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Know before you buy [message #96556]

Sun, 26 March 2023 08:49

Leot55
Messages: 226
Registered: June 2017

Master

I know that smart TVs, soundbars, receivers, and standalone speakers aren't for everyone, but lately it's getting difficult to buy a product that doesn't already have the feature. I used to love Alexa and incorporated Amazon's products into my entire home theater. I have a FireTV, Echo Show, Home Studio speaker, and several Dots which make up my system. I also have an audio receiver and soundbar that works with Alexa.

Things were great for years. The products weren't always the cheapest option, but they were affordable, and they did what I needed them to do. Unfortunately, Amazon has completely changed how these products now work. They push advertising - constantly! You can supposedly tell Alexa to stop, but a new advertisement pops up in its place and the old ones come back the next week. It is impossible to turn them off completely. With every update, Amazon adds new ways to advertise to the consumer, and these options are automatically turned on. Amazon also uses updates to turn undesirable options back on that the user had turned off. The sponsored ads are relentless. It's like living with a billboard and carnival barker right in your living room. Amazon sells tablets with special offers. The user can pay a fee to stop those ads. Amazon is upfront about it before the consumer buys the product. On the other hand, there was no such warning on their other smart devices and there is no way to stop the ads.

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Re: Know before you buy [message #96558 is a reply to message #96556]

Sun, 26 March 2023 09:20

Rusty
Messages: 1087
Registered: May 2018
Location: Kansas City Missouri

Illuminati (2nd Degree)

Yeah I'm sorry Leot. I've been leery of this implication of products like that not being anything more than a conduit to gleaning more and more from the consumer. Smart TV's from the discussion here are notorious for enabling advertising through connection to the internet. Open the pod bay doors Hal. You've been assimilated by the Borg, via Amazon. That's all they're about. Fulfillment. Is it yours, or theirs.

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Re: Know before you buy [message #96560 is a reply to message #96558]

Sun, 26 March 2023 12:17

Wayne Parham
Messages: 18675
Registered: January 2001

Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Yeah, I hate that too. I've been designing industrial control and other digital systems for years, so I love technology. But I personally wouldn't own any "smart devices" for that very reason. I'm leery of most IoT devices and even modern cars. The technology is excellent, in many cases, but I don't want the intrusions or even the possibility.

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Re: Know before you buy [message #96652 is a reply to message #96556]

Sat, 29 April 2023 15:52

dervlin
Messages: 18
Registered: February 2023

Chancellor

The issue is that they're darn near unavoidable. I can't think of the last time that
I bought a piece of equipment that didn't have smart capabilities.

Leo, can you route it through a Raspberry Pi to block the ads? I think they call it a pie-hole.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_3YxZspFFM

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Re: Know before you buy [message #96857 is a reply to message #96556]

Mon, 17 July 2023 20:10

Madison
Messages: 327
Registered: June 2017

Grand Master

Have you considered changing Alexa's voice to one from a different country? I have mine set to Australia and I haven't been getting ads. I believe it's the only viable workaround at the moment.

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Re: Know before you buy [message #96858 is a reply to message #96857]

Tue, 18 July 2023 06:07

Rusty
Messages: 1087
Registered: May 2018
Location: Kansas City Missouri

Illuminati (2nd Degree)

Madison wrote on Mon, 17 July 2023 20:10

Have you considered changing Alexa's voice to one from a different country? I have mine set to Australia and I haven't been getting ads. I believe it's the only viable workaround at the moment.

What a great hack! Congratulations. Plus, I'd favor hearing Australian accents. Mate.

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