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Reviews of Android TV launcher after Google added ads to the homescreen

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Re: Reviews of Android TV launcher after Google added ads to the homescreen

#421

Post by HenryKissinger »

utopiah wrote: post #334
HumblyTossed wrote: post #151

I have a Shield TV and I really despise this change. I bought a device that did NOT show ads on the home screen, now it does. How is that not... it just should NOT be allowed. Show me ads in YouTube, show me ads in whatever other app, but not my home screen. There's a difference. The home screen is MINE, not Google's.

> The home screen is MINE, not Google's. Android is owned by Alphabet (or Google if you prefer) and you decided to buy a device that runs their OS with their services that are not open source. You probably didn't even pay for the OS. What makes you think it is yours?

TIL I should create my own operating system from scratch if I don't want advertisements on my smart television.

And people wonder why Congress wants to break up FAANG

Re: Reviews of Android TV launcher after Google added ads to the homescreen

#422

Post by lern_too_spel »

billyhoffman wrote: post #335

I hate to be that guy, but this is exactly why I happily paid for an Apple TV. Yes, it’s $100 more than basic streaming sticks, but I have never had to worry about ads suddenly appearing after an update. This whole space is a race to the bottom with sticks being sold at or below cost because you are the product. For example, Vizio revealing in their first quarterly report as a public company that they get nearly as m…

Apple TV shows Apple TV+ ads on the homescreen. The big difference is that Android TV lets you replace the launcher entirely, while Apple TV leaves you to Apple's whims.

Re: Reviews of Android TV launcher after Google added ads to the homescreen

#423

Post by prepend »

gambiting wrote: post #386
prepend wrote: post #377

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not all companies are equal. Some make money by selling things so they have an incentive to keep happy customers. Some companies don’t.

Of course. But companies change all the time - today Apple is very privacy focused and we can reasonably say they wouldn't do such a thing. Can you absolutely guarantee that they won't in 2 years? In 5? in 10? What if the CEO changes and they think that ad-derived value is the best thing ever? Like, this isn't meant to be a post against Apple btw. Just that I don't see a point in saying "company X did a bad thing, th…

Of course I can’t guarantee it, no one can.

But it’s more likely if a company’s business model doesn’t involve ads vs does.

Past performance doesn’t guarantee future performance, but it’s the best we got.

Re: Reviews of Android TV launcher after Google added ads to the homescreen

#424

Post by rglullis »

vladvasiliu wrote: post #406
rglullis wrote: post #376

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You know what else can give you a smooth, ad-free experience and freedom ? Any cheap mini-pc with Kodi installed.

Does it support Full HD (at least) streaming from Netfilx and / or Prime? My setup is like GP's, ie I play the videos on the computer, but what bothers me personally is that I have to boot windows to get the high quality streaming. I've looked specifically at Kodi maybe a year ago and it didn't seem to support this. I'm OK with tinkering if I know it's actually possible to get this working.

The only service I subscribe to is njalla VPN, which I can then use to download any movie or TV show I want, in whatever quality I want and I get to keep it for as long as I want... can't get any smoother than that.

Re: Reviews of Android TV launcher after Google added ads to the homescreen

#425

Post by neuk »

billyhoffman wrote: post #335

I hate to be that guy, but this is exactly why I happily paid for an Apple TV. Yes, it’s $100 more than basic streaming sticks, but I have never had to worry about ads suddenly appearing after an update. This whole space is a race to the bottom with sticks being sold at or below cost because you are the product. For example, Vizio revealing in their first quarterly report as a public company that they get nearly as m…

I love my Apple TV but the Shield is my go to player simply for the audio passthrough of audio formats such as TrueHD and DTS-HD which last time I checked are not supported by the Apple TV!

Re: Reviews of Android TV launcher after Google added ads to the homescreen

#426

Post by sdefresne »

adrr wrote: post #322
brewdad wrote: post #242

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I absolutely blame Nvidia for this. I fully expect ads on my $25 Fire Stick. It's part of the bargain with Amazon. There is no way there should be ads on a $150-200 device, especially when they have been added in well after purchase. Regardless of where they choose to lay blame, if Nvidia doesn't fix this I am done with their devices when it's time to replace them.

My $2000 top of the line Samsung tv is filled with ads. I assume LGs running android tv also got hit. Those TVs go up $3700 for their largest consumer OlED panel.

LG TV don't run Android TV. They run WebOS. So they probably have not been getting those ads.

Re: Reviews of Android TV launcher after Google added ads to the homescreen

#427

Post by donmcronald »

techlaw wrote: post #106

I am hopeful that now that the FTC has a pro-consumer Chair that some of these anti-consumer acts will be curtailed. I would also argue that some of these bad acts could be considered to be false / deceptive trade practices under the various state laws (in the U.S. at least). For example, some people would never have bought a FireTV cube for streaming video if Amazon had revealed that they would be adding advertiseme…

> And although class action suits are frustrating and should be "fixed" so that those harmed get the bulk of the proceeds (i.e. it's not okay that consumers receive discount coupons or $10 checks while plaintiff's counsel receives a disproportionally huge payday)

I don't understand why most people have a problem with this. It's the company that sold you the $79 product that cheated you. Be upset with them.

Personally, I don't care if I get $0 out of a class action lawsuit. I've already been cheated out of my money, so my main concern is punishing the company that ripped me off so they don't do it again.

Class action lawyers get a lot of hate, but those firms are fronting a ton of money and taking a ton of (monetary) risk by litigating on behalf of the class. They deserve a big reward when they win.

If you want to change the system, impose MASSIVE penalties on the companies that are cheating consumers. Make them pay 3-5x the going rate for the plaintiff's lawyers PLUS 100% refunds to all the customers that got ripped off.

Then the shenanigans will stop.

Re: Reviews of Android TV launcher after Google added ads to the homescreen

#428

Post by swiley »

djrogers wrote: post #388
swiley wrote: post #364

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hate to be that guy (no I don't) but this is why I just plugged one of the spare outputs on my PC into the TV with a 20ft HDMI extension cable and use a bluetooth keyboard/mouse to open movies from the living room.

That’s really a solo person solution. Anyone with a family in the house will need better, and anyone with family elsewhere can’t exactly recommend such a kludge without opening up a ton of support issues.

In that case just get a cheap computer (that's all these set top boxes are anyway) to keep in the living room.

Re: Reviews of Android TV launcher after Google added ads to the homescreen

#429

Post by least »

gambiting wrote: post #386
prepend wrote: post #377

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not all companies are equal. Some make money by selling things so they have an incentive to keep happy customers. Some companies don’t.

Of course. But companies change all the time - today Apple is very privacy focused and we can reasonably say they wouldn't do such a thing. Can you absolutely guarantee that they won't in 2 years? In 5? in 10? What if the CEO changes and they think that ad-derived value is the best thing ever? Like, this isn't meant to be a post against Apple btw. Just that I don't see a point in saying "company X did a bad thing, th…

We have to make reasonable assumptions when making purchasing decisions. Just because something could happen does not make it a likely thing to happen and assuming that any company is equally likely to start serving advertisements on their devices is unreasonable and foolish.

While people may not have had the foresight to know that Google would be adding advertisements to their tv box, the behavior itself isn't unexpected given that Google is an advertising company. For Apple the behavior is both unexpected and disincentivized by the brand they've built for themselves.

I could die tomorrow but living my life under that impression would be foolish.

Re: Reviews of Android TV launcher after Google added ads to the homescreen

#430

Post by swiley »

cortesoft wrote: post #404
swiley wrote: post #364

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hate to be that guy (no I don't) but this is why I just plugged one of the spare outputs on my PC into the TV with a 20ft HDMI extension cable and use a bluetooth keyboard/mouse to open movies from the living room.

So now I can’t use my computer when my kids watch tv?

Xorg supports multi headed setups. I don't personally do that since there are only two people in my house but you should be able to set it up pretty easily.
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