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Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

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Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#321

Post by nitemice »

mandelbrotwurst wrote: post #255
squarefoot wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I'm thinking / hoping it's sufficient to simply avoid headphones that require an app." Every effing time they convince users to install an app they magically have a tool to steal peoples personal data. Not just headphones: the kids toy drone can be controlled using an app from the cellphone? The security camera just purchased doesn't use standard protocols over a web browser but needs its own app? The IoT system doe…

I am aware of these issues and yet also sometimes prefer to have headphones without wires.

You could get a 'dumb' bluetooth adaptor for your wired-but-cable-changable headphones. e.g. https://thebtunes.com/

Or you could just get some basic noise-isolating bluetooth headphones. It sounds like most/all of these headphones that spy on people are ones with active noise cancelling.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#322

Post by josteink »

andrewflnr wrote: post #316
_delirium wrote: post #292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aside, but noise cancelling (at least what's currently on the market) doesn't really do much for screaming children. It only handles relatively constant noise well, ideally low/mid-frequency constant noise. Great at silencing stuff like airplane engines, wind, HVAC hum, freeway rumble, etc. But not very effective for people talking, crying babies, car horns, ambulance sirens, slamming doors, etc.

Interesting. I thought there was at least good noise cancelling for shooting/hunting.

That’s an entirely different kind of noise cancellation than you find in most “regular” headsets.

It just blocks/reverses sudden sharp, loud noises (shots). It will let normal speech and such (and pretty much everything else) right through.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#325

Post by snvzz »

joshspankit wrote: post #106
ubercow13 wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can a phone reasonably drive such high-impedance headphones anyway?

My first Fiio product was a cute little amp with a battery inside, worked a treat when the phone couldn’t drive the headphones

>worked a treat

What became of it?

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#326

Post by square_usual »

askvictor wrote: post #254
acd wrote: post #115

I tend to use passive headphones with 3.5mm jack, they have no electronics in them except the small speakers. They do not collect data. They are also used by musicians when doing audio mixing so its should sounds neutral and good. That the headphones does not have electronics and batteries means they will last longer and thus be be better for the environment.

Also, for phone calls and conferencing, wired headsets have neglible latency, compared to bluetooth, which is likely at least 100ms. In itself, this isn't terrible, but add the other latencies in (e.g. wifi, inter-city network). Our brains do a great job of compensating, but I'm starting to think that this compensating comes at a cost (headaches, tiredness), especially if you're on conferences all day as many are in…

Bluetooth latency is awful if you play rhythm games. I just can't handle BT headphones even on casual mobile rhythm games.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#327

Post by dragonsngoblins »

patcon wrote: post #288
dragonsngoblins wrote: post #284

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been using my Sony W-1000XM3s with my Android phone for months and I haven't had to install an app. The only thing the app would get me is a bunch of equalizer shit (which my music player could do and I never use anyway), dynamic noise cancelling of some form (which I'm not sure why I'd ever use, just an on/off toggle is good enough for me). As shitty as the app collecting data is it isn't as if the app is requi…

First off, I say the following as kindly-spoken words :) I'm grateful that you and I both know to be critically-minded, and we understand the difference between essential features and data-grabs, but honestly... my Dad needed me standing over the sketchy wifi thermostat (that required an app and Facebook login), loudly complaining about how invasive it was, to even understand that this was not OK and worth returning…

I do care about people's data in general, but also I don't recall the documentation for the device pushing the app much or at all and instead just suggesting you use whatever your device's way of connecting to bluetooth devices is, though I might be wrong there. If it did then it is a bit worse than I recall.

However if the app isn't really pushed at all then this is so minor an infraction compared to so many others happening in the technology space it honestly doesn't really illicit a response from me.

I do want to point out that not really giving a damn isn't the same as thinking it is a morally ok thing to do. I definitely agree that they shouldn't be doing it, but again given the state of the industry I'm honestly just glad the app isn't required.

Lastly I do kind of think personal responsibility has to enter into things somewhere. I understand that the average joe doesn't really understand how these work, and that the information you share is greater leakier than you might think it is given how things are phrased - and I absolutely agree that it is terrible. However for years now high profile data breaches have been a thing. The fact that the average joe hasn't defaulted to a "I don't understand why this device/app wants X information or how it could use it, therefore I won't use this app" is what is letting companies get away with this kind of thing in the first place. You don't need technical competence to be wary of this stuff (in fact I know someone who isn't technically competent who is concerned and they ask my opinion on things).

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#328

Post by flyingpenguin »

niklasd wrote: post #182
monksy wrote: post #167

The article should have buried sony for how egregious they are. They require the app to collect location information, and ear. https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00233341 I'm not sure what else they collect.. but those are the 2 bad ones. They've got a few settings that are software controlled (one being the bluetooth's internal volume) What happens if you get a software update and you open the app on…

I recently tried out wireless noise-cancelling headphones from both Bose and Sony, and (the important privacy issues aside) the user experience with these apps is just horrible. You unpack your Bose headphone, eager to use them. But before that, you have to download an app on the iPhone, then download a software update program on your laptop, which in turn opens a program in the browser that downloads an update, then…

But holy crap, the process for updating AirPods without an iPhone is a real hassle.

Took my bank account months to download my an iPhone to update with.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#329

Post by flyingpenguin »

dkersten wrote: post #234
z3t4 wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its good to take a pause from the screen now and then, for example when you go to the toilet.

Also, how long are people spending on the toilet that they need Internet? And is hygiene not a concern?

From the many people I have asked this question, I think the disconnect between toilet phone users and us is the availability of "Alone time".

Specifically no matter what you do in your house/work for some there is always low key chance of someone bothering you. This is not the case when you appear to be using the toilet.

Still seems weird to me though.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#330

Post by flyingpenguin »

taneq wrote: post #268
secondcoming wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You have LAN ports in your bathroom?

And where did they find a phone with Ethernet? :P

most phone support USB-C to ethernet. Always remember their are weirdos out there who are so into mobile games they have docked phones attached to cooling systems.
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