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Amazon is bricking primary feature on $160 Echo device after 1 year

arstechnica.com

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Re: Amazon is bricking primary feature on $160 Echo device after 1 year

#21

Post by blantonl »

sethops1 wrote: post #14
blantonl wrote: post #11

I've had a number of Amazon Echo devices in my household for years, using the platform as a smart home devices. But lately they've been opting each device automatically into new ad related features, and now I see "Sponsored" advertisements on my rotating home screens that are impossible to turn off. I'm pretty close to removing them because there is literally no way to turn off these ads. I understood the privacy tra…

It's not a "step to far" if you're only _pretty close_ to removing them. Actually remove them.

Is one not allowed to evaluate their relationship with technology over time?

Maybe Amazon will provide us an option to turn off the ads after enough outcry?

Re: Amazon is bricking primary feature on $160 Echo device after 1 year

#22

Post by talldayo »

donatj wrote: post #13

Being able to yell "Alexa, turn my lights off" has been handy. Alexa recently interrupting me with notifications that are just "Hey, some garbage you don't want is on sale" has me thinking about throwing the thing out.

The only thing that keeps me on my FireTV is the ability to sideload random APK files. Smarttube is just about the only thing that makes my Smart TV feel smart anymore: https://github.com/yuliskov/SmartTube

Re: Amazon is bricking primary feature on $160 Echo device after 1 year

#23

Post by lupusreal »

> but cost $10 more. Why? Because of its ability to show photos on the home screen for as long as you want—if you signed up for a $2 monthly subscription to Amazon's PhotosPlus.

Ahahaha imagine paying a subscription fee to display photos on a screen. I bought my gran a "digital picture frame" 15 years ago for 30 bucks which she still uses. $24 a year for 15 years, that would be $360 LMAO

> Amazon never explained why owners of the standard Echo Show 8 couldn't use PhotosPlus or the photo-forward mode. The devices looked identical. It's possible that the Photos Edition used extra hardware...

Why is Ars even humoring such an absurd premise. Extra hardware to... display user images instead of ads? Give me a break.

Re: Amazon is bricking primary feature on $160 Echo device after 1 year

#24

Post by jajko »

blantonl wrote: post #21
sethops1 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not a "step to far" if you're only _pretty close_ to removing them. Actually remove them.

Is one not allowed to evaluate their relationship with technology over time? Maybe Amazon will provide us an option to turn off the ads after enough outcry?

You do you, everybody has different tolerance. I am allergic to ads in any form since I strongly dislike when others try to manipulate me, dont want the extra mental load of ignoring ads in a place that is supposed to be relaxing.

I wouldnt want such a device in my home even if they would pay me the sum that it costs + electric bills, every year.

Re: Amazon is bricking primary feature on $160 Echo device after 1 year

#25

Post by sweeter »

sethops1 wrote: post #14
blantonl wrote: post #11

I've had a number of Amazon Echo devices in my household for years, using the platform as a smart home devices. But lately they've been opting each device automatically into new ad related features, and now I see "Sponsored" advertisements on my rotating home screens that are impossible to turn off. I'm pretty close to removing them because there is literally no way to turn off these ads. I understood the privacy tra…

It's not a "step to far" if you're only _pretty close_ to removing them. Actually remove them.

OpenHome has a great system with good TTS.

Re: Amazon is bricking primary feature on $160 Echo device after 1 year

#27

Post by chgs »

This is the inevitable endpoint from treacherous computing. If you don’t own the equipment or the software then you are a slave.

Hopefully over the next few years as we see more of this in the post zero interest rate world we will have a new generation of people who learn the hard way that they need sovereignty over the code they run.

Re: Amazon is bricking primary feature on $160 Echo device after 1 year

#28

Post by mrweasel »

Is Amazon actively trying to kill of their Echo/Alexa business? Every story about Alexa for the past six months, maybe a little more, have been about Amazon taking steps to dismantling anything with in their business or product line up that could potentially be useful.

If they aren't making money, and don't believe that they ever will, then why not simply shutdown the whole thing? Is this some weird way of doing that, while not upsetting the stock market for the next quarter?

Re: Amazon is bricking primary feature on $160 Echo device after 1 year

#29

Post by jajko »

alwa wrote: post #9
josefritzishere wrote: post #4

Stop buying this junk. Turn off the service. Only revenue loss will motivate better corporate behavior

That’s what makes this sting: the buyers already did pay a price premium (and subscription) to motivate behavior consistent with their preferences. And even after accepting that premium, the company is just choosing not to deliver on its end anymore. And to be clear, “its end” here is refraining from pushing ads: a twisted state of affairs where the default condition is the company doing the work to force you to see…

What has been done is done, no point wasting time waiting for miracles from amoral companies, accept losses and move on.

Want long term quality without ads? Dont look at biggest corporations milking ads where they can, any words they say are just farts in the wind, long term behavior is the only thing that matters. Either find a long term moral manufacturer and pay accordingly, or hack it together yourself if you can.

If none of above is possible, throw it out, its a gimmick at best. I live in Switzerland among pretty wealthy people and in 2024 know absolutely 0 people having any such device. Happiness and quality of life lies completely elsewhere.

Re: Amazon is bricking primary feature on $160 Echo device after 1 year

#30

Post by criddell »

prepend wrote: post #19
jamifsud wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I switched to HomePods for exactly this reason, Alexa was constantly upselling me on features and Amazon products. Threw it out.

I tried the same but I have multiple people in my house so about 20% of the time when I say “turn off the lights” it responds with “who is talking” and goes through a voice calibration exercise. It’s super infuriating because I guess they want to personalize to the speaker, even when it doesn’t matter. And I suppose I sound similarly to others in my household.

If you don't need personalization, I think you can turn that off in the Home app.
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