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Amazon Sidewalk

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Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#261

Post by zekrioca »

pydry wrote: post #105
tmearnest wrote: post #94

If there’s a way to filter out the analytics traffic and connections routed through the Echo after the router but before the connection to the modem/ont, this would be a good opportunity to build a simple device which blackholes this traffic. I’m thinking of a device that you simply connect between your home router and the connection to the isp. We all here can probably figure out a technical solution that works for…

This will probably end up breaking the device.

Probably. Yet, the solution parent pointed out as an opportunity will -- probably -- try everything not to.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#262

Post by robin_reala »

ulzeraj wrote: post #147
squarefoot wrote: post #50

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…

IMO. There should be a market for: - Dumb panels (not monitors). Perhaps stripped down recycled smart tvs. - Smart tvs but with user replaceable firmware. Think OpenWRT for TVs. Maybe the same guy who does the dumb panels could sell those but with a raspberry pi in place of the logic board. Of course a monitor solves these issues but these are normally smaller and more expensive.

There’s a Samsung firmware hacking community: https://forum.samygo.tv/

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#263

Post by cosmojg »

ulzeraj wrote: post #147
squarefoot wrote: post #50

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…

IMO. There should be a market for: - Dumb panels (not monitors). Perhaps stripped down recycled smart tvs. - Smart tvs but with user replaceable firmware. Think OpenWRT for TVs. Maybe the same guy who does the dumb panels could sell those but with a raspberry pi in place of the logic board. Of course a monitor solves these issues but these are normally smaller and more expensive.

Maybe finding a line of televisions we could reliably lobotomize would work in the short term (a la Librebooted ThinkPads).

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#264

Post by Loughla »

g00gler wrote: post #131
squarefoot wrote: post #50

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

100%. We just got a sceptre from walmart. Stupid big for the price, great picture, and did I mention the low price. Oh, and not one smart feature; just television with various inputs.

I haven't TV shopped in literal decades. It astounded me that there was (a) a market for more advertising on your television via smart features, and (b) seemingly low-end models are the only ones that are available as 'dumb'. Other manufacturers have regular tv's, but they are never available, and cost as much as the smart versions. The whole thing is weird.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#265

Post by [deleted] »

adam0c wrote: post #56
KingOfCoders wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why an A/B test? Everything Apple and Tesla does is brilliant, everything anyone else does is evil. Thank me later. Putting that in the HN FAQ would prevent new users losing karma points.

name one original thing apple has done that is even good, besides the original ipod? even that isn't! original

[deleted]

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#266

Post by FroshKiller »

ulzeraj wrote: post #174
danpalmer wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Dumb TVs" would cost more. It's hard to market something that costs more and has what most people would perceive to be fewer features. They would cost more because post-sale content sales and advertising generate revenue for TV manufacturers, which they use to subsidise the device sale price, because it's such a competitive, low-margin, market.

> It's hard to market something that costs more and has what most people would perceive to be fewer features. I'd pay for privacy and control. The other option like I've said is to recycle and mod smart tvs and rewrite their logic so that the user can do wathever he wants. Maybe marketing the modding kits. That would be more akin to those people who install custom open source bios on IBM Thinkpads.

I'd rather be protected by regulation than pay more for what I shouldn't have to pay for in the first place.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#267

Post by Kalium »

larrydag wrote: post #186

This leads to a question. How many other smart device things have a created a mesh network without the owner knowing? Is there a way to detect such networks? I'm actually giving Amazon a break here because at least they are announcing it.

You can always scan your local radio spectrum. Wifi devices generally operate on known and documented frequencies.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#268

Post by KingOfCoders »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #222
KingOfCoders wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For now? Yes, because they build their market positioning on this, it's part of their branding. If this changes they will sell all your data without a second thought.

Then I do not see how ceejayoz is, currently, being fooled by Apple marketing.

https://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2013/05/dove.html

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#269

Post by vbezhenar »

ben_w wrote: post #48
vbezhenar wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Use Tor to proxy those connections.

To proxy someone else’s use of your own network, use which you (generic ‘you’) may not know is happening in the first place because not everyone reads Hacker News or the EULA?

Parent wants to open his network to strangers. He’ll be liable to any traffic they’re sending. So it’s a good idea to anonymise this traffic with Tor.

Re: Amazon Sidewalk

#270

Post by nemacol »

squarefoot wrote: post #50

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 had assumed with was happening with Comcast's wifi option already. Manufacturers just have to have credentials and someone nearby to have a comcast network device.
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