind... I can sort of 'liken' it to using multiple peers etc for the likes of LiveWire/LimeWireetc, where data is passed on, from multiple people, and collated. I don't understand it, but maybe others can!!!

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 12:20:35 pm
content: He's behind the times:https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/05/amazon-devices-will-soon-automatically-share-your-internet-with-neighbors/

author: PartialDischarge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 12:35:22 pm
content: I don't understand why anyone would connect *any* home device, besides your computer, to the internet.To me TV, fridge, oven, Alexa or similar spying devices, watches... are all precluded from connecting

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 05:05:00 pm
content: "I don't understand why anyone would connect *any* home device, besides your computer, to the internet.'I agree but what makes you think that the device builder will even ask you? Or if they do ask, will they heed your decision not to be connected?And if a company don't automatically connect to your device, will they still allow the NSA, FBI, DIA, FSA, local courts and local law enforcement, etc, etc to tap into your devices without a warrant?Or will they simply follow current software practice and make your device totally non-functional if you decline to grant them permission to constantly spy on you and sell your information?Even if you don't plug an Ethernet cable into your device, what's to stop them from connecting to your device wirelessly, even through one of your neighbors' wireless routers or through a neighbor's internet connected refrigerator?

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 05:11:07 pm
content: If you’re targeted it’s game over anyway. You can’t go up against state actors.The incorrect assumption here with most people is that you’re in some way important which you’re not.If you really want to be inconspicuous then it’s better to have the technology and do your nefarious shit entirely out of band.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 05:15:08 pm
content: Quote from: MasterTech on July 06, 2021, 12:35:22 pmThis is crazy indeed, but that's not "how it works". I mean, this kind of features are NOT what people are asking to have, at least at first. They are just features that are heavily pushed by the vendors offering them (because they represent a steady and additional source of revenue - traditional sales model is just about selling a device and that's it, with this, they can keep getting cash out of a single sale for a long time.)And as those features are pushed to the users so hard, users will even have a hard time buying devices that don't have them. End of the story. You get that whether you like it or not.Of course, a fraction of all buyers will like those features, because that looks so modern. When enough users are hooked, vendors can dramatically cut down the cost of marketing. That's pretty much it.But initially, the main driver for vendors is just that, to get out of the "market saturation" problem, and have a new way of ensuring further growth.And yes, the byproducts of this trend are not all fun and shiny. They just lay the groundwork for total surveillance, while also making your household much more vulnerable to all kinds of security issues.

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 08:46:58 pm
content: Hello there!Ever since my 'phone' auto-connected to my sister's friend's neighbor's DESK JET printer, I've wanted to put together a satire 'skit', lampooning these newer tech/marketing dept. devices, but it isn't really that funny, and...oh, hold on; I'm now updating my personal self... OK done downloading in 10 seconds; 9 seconds....This MENU will now repeat in LATVIAN.Would you care to take a short survey, on my (deliberately irritating) parody on modern exasperation(s) ?Or press 'OPT-OUT-OX104A' for nothing, really.

author: duckduck
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 09:22:37 pm
content: Quote from: MasterTech on July 06, 2021, 12:35:22 pm...he says while holding a device (built by a huge multinational with an awful privacy record) with cameras front and back, GPS/GLONASS, compass, touchscreen, microphone, Bluetooth, WiFi, cell data, NFC, motion sensor, and on-board machine learning to sort out interesting motions / sights / sounds to report back.A couple of years ago I bought an HP printer and after a few months, it actuallyrefusedto print because I would not let it phone home! I purchased it at Costco, so I returned it as "defective by design" and got my money back in cash. I refuse to buy from "circle" HP while they engage it that type of silly BS.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 09:49:03 pm
content: Quote from: MasterTech on July 06, 2021, 12:35:22 pmConvenience. I like being able to adjust my thermostat from where I'm sitting on the sofa, or to confirm that I remembered to shut the heat off when I'm away on vacation or turn it back on so the house can be warmed up by the time I get home. I don't use anything that requires cloud connectivity to work though, most of my connected stuff is done through Home Assistant. For the average person who wants that convenience they are pretty much stuck with the cloud thing though.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 06, 2021, 10:18:04 pm
content: The convenience is a massive selling point for me. I bought into the Apple ecosystem hard on this and it has paid itself off ten times over so far on the organisation and productivity front having automation and voice assistance available everywhere.

author: eti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2021, 01:21:40 am
content: Quote from: GlennSprigg on July 06, 2021, 10:53:52 amYou believe they're "smart"? Not even CLOSE. They're as stupid as a box of rocks, which is what they ARE, and as short-sighted and delusional as the fairytale believers who market them to us. The "A" of "AI" is EXTREEEEEEEEMLY "A" - it's artificial in the same sense that expectation that my cat will sing an opera to me, is artificial. It's DELUSION.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2021, 07:13:57 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on July 06, 2021, 10:18:04 pmSame here. The Apple ecosystem is coherent and it works. And as far as I can tell, Apple hasn't tried to sell anything to me, except for maybe new Apple products.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2021, 08:29:23 pm
content: Quote from: eti on July 07, 2021, 01:21:40 amOf course. Well. They are not "too smart". But they are definitely too connected.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2021, 09:00:35 pm
content: QuoteWasn't me that suggested any 'smarts' but, since you bring it up, the Oxford Dictionary of English says:QuoteSince these things are connecting without user direction, I think that matches the stated definition.Perhaps you are using a different flavour of English but neglected to make that known before you rant.

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2021, 03:33:55 pm
content: I see this stuff again:Please allow me to point out, how a little expansion of the 'mesh network' concept includes EXCLUSION, in opposition, (simultaneously). That is, while these networks (IOT) are attempting easy connection witheverything nearby, your personal use and access will often task you with a SIGN UP, CREATE AN ACCOUNT.Of course some of this I'm OK with, but often end up with a lot of 'fluff', one more new password, more tracking of what you personally do, one more 'portal' to log into...So now when browsing a couple JOB postings, I come across a request to fill out some forms involvingwork background history. SIGN UP, GET PASSWORD, LOG ON, you are now required (forced), in order to proceed into the particular JOB posting.GOOGLE is mostly OK, but being forced into creating an 'account', just to reply for a needed job, CRUD.Shear CRUD.

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2021, 12:16:17 am
content: Quote from: GlennSprigg on July 06, 2021, 10:53:52 amThat to me is a big nono. I wouldn't want any appliance I own to join automatically outside of the network I set them to directly with neighbours stuff over the street willy nilly without my permission and knowledge.That is when I feel it no longer belongs to me but the manufacturers who set them to do that.I question the word "Smart".I wonder does that include, don't do anything else but the tasks advertised and intended for on the packaging.If the appliance breaks down and I have it joined to a wired/wireless network to report faults whether it is under contract or list part numbers to order and replace the parts then that's great (I think it may live up to it's name) but anything else that I don't want it to do such as mess about with things outside the scope maybe smart for the manufacturer's for what they get out of it but not for me. I want them to simply leave it alone.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2021, 07:08:16 am
content: fuck this stuff, the advanced dehumidifer I got already broke after 1 year, thank god I did not make it even more advanced with blue tooth to make it a bigger waste of money. the 80's one is still running fine, all I had to do is replace the foam and grease it 3 years agonothing better to cut into your budget like advanced microelectronics in simple concepts, thats what I want excessive down time, parts obsolescence, more difficult repairs and easier damage

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2021, 07:30:10 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on July 10, 2021, 07:08:16 amIt the bossiness of these things that shits me. "Unplug Charger!" or our washing machine: "Have a nice day!"

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 10, 2021, 08:40:38 am
content: I don't mind smart devices, gadgets and software provided they openly disclose up front what they intend to record, relay or broadcast, additionally they should be crystal clear about any requirments for online registration and ongoing internet data usage. For many years I was a keen gamer but remember the first game I bought which stated "Internet connection required for gameplay" written in small print on the back of the box, it was a submarine tactical game and also the last one I ever played, it put me off games altogether.A similar thing happened recently when a mate gave me his old Fitbit smart watch, he never said anything about the requirement for me to set up an online account or that I can't even set the time without being online, way too intrusive for my liking. Also, I recently bought new mobile phone which won't work unless the Google Play App is granted access to phone, storage and messaging permissions, every phone I ever owned prior had the ability to disable Google Play altogether, fuck Google, I put the phone back in the box and won't buy another LG product.

author: Gary350z
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2021, 11:30:23 am
content: I've watched a few of this guys videos. I don't see any credentials. How do you know if he's telling the truth, or if he's just some doomsday prepper person.

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2021, 11:35:17 pm
content: Muttley, you got it pretty close, many of us must be disscusted.Today, out of nowhere, comes a SPAM TEXT saying such and such BANK has 'detected false sign-on attempts'.Can see a link there: The new dog's name matching the, uh, BANK's name.AND, oh; we've been saying that name and Google phone interrupting my Van Halen song video, to text me:"What was that, you say ? Could you say that again?"So I almost don't know what to think, butOTHERS HERE : Stop with the the conspiracy paranoia crap. Hey, yeah, maybe you too too quick to shut up the questions coming in. Stop and read / use judgement, not rhetorical attacks from the hip(Really reaching for some patience here!) Thanks

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2021, 01:13:39 am
content: Yeah, this is the thing. If they are up front and clear about it I might go along, assuming I really, really want their toy. The way this crap is usually buried in the fine print makes it obvious they are being sneaky.Quote from: Muttley Snickers on July 10, 2021, 08:40:38 am

author: vad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2021, 07:11:20 am
content: I actually love IoT devices connected to the Internet. I am currently on vacation thousands miles away from home. I can check that thermostats are all set to 99F, and later set them to more comfortable temperature remotely from airport upon landing. I can check that lights are off during the day and randomly switched on in the evening. I will be notified if water leakage is detected in the bathrooms or in the basement. I can enjoy Mediterranean beaches and not worry whether the basement was flooded after tropical storm Elsa passed thorough our town.Do I worry that KGB can breach the system? Not really. SmartThings hub is isolated in a dedicated VLAN.PS. Someone previously mentioned that TV should not be connected to the Internet. I disagree. The only thing that the TV is good for, is watching Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Dave’s YouTube channel.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2021, 08:15:48 am
content: While I agree that streaming is the only thing TVs are good for, I would *never* connect a "smart" TV to the internet. Always use an external streaming device, the experience is far better anyway.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2021, 08:53:42 am
content: Yes smart TV is one thing I will not entertain. The propensity for it to turn into an ad delivery mechanism and privacy nightmare has been proven with every vendor so far. As for the streaming sticks, none of them work with my Samsung dumb TV thanks to issues with HDCP so rather than prevent me from stealing the legitimate content I wanted to pay for, the HDCP forces me to steal the content to watch it instead

author: vad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2021, 09:38:50 am
content: I never had ad problems with paid streaming services, such as YouTube Premium, Netflix or Amazon.As for the exact location of the media player, for the sake of this discussion it does not really matter if the media player is integrated into a smart TV or a Blu Ray player, or is a standalone device ranging from Apple TV to no-name stick from Chinese vendor. If you want to watch streaming content - you have to connect the media player to the Internet.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2021, 11:49:41 am
content: Quotehttps://www.samsung.com/uk/business/samsungads/Quote

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2021, 07:44:06 pm
content: Quote from: vad on July 11, 2021, 09:38:50 amIt actually does matter where the streaming device is, but not because of the physical location. It's very hard to find a non-"smart" TV anymore and this is because the TV prices are all subsidized by the built in streaming abilities which are in a sense a trojan horse, offering you useful functionality but the primary function is to spy on your habits and gather advertising data. A standalone streaming device doesn't have to subsidize the cost of a TV, cannot tell what you are watching when it does not come from the streaming device, and you have the option of many different open solutions that do not gather data and do not spy on your habits and do not do things like display advertisements in the menus of the TV. I refuse to support that whole business model, I will not tolerate any kind of advertising in my TV, and it's the stupidest thing ever to integrate something like a streaming device with a life cycle of 2-5 years before it is useless into a TV that should have a life cycle of 10-20 years. I've dealt with older smart TVs and they become a pain even if you aren't using the smart feature, it's so tightly integrated that you end up having things like the TV crashing and rebooting while you're just trying to use it as a monitor.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2021, 03:38:58 am
content: I hate this trend so much myself. It will get to a point where you need to mod your own devices when you first buy them just to get rid of all this crap.TVs are already plagued by this now, you cannot buy a non smart TV anymore. At least not easily. You can buy commercial displays like in fast food places but those are very expensive like 5-10 grand. Soon it will be fridges, then probably washer/dryers. Their goal is to have at least one spy device in every room of the house.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2021, 04:25:55 am
content: Quote from: Red Squirrel on July 12, 2021, 03:38:58 amYou'll have an easier time if you look for monitors. Which is more or less what a "non smart" TV is - a smart TV minus the built in player.

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2021, 04:32:52 am
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on July 12, 2021, 04:25:55 amThey omit the DHCP rubbish on monitors, don't they? Set top boxes refuse playback don't they?

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2021, 06:47:21 am
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on July 12, 2021, 04:25:55 amTV sized monitors are going to require a second mortgage though. That's basically getting into commercial grade stuff like fast food displays and will cost the same as a small car. You also won't easily be able to find this at any store.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2021, 01:15:26 pm
content: Quote from: Red Squirrel on July 12, 2021, 06:47:21 amDepending on what you consider to be "TV sized", a quick Newegg search finds a 43" IPS 4K for about $500.https://www.newegg.com/acer-um-md1aa-001-43-uhd/p/0JC-000P-00CK2?quicklink=trueI think a more reasonable solution would be for a community like XDA to get more involved in hacking smart TVs. I don't think we'll be complaining about the smart stuff if we could reprogram it to do what we want.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2021, 01:38:05 pm
content: I have an older Samsung smart TV and my solution is to never have it connected to the network. Programs are delivered via MythTV or Amazon dongle or whatever. However, my rationale for going that way was primarily because TVs get old and their apps no longer work well, if at all, with providers as requirements change. Seemed to me best to cut to the chase and implement things how I wanted rather than put up with their idea of what they wanted me to like, which would bite the dust at some point anyway.Actually, similar reason for not using built-in DHCP or DNS on a router.

author: aandrew
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2021, 01:59:16 pm
content: Nothing wrong with *some* smart TVs; my Roku TV is quite nice in that it doesn't have any of that ad shit and the experience is pretty decent. You do have to be careful though, like others have said it is becoming a cesspool.

author: vad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2021, 02:32:25 pm
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on July 12, 2021, 01:15:26 pm65” was the most popular size overs the past few years. These days 75” to 85” seems to be a sweet spot.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2021, 08:27:14 pm
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on July 12, 2021, 01:15:26 pmYeah hacking existing TVs is probably the best bet. They are practically giving away 55"+ 4k TVs now, it's hard to justify paying like 10x for an equivalent monitor. But someone that knows what they're doing could probably bypass most of the electronics and just drive the LCD directly. Or at least drop a custom firmware on the existing electronics that removes all the smart stuff and just turns it into a traditional TV.Have not bought a TV in at least 10 years but I assume they're doing the BS now where you need to setup and account and all that crap and tie it to an app before you can even use it? That's the stuff I'd want to be able to bypass if I bought a TV. I just want to be able to use it without relying on a phone or having it call home.Another option is also a projector, at least until the smart plague hits those too.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2021, 08:39:29 pm
content: Quote from: aandrew on July 12, 2021, 01:59:16 pmHave they changed? I dumped the Roku box I had a few years ago because it had a banner ad in the menu I couldn't disable. I have a zero tolerance policy regarding ads.

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2021, 10:32:34 am
content: Dealing with smart TV / WIFI during a stint house-sitting, nice house in Sierra-Nevadas. EVERY classic channel playing older TV shows, such as 'How it's made', were subscription required.Shows like 'Beverley Hillbillies' : Subscription required. Got so bad I simply stopped browsing the menu.Oh, AND the TV voice responder "SIRI put on CNN" somehow 'taught my nearby google phone to wantto activate that dumb-ass voice command sh!t.Phone now interrupts me, asking what did I want.(stopped my video play, to ask me to repeat command)

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2021, 04:21:31 pm
content: Wow sounds like a pain. I sure hope my current TV lasts a long time. Going to assume the newer ones won't let you even use them if you don't plug into a network?

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2021, 05:21:20 pm
content: My current Samsung TV is pretty good and is still not very "smart". If/when I'll change it, I will definitely consider buying a monitor with no software except image settings. Yes they are more expensive than TV sets - for reasons exposed in this thread, and the fact they target a different market - but this will be the price for avoiding all the crap. The playing videos, receiving TV channels or satellite, etc, can be done with external devices that embed no crap either.Yes, this is a more expensive option. But very large TV sets have become "dirt cheap" for what they are. Maybe it's time to get back to reality, instead of just letting things drift towards privacy invasion, surveillance, non-sustainable production, and so on. Oh and devices that end up with more bugs than my garden. No thanks =)

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2021, 05:24:24 pm
content: Quote from: Red Squirrel on July 13, 2021, 04:21:31 pmAll that I've seen will work just fine if you don't connect them to the network. I'd still rather not have the "smart" features in the first place but whatever, at least you can mostly bypass them. Personally what I'd love is just a monitor with a great picture and about 10 HDMI ports and a nice simple interface that makes it fast and easy to select the input I want and adjust the picture settings.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2021, 05:46:44 pm
content: If anyone finds a 43” 4K one of them please let me know. Want exactly the same.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2021, 06:50:14 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on July 13, 2021, 05:24:24 pmYeah same, that's really all I want out of a TV, a nice display with a bunch of inputs. Basically a monitor but without the price tag of a monitor that size. Like what TVs used to be.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2021, 08:20:32 pm
content: To be fair, TVs used to be priced like monitors are today, but then prices plummeted, partly because they are subsidized by the data gathering and advertising platform abilities offered by the smart TVs. I still remember when a basic flat panel TV that would be considered small by modern standards was over $2k. I recently found the receipt for the 25" console TV my grandfather bought in 1984 and it cost $700 in 1984 dollars and that was with $100 knocked off because he bought the floor model. It's easy to forget how much stuff used to cost.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2021, 10:32:22 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on July 13, 2021, 05:46:44 pmHow about the Acer I linked to earlier? If you need a lot of ports, an external HDMI switch is cheap.https://www.newegg.com/acer-um-md1aa-001-43-uhd/p/0JC-000P-00CK2?quicklink=true

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2021, 11:04:49 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on July 13, 2021, 05:46:44 pmCCLare doing a good deal on 32" Iiyama.Amazon do a 43" at some cost:https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08CL3ZRVM

author: cortex_m0
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 14, 2021, 01:30:42 am
content: Quote from: james_s on July 13, 2021, 08:20:32 pmAnd that $700 may have been a fine value. My grandmother bought a Zenith console TV around 1990, and it was still working when she replaced it with a flat screen almost 25 years later. She bought another for the basement in the mid-90s, and it was still working when she passed in the late 2010s.

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 14, 2021, 01:42:53 am
content: Quote from: cortex_m0 on July 14, 2021, 01:30:42 amYeah. Was gonna say. Still working. Too bad that the TV signals for a TV that old here don't.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 14, 2021, 09:03:09 pm
content: Quote from: cortex_m0 on July 14, 2021, 01:30:42 amI'm sure it was, I don't know what happened to it but I know it was still in use in the early 2000's. I wish I still had it, I've been looking for a vintage console TV like that to use at our cabin which is a bit of a time capsule. My point is that TVs and other stuff like that used to be very expensive.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 15, 2021, 01:18:43 am
content: My grandparants had a big console TV too, it just kept on working. They only replaced it because they ended up getting a flat screen as a present. But yeah stuff like that was more expensive back in the day but it also lasted. Now everything is cheap, but we pay with it with our privacy, and it breaks within 10 years.

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2021, 08:46:00 pm
content: I'm actually getting so pissed, w my ANDROID phone on the ATT scam-line. Swear, if usb connector wears out or something, going to switch out...Now, my phone 'gives up' on the ole' reliable house wifi, (with the satellite dish symbol, as phone pathetically attempts a regular cell-tower type of connect. So my music / video gets into limbo...; That's how I know.AND NOW, over on left, is a new icon, an antenna with a question-mark, '?', and right next to the 'ATT'.What's ATT's beef, you ask? Well, ok those lame-ass un-connects, from usual long working WIFI, that's costing me extra money $$$, as my month long use gets shrunk.Plus, without sounding so vain: I like my Van Halen, Judgement Day and other songs. Getting to the end of welcome for Google (products), I'm sorry to say.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2021, 09:43:27 pm
content: Android has alway been a complete fucking shit show. I lost a week of holiday photos thanks to an Android handset once due to SD corruption after a crash. Also had three of the damn things (HTC, Motorola, Samsung) just drop dead. The Motorola handset died after only 2 weeks and the official repairer in the UK claimed it was water damaged and sent it back with a £200 bill attached.Switched to Apple. Never a problem since.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2021, 10:05:49 pm
content: A client's wife was with Apple. Dropped her phone down the loo (as you do) and then found none of the photos had made it to iCloud (or whatever it is). Of course, probably have had the same problem with Android, but at least she'd've known at the start that they weren't being backed up so could do something about it.Not sure why they weren't being stored off-phone - every night the broadband link was brought to its knees by her phone transferringsomething.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2021, 10:32:57 pm
content: My iPhone is IP68. I’d expect it to survive a trip to the porcelain playgroundAs for sync it stops if your phone is in low power mode. Lots of people I know run their phones in low power mode all the time because quite frankly they’re either rammed with battery draining shit or have no idea what they are doing. Edit: oh and also their iCloud is universally only the free 5Gb and entirely full of selfies.

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2021, 11:15:01 pm
content: Oh and SELFIES: thanks for reminder:Gaaawgel is now rolled out the image placing thing:Friend's poodle-chiwawa got flagged as a 'white collie'.Not even close. Tried image lookup, with my girlfriend... (Oops, please try to use, smarter than I do!)

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2021, 03:22:42 am
content: Quote from: RJHayward on July 25, 2021, 11:15:01 pmReminds me of a prototype smartphone I got to play with that gave a "score" of how pretty people are. It was far from perfect but worked surprisingly well considering it did all the AI on the device itself. (That was about a year after Xiaomi released a smartphone that makes people look prettier in selfies.)

author: TomS_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2021, 06:48:27 am
content: I tried watching this guy, but he came across as too much of a conspiracy nut.

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2021, 09:03:54 pm
content: So I am noticing, pretty consistently, a change, now interrupting a playing video / music, and seems consistent around 2 or 3 minutes in... The interruption involves video pausing / loading more, with the 'wait' circle indicating more download is occurring.BUT then, I always notice, the antenna ICON comes on, replacing the (expected) WIFI icon with the (disappointing) Cell Tower dish, as Android phone reverts to simple on-air downloading. The house has always had fine high speed WIFI with coverage outside a few feet into the back yard.So what has changed? From my interests, I don't want / like my phone service taking measures that cause my service 'minutes' to be siphoned down, (until my monthly service is used up by the first week.Sometimes, I wonder about others, so this thread helps (renew hope). So, 'vad', sorry, but your 'lame' warning, (don't go around suspecting 'KGB')...is just that: Lame discredit, more censorship etc, to stop others' questions.Sorrry: I got questions !

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2021, 07:55:29 am
content: It sounds like you bought a crappy android handset that the wifi keeps dying on

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2021, 04:02:51 pm
content: Actually, thanks, I found out the TV / WIFI dish antenna has shifted (we think), so my problems likely coming from my own local (equipment).The signal used, by the cable / satellite box is likely compromised, and so causing my phone (on WIFI) to go roaming, for a friendly cell-phone tower.I don't like that, because it eats up the data minutes I have loaded in, using a grocery store phone card.This time, my mistake.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2021, 06:20:13 pm
content: QuoteWhy not disable cell data when you're at home? You can either do it manually or use one of the many apps that will do it automatically.

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 02, 2021, 06:45:38 am
content: Yes but..uhh.. isn't 'cell data' minutes what brings in the content being watched / read etc. ?I use various music (videos) as headphone 'background' music source.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 02, 2021, 10:24:06 am
content: How can the cell minutes bring the data in if it's coming over WiFi? And that seems to be your issue - you are using cell minutes when you want to be on WiFi. So just disable cell data (not cell voice) and it can't switch from WiFi. Of course, if your WiFi is really crap then you'll suffer dropouts because the cell data won't be there to catch it, but since that's what you're complaining about I think it's a fair solution.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 02, 2021, 12:04:34 pm
content: My iPad is a bit "deaf", so from time to time, it loses connection to our Wifi.A bit annoying, but tolerable, until recently, when after one of these episodes, it happily connected to somebody's Air Conditioner.When I went to "Settings" to see what was happening, it showed two such airconditioners.My first reaction was "Cool, I can mess with someone elses stuff!", but, unfortunately it doesn't work that way-----I can't use the connection to fiddle their A/C settings, or to go on line.I guess because the connection is "dumbed down" they don't bother with a password, leaving the thing sitting there to piss off unwary Wifi users.The way to stop that happening is to connect to it, then tell the iPad to "forget this network", but it is a "fiddle" you need to work out, which is something you wouldn't need to do, if they used a password.

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 02, 2021, 08:37:47 pm
content: Thank you, dunkemhigh, I think I'm (starting) to get it, this whole process involves learning, while trying various features, (Android in my case).Have purchased 'Android For Dummies', so will be getting delivery on that, for some study.(I've also a copy of 'Neurological Science for Dummies' but that's just a distraction here, lol).dunkemhigh: I think you are right about both things:The WIFI getting into CRAP territory, plus I don't know the basics, what is data, what is voice (anymore).Drop-outs would be preferred, as I just cannot endure the loss of (emergency type) regular cellphone 'voice'.The caution, is that my music listening habits could cause:... SUPPRISE!: "You are now stranded, in Baltimore, with no TAXI service"That's the transportation CRUNCH dilemma, here in the U.S. where every living/breathing creature MUST own an automobile, (for sheer survival). And we actually have decent, modern mass transit, here!So, back to the immediate issue, Landlord reset and powered-down the Satellite receiver box (I've been calling that the WIFI controller.)I asked him, did he sort-of 'JIGGLE IT'?OR did he, uh, kinda 'WIGGLE' the plug ?...but that's just a sarcastic joke, taken from a movie.But, seriously, in this World today, things can be so 'phaakt-up' that my deliberate jokes WANE in comparison.So, I asked, Did he 'wiggle' the dang thing, as a professional troubleshooting, but end result, seems to have fixed the loss of signal problems, at the house.That was a combination, going into roof to adjust dish antenna aim, plus the action of power down, and back up. I swear, it just sounds so primative, almost superstitious, to interact with TECH devices......which is why, sometimes, I just try to tell folks:"I'm an ARTIST..."But I hope explained the drop-outs a little better, and promise to 'study' Android / on ALCATEL smart phone.It, seriously, really is a great modern feature, just needs some maturity...