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Why I will never buy another Samsung device

lehtimaeki.medium.com

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Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#241

Post by ornornor »

HWR_14 wrote: post #209
jiggawatts wrote: post #160

I avoid all things Samsung for a much more important reason: They spy on you mercilessly, up to about the same level as Facebook. For example, they take screenshots of what you watch on your Samsung Televisions! Don't believe me? Take it from them: https://www.samsung.com/us/business/samsungads/resources/tv-... and https://www.samsung.com/us/business/samsungads/insights/ You're not their customer, you're the product.…

Does the same hold true of Samsung's smart appliances? I have some family that is thinking about getting some and the alerts on their smartphones is a selling feature for some reason.

Yes. The entity that does the data mining is the same across all “smart” product lines.

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#242

Post by dotancohen »

userbinator wrote: post #63
hedora wrote: post #43

We had some installation issues with a samsung washer. The runaround was ridiculous. To see what I mean, try to order a replacement part. Here’s a link to their official US parts distributor. I spent over a half hour on hold with Samsung to get this URL. Rest assured the actual parts distributor doesn’t pick up the phone at all: https://www.samsungparts.com/ This site truly has to be experienced to be fully appreciat…

Here’s a list of some of their model numbers Model numbers for white goods tend to be "encoded", almost like a VIN; this isn't a Samsung-specific thing.

Why?

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#243

Post by [deleted] »

l33t2328 wrote: post #177
jiggawatts wrote: post #160

I avoid all things Samsung for a much more important reason: They spy on you mercilessly, up to about the same level as Facebook. For example, they take screenshots of what you watch on your Samsung Televisions! Don't believe me? Take it from them: https://www.samsung.com/us/business/samsungads/resources/tv-... and https://www.samsung.com/us/business/samsungads/insights/ You're not their customer, you're the product.…

> For example, they take screenshots of what you watch on your Samsung Televisions This really doesn’t bother me at all.

[deleted]

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#244

Post by ornornor »

smnrchrds wrote: post #206
studiecomput wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or just don't connect your TV to the internet and buy an external streamer.

Are we sure external streamers don't do the exact same thing? Apple TV probably doesn't. But what about Chromecast, NVIDIA Shield, Roku, and Fire TV?

Kodi/libreelec doesn’t.

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#245

Post by ornornor »

midrus wrote: post #168
jiggawatts wrote: post #160

I avoid all things Samsung for a much more important reason: They spy on you mercilessly, up to about the same level as Facebook. For example, they take screenshots of what you watch on your Samsung Televisions! Don't believe me? Take it from them: https://www.samsung.com/us/business/samsungads/resources/tv-... and https://www.samsung.com/us/business/samsungads/insights/ You're not their customer, you're the product.…

Any alternatives? What would you recommend instead? I'm under the suspicion that every single Smart TV vendor has the same problems.

Been very happy with our Panasonic OLED. It’s perfectly happy without an internet connection, turns on in 5 seconds flat (a feature these days if you can believe it, as most smart TVs boot a whole Linux or android and take for ever), the amount of options to adjust the image is incredible (they’re used as reference displays in movie studios for coloring movies apparently), and the picture is beautiful. Oh and not a single ad screen anywhere even if you connect it to the internet.

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#246

Post by em-bee »

hericium wrote: post #217
studiecomput wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or just don't connect your TV to the internet and buy an external streamer.

You'd have to assume good faith such as that the device won't connect to some insecure WiFi when one becomes available.

that is illegal in some countries.

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#247

Post by rightbyte »

ohthehugemanate wrote: post #236
midrus wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any alternatives? What would you recommend instead? I'm under the suspicion that every single Smart TV vendor has the same problems.

set up a raspberry pi or an old laptop with Kodi and use that. Don't plug your TV in to ethernet or give it wifi.

That only works if there are no open wifis around. And I would not be suprised if Samsung use Verizon's (?) spy mesh of wifi routers.

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#248

Post by dotancohen »

silisili wrote: post #151
klodolph wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it should be longer, too. But you are given the option to purchase a 3 year warranty instead of a 1 year. There's also plenty of ways to damage a device. You could plug it into a damaged, cheap USB charger.

I don't understand why you'd charge extra money for a 1k device to last 3 years. That should be table stakes! Also, a bad USB charger should not kill a device.

  > Also, a bad USB charger should not kill a device.
Then you've not seen bad USB chargers. Of course a device that by design is pumping voltage could ruin whatever it is connected to - especially if the connected device is sensitive equipment.

I've seen a USB charger pumping -1 to 11 volts AC out the USB connector - it was fluctuating 6 volts in either direction. Of course, you need an oscolliscope to detect that as it's at 50 hertz (C plug) - on a regular voltmeter it looked like 5 v steady.

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#249

Post by tempouser87 »

atty wrote: post #11

I remember fondly when I had an iPod, the one time I had an issue with it (can’t remember what, honestly), I just walked into an apple store and probably 5-10 minutes later walked out with a new device, free of charge, no questions asked (after they tried resetting it once) I’m sure someone in these companies has made a spreadsheet that shows permissive repair and replacement policies cost $X million a year, but it p…

I took my unbootable mac mini under warranty , they repaired it without any charge. 2 months later same issue but warranty was finished. Repair estimate was half of the device price!(In India). This was not the first device whose repair cost so much. Really Apple devices are very good as long as you have warranty. If not for iOS development, i would not be buying it.

Re: Why I will never buy another Samsung device

#250

Post by tluyben2 »

I don’t know; some companies are forgiving with repairs; my experiences; Apple (anything I sent them the past 20 years was fixed or replaced without any questions asked) and Fujitsu (I used to swear by Lifebooks as the customer service was brilliant). Worst I had were MS (blaming me for dropping on a factory faulty Surface; not once but twice in a row) and Samsung (also blaming me). Guess some train their staff to be customer friendly and the other to prevent repairs?
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