Live data from Hacker News

Amazon Sidewalk

amazon.com

131–140 of 687 posts

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#131

So, if I buy a so called Smart-TV (not because I like it but because traditional ones are getting harder to find) but don't set up it on my home network so it can't phone home, it could scan around anyway and find other open devices more than willing to participate in my personal data exfiltration? If the Amazon project succeeds, I would expect in a few months most home devices manufacturers, to partner to implement…

I just got a 65” UHD sceptre brand TV with no smart features at Walmart for $329.

It’s pretty great that such a desirable feature is at the bottom of the barrel

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#132

So, if I buy a so called Smart-TV (not because I like it but because traditional ones are getting harder to find) but don't set up it on my home network so it can't phone home, it could scan around anyway and find other open devices more than willing to participate in my personal data exfiltration? If the Amazon project succeeds, I would expect in a few months most home devices manufacturers, to partner to implement…

My answer is a home projector. It’s not 4K but it’s cheap and puts out a great display. It’s also just a projector without any applications or network access.

This is the route i went (though admittedly mostly by accident), unfortunately do have a "smart AV receiver/amp" but the functionality there's too convenient for me to kill all networking.

If i had to buy a TV now I'd avoid a smart one like the plague.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#133

> The maximum bandwidth of a Sidewalk Bridge to the Sidewalk server is 80Kbps, which is about 1/40th of the bandwidth used to stream a typical high definition video. Today, when you share your Bridge’s connection with Sidewalk, total monthly data used by Sidewalk, per account, is capped at 500MB, which is equivalent to streaming about 10 minutes of high definition video. Seems this is not about guest hotspots or the…

Or if you're a TV maker with an agreement with Amazon to use this network, it's enough to send content-based media identification information - which report on what is shown on the screen (whether broadcast, cable, stream or game).

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#134

So, if I buy a so called Smart-TV (not because I like it but because traditional ones are getting harder to find) but don't set up it on my home network so it can't phone home, it could scan around anyway and find other open devices more than willing to participate in my personal data exfiltration? If the Amazon project succeeds, I would expect in a few months most home devices manufacturers, to partner to implement…

Maybe the future is having some kind of Faraday cage around your devices.

Or maybe even around the house. This might be possible in apartments.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#136
post #44

I love how insidious Amazon are with their products, get the hardware into their homes then just change what it does to what you want. What you didn't read the EULA in the last update?

The latest Firestick software update is a great example of this. The new UI/UX aggressively de-prioritizes apps from content producers in favor of a "feed" that lets them push their own content and intermediate content producers from their customers. They even go as far as to deliberately hide your saved items/watch next items three levels deep in a menu.

Amazon is doing the right thing to ensure a healthy piracy ecosystem

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#138
I see a lot of legitimate concerns being voiced here about this being a propriety network.

It’s also a massive innovation, almost, wow the future is so cool kind of innovation.

Why this reaction to focus on all the nightmare scenarios instead of a sense of appreciation, awe even, that a new thing has been invented and is being deployed?

This is how we move technology forward. Sometimes it is open source, but often it is driven by a large company.

I would love it if the internet in general was more mesh. I would love it if my internet provider going down when I’m out of town didn’t equal my security system being rendered useless.

I think it’s possible to keep an eye on the dystopian nightmare scenarios without being knee jerk anti-progress.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not true, see the link in my sibling comment.

>> Not true, see the link in my sibling comment. Only "not true" if there is some evidence it is not true. I looked at the sibling link and found this: >> Will opening my network make me liable for others' illegal actions? + >> This one is a bit more complicated, but the short answer is, "We don't think so." Click here to find out more. "dont think so" is not convincing. Also not convincing is the broken link on the…

The broken page is inlined, scroll down to "Myths and Facts: Running Open Wireless and liability for what others do"

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#140

So, if I buy a so called Smart-TV (not because I like it but because traditional ones are getting harder to find) but don't set up it on my home network so it can't phone home, it could scan around anyway and find other open devices more than willing to participate in my personal data exfiltration? If the Amazon project succeeds, I would expect in a few months most home devices manufacturers, to partner to implement…

Edit: I was wrong. Please disregard this comment. Someone links the comment below. And the sub thread that I remember being removed appears to still be present.

——

I commented the other week about enjoying my LG oled smart tv. Someone mentioned what about the evesdropping. (Which I’m aware of) and it started a small thread of people discussing that. These replies were removed about 24-48 hours later. I found it odd the comments about smart TVs evesdropping were removed. So I’m commenting to bookmark this, and see if this discussion is also removed.

Post reply on HN