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Want a killer product? Become more opinionated

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Re: Want a killer product? Become more opinionated

#111

Post by radicaldreamer »

pier25 wrote: post #109
hermannj314 wrote: post #9

Amazon recently turned on support for Amazon Sidewalk on all of their hardware in my home (convention) and decided it was fine to do this because I could opt out (configuration). That decision was the final straw for me. Every Amazon device is now unplugged, Prime membership and Amazon music canceled, no longer shopping on their site. Doing what is "easy for the average user" is not sufficient for me, some configurat…

I've never understood this Amazon Sidewalk thing. The vast majority of people already have internet at home and phone plans. Also, what's in it for Amazon? How does it profit from something like this?

It uses much longer range radios (900 mhz range) to blanket areas where most home routers don't reach.

Comcast does the same thing but with standard Wifi with their routers, with some hidden SSIDs you can't opt out of (Xfinity Home etc.)

Re: Want a killer product? Become more opinionated

#112

Post by smoldesu »

All of my favorite products are completely unopinionated. Of course, aligning yourself with a specific audience will move units, but it won't make your product any better or worse. The only way you can actually improve your product is by becoming less opinionated and listening to the community who uses your product. Oftentimes their insight will be much more valuable than just "being opinionated".

Re: Want a killer product? Become more opinionated

#113

Post by giobox »

teekert wrote: post #84
pranau wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are there any indications that the Sidewalk network can be used to relay other than device control information?

Maybe not, but as always it comes down to trust. And I trust Apple to be more diligent with my iPhone's AirTag locating capabilities than Amazon is with their ability to help any device get online. Amazon makes things cheap and easy but not always in ways agree with. As a counter Example, Canonical got some critique with their "telemetry in the installer", but if you ask me, they did it in the nicest way possible: Th…

I agree with this, but I'd add that if you have already trusted Amazon enough to purchase and run 24/7 with full access to your home network their remotely controlled and configured internet microphone, drawing the line at this feature seems a little odd to me.

If you own an Echo device and used it prior to this feature you had already granted a large degree (relative to this feature) of trust to Amazon anyway. It reminds me a little of people who swear they will never use an Echo device due to concerns about eavesdropping but happily carry an internet microphone equiped smartphone everywhere.

Re: Want a killer product? Become more opinionated

#114

Post by chrischattin »

fnimick wrote: post #80
dgb23 wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I shouldn't have to constantly worry that a remote code change could turn my hardware into a new source of revenue for you while I am on vacation at the beach. This is it. It actually induces some kind of anxiety and mild paranoia. We can also very easily support companies that don't treat their customers this way, or their workers, or business partners...

Unfortunately, companies that don't extract maximum revenue from their customers/workers get outcompeted and put out of business by those that do.

Treating customers, suppliers, and employees with fairness, dignity, and respect is a competitive ADVANTAGE in the long term. You might make a quick buck in the short term doing otherwise, but you'll lose out over the long term.

Re: Want a killer product? Become more opinionated

#115

Post by robotshmobot »

giobox wrote: post #113
teekert wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe not, but as always it comes down to trust. And I trust Apple to be more diligent with my iPhone's AirTag locating capabilities than Amazon is with their ability to help any device get online. Amazon makes things cheap and easy but not always in ways agree with. As a counter Example, Canonical got some critique with their "telemetry in the installer", but if you ask me, they did it in the nicest way possible: Th…

I agree with this, but I'd add that if you have already trusted Amazon enough to purchase and run 24/7 with full access to your home network their remotely controlled and configured internet microphone, drawing the line at this feature seems a little odd to me. If you own an Echo device and used it prior to this feature you had already granted a large degree (relative to this feature) of trust to Amazon anyway. It re…

Sometimes people just need a final straw.

Re: Want a killer product? Become more opinionated

#117

Post by risyachka »

pranau wrote: post #86
kuu wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess some of the reasons are that Sidewalk is: - For a product that was already owned and did not need it until now - Activated by default, as optional opt-out instead of opt-in

I don't own an Amazon smart device and I don't think I ever will so I cannot comment on whether there is actually a need for a feature like Sidewalk. Find My is also opt-out instead of opt-in

The funny thing is - if Apple made Find My opt-in - most users would chose not to use their device for Find My, though it benefits them all and hardly has a downside.

The sheer fact of asking the user to opt-in automatically decreases opt-in rate a lot (like a LOT), even if that tech is super good. It is way easier to dismiss a dialog than to think what it even does.

Re: Want a killer product? Become more opinionated

#118

Post by risyachka »

hermannj314 wrote: post #9

Amazon recently turned on support for Amazon Sidewalk on all of their hardware in my home (convention) and decided it was fine to do this because I could opt out (configuration). That decision was the final straw for me. Every Amazon device is now unplugged, Prime membership and Amazon music canceled, no longer shopping on their site. Doing what is "easy for the average user" is not sufficient for me, some configurat…

Just curious - has there been an opt-in rate more than at least 30% in anything at all? Literally any tech or feature.

Re: Want a killer product? Become more opinionated

#119

Post by smoldesu »

wyager wrote: post #101
smoldesu wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You have absolutely no idea what. It’s a loosely defined system that Amazon controls remotely at their will. s/Amazon/Apple and you've got yourself the Airtag protocol. Obviously Airtags use less bandwidth, but both are proprietary and about equally as evil in my eyes.

We know exactly what goes in an airtag message. It’s very limited. https://positive.security/blog/send-my

The article you just linked is about an exploit that allows you to propagate arbitrary data through the Airtag network, which is the exact opposite of knowing what goes into an Airtag message.

Re: Want a killer product? Become more opinionated

#120

Post by Spivak »

teekert wrote: post #66
pranau wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can someone explain why there’s so much outrage against Amazon Sidewalk when it’s doing a similar thing to Apple’s Find My/AirTags which was met with almost universal praise?

I wouldn't like if I would specifically keep my Samsung Smart TV offline because Samsung themselves advice not to talk about sensitive things in front of the telly [0], and then finding out that it did go online, via my neighbor's helpful Alexa... No thank you. [0] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-31296188

I mean is this any different than a rogue appliance connecting to your neighbors open Wi-Fi or just partnering with a cellular network?
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