Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Sorry, we replaced that old technology, “see-through glass”

twitter.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

241–250 of 397 posts

Re: Sorry, we replaced that old technology, “see-through glass”

#241

Post by wruza »

burnt_toast wrote: post #127

The year is 2050 and your dingy old toaster has finally given up it's last crumbs. You hop onto Amazon in hopes of finding a suitable replacement as there's no longer any box stores you can travel to. Dumb appliances have been phased out and newer internet connected appliances have taken over. It's better for the consumer they claim. Not wanting an overtly fancy contraption you pick a no frills unit that includes a t…

Why can’t you just crumple some wires and make a toaster yourself?

(Because outlets require certified chips with power-certificate-chain validation on both sides of a power cord, if you ever get your hands on such an old-fashioned hardware.)

Re: Sorry, we replaced that old technology, “see-through glass”

#242

Post by kyleee »

brailsafe wrote: post #167
mrpopo wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also the part where the toaster version is outdated and it won't start toasting before it's up to date.

Also the part where the toaster version is 6 years out of date and someone gains root access and deletes all your data

As an avid toast data-logger that would really put me over the edge. I have 9 years of daily toast data and I graph it in interesting ways a la Mr. Wolfram

Re: Sorry, we replaced that old technology, “see-through glass”

#243

Post by thaumasiotes »

rhino369 wrote: post #204
pydry wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would imagine this is the kind of thing you'd commission if your job title was, say, chief innovation officer at a soft drinks company. What else would you do?

try to find a artificial sweetener that was indistinguishable from sugar. That would be the holy grail for soft drinks.

That would be left-handed sugar. Chemically identical, tastes exactly the same, fully indigestible.

The only downside is the diarrhea. :p

Re: Sorry, we replaced that old technology, “see-through glass”

#244

Post by gherkinnn »

63 wrote: post #98
jordemort wrote: post #81

They have these in my local Walgreens and I hate them. I think the drink coolers were stocked for maybe a week after they were installed. Since then it’s been 50/50 if the product the screen is showing is actually behind the door. I don’t think the store employees are able to keep on top of stocking without being able to see what’s in the case.

There's an angle that the company making these didn't think of. That's exactly the kind of critical use case you miss when you don't do enough testing.

No. It’s bloody obvious.

The answer no doubt was “think of the ads” and “our AI guy (there’s always that one AI guy) is working on a model to help detect low stock”.

Re: Sorry, we replaced that old technology, “see-through glass”

#245

Post by b112 »

buu700 wrote: post #124
jcims wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The shoppers are already in the store, presumably to buy from their list. Now the store gets a cut of an ad and the profit from the sale it makes. The digital delivery is going to be amazing for A/B testing of ads because they are going to have near immediate feedback. It's pretty clever in a dystopian hellscape kind of way.

Counterpoint: all else being equal, I'd rather not have these because I think they'd be annoying, so if one of my local grocery stores were to install them I would then give more of my business to the other (largely interchangeable) ones going forward. You're right that I wouldn't rage quit and leave without doing my shopping the first time I saw these, but I also might not be back. Sure, I'd learn to live with it if…

Some people really care about pricing, others don't.

There are 'bargin' stores in my area, and higher end stores. The higher end stores have lots more bio stuff to buy, and other fancy goods, but also stock major brands of everything else.

Even though the product is the same, the pricing is 15% average more expensive for those common products. I suspect they get away with it, because you're already there, and I never see a full shopping cart there.

The also have baggers. The bargin store does not.

My point? The bargin store might shave even more off, with enough ads. And those people buying full carts?

Might be even happier with the savings.

I think as with many things, those struggling with money can't care one iota (not don't, but can't), and just do what saves the most, no matter the cost to society, or themselves.

Survival first. Rent first. Savings first.

Re: Sorry, we replaced that old technology, “see-through glass”

#246

Post by Anonashtonian »

brailsafe wrote: post #169
ergot_vacation wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a rough estimate, what percent of US economic activity is large piles of money being tossed into a flaming dumpster for the sake of someone's ego? Because every year it seems higher.

This is why it's important to try and negotiate for as much salary as you can, no matter what you do. Companies are lighting cash on fire all the time, they can afford it.

This. Once you see how the company spends money and how much they pay and effort they spend to hire an average skilled developer... It's empowering. Unfortunately lots of companies have just accepted high turnover rates and move forward. Imo they only do this because quantifying turnover costs is hard.

Re: Sorry, we replaced that old technology, “see-through glass”

#247

Post by PhasmaFelis »

failwhaleshark wrote: post #198
seventytwo wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every slice has unique nooks and crannies to create a 2D pattern, allowing for DRM and personalization!

Personalization so they can never be returned, right? --- Pepperidge Farms.... D: NOOOOOO https://www.heb.com/product-detail/pepperidge-farm-original-... My grandmother made those in her Sunbeam toaster before loading them with room-temperature butter and Laura Scudder's smooth peanut butter. (Yes, my grandmother kept butter at room temperature but refrigerated the eggs. Go figure... grandmothers.)

How you gonna spread cold butter? :)

Re: Sorry, we replaced that old technology, “see-through glass”

#248

Post by kyleee »

jasonhansel wrote: post #184
burnt_toast wrote: post #127

The year is 2050 and your dingy old toaster has finally given up it's last crumbs. You hop onto Amazon in hopes of finding a suitable replacement as there's no longer any box stores you can travel to. Dumb appliances have been phased out and newer internet connected appliances have taken over. It's better for the consumer they claim. Not wanting an overtly fancy contraption you pick a no frills unit that includes a t…

Later, when it's discovered that the toaster occasionally catches on fire, users are encouraged to pay $9.99 per month for "Toaster Plus," which causes an alarm to play before the fire starts, so that you know to get the extinguisher. Then they let you customize the alarm noise, so that you can choose how to be alerted of the future house fire. Soon, companies get rich selling $3 "toaster fire ringtones." Eventually,…

This was also after a massive recall due to an incident with a high end Peloton toaster and a small child. All of the $9,000 FedBucks™ units were recalled and the "Just Toast" feature removed

Re: Sorry, we replaced that old technology, “see-through glass”

#249

Post by cheese_van »

My gas station has installed video on the pumps and while pumping, I must listen to whatever dreck is being sold. It irritates me that I have no choice but to listen.

Is there anyone, anywhere, who believes this is helping consumers make their choices?

I fully expect an updated movie script where some lunatic sticks his head out the window at 2am and shouts, "I'm mad as hell and I don't want to listen to it anymore."

Re: Sorry, we replaced that old technology, “see-through glass”

#250

Post by carl_dr »

smegger001 wrote: post #86
908B64B197 wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Edit: What bothers me the most about this, is that it will actually work. Any surface where eyes may fall on, will be replaced with an ad. Until someone finds out every screen has the same default password. And a few supermarkets are forced to shut them down because what was displayed was way, way worse than ads...

yeah and now that everything is cloud connected and controlled by a corporate office far removed from the actual stores. I cant wait until thee freezer isle of some national chain starts displaying goatsx on every door some holiday weekend and its hours before it fixed.

I wonder if the screens can be turned off independently of the refrigeration or freezer, in case something like this does happen?
Post reply on HN