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Google appears to be scaling up the ads it shows to Gmail users

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Re: Google appears to be scaling up the ads it shows to Gmail users

#261

Post by atraac »

OneLeggedCat wrote: post #182
ProjectArcturis wrote: post #20

Google now seems deep into the enshittification [1] process. Of all the big tech companies, they seemed the most customer-friendly, the least constrained by the need to optimize their money hose. But I guess the economic logic of tying executive compensation to short-term share price simply overwhelmed other considerations. The stock must go up, so revenues must grow, so Google must monetize everything to the maximum…

With only iOS and Android as realistic choices, we genuinely need a more viable (real) Linux phone soon. I have zero faith that Google will let something like GrapheneOS stay in the somewhat usable state that it is in now.

Ah yes, the phone where I will have to install some obscure drivers via some console command found on ubuntu forums from a 3 year old thread made by AssBlaster123 just to get microphone to work properly and then end up not having fingerprint scanner working because this particular phone uses Goodix or whatnot.

We don't need "real linux" phone, we already have mobile OS based on linux, it's called Android. You can decouple it from Google, companies already do that, it works. Whether an Android phone without Google services is a viable product is another discussion - and IMO the one we should focus on.

Re: Google appears to be scaling up the ads it shows to Gmail users

#262

Post by atraac »

Ferret7446 wrote: post #258
MAGZine wrote: post #59

Google's products do seem to be getting progressively shittier, in profound and confusing ways. take their home assistant, which used to be able to find information online and compose an answer to your natural langauges queries. Now she just says "I don't know, but I found this online..." Google Search seems to be getting truly terrible. Results completely unrelated to what I'm looking for are placing in the first pa…

The products must change because engineers need to do something to show impact and get promotions. Therefore, if the product has reached the maximus of quality, but you need to change it, you end up with zugzwang. Always follow the incentives.

I would argue it's not the engineers that need to do something, rather middle management that needs to show 'results' and show that they are there to bring 'value', even if it's not real value. I seriously doubt changes like moving fingerprint sensor under the screen come out from an individual contributor.

Re: Google appears to be scaling up the ads it shows to Gmail users

#263

Post by otikik »

valianteffort wrote: post #207
ProjectArcturis wrote: post #20

Google now seems deep into the enshittification [1] process. Of all the big tech companies, they seemed the most customer-friendly, the least constrained by the need to optimize their money hose. But I guess the economic logic of tying executive compensation to short-term share price simply overwhelmed other considerations. The stock must go up, so revenues must grow, so Google must monetize everything to the maximum…

I was shocked the last time I used Google without an adblocker. The first 4-5 search results were ads. I had to scroll to get to the first actual result. There also seems to be less effort to distinguish ads from regular links. I wonder which genius adsense manager thought "hey we could double our revenue if we show 4 ads instead of 2, user experience be damned".

> There also seems to be less effort to distinguish ads from regular links

That is a good thing, isn't it?

Re: Google appears to be scaling up the ads it shows to Gmail users

#264

Post by racl101 »

propogandist wrote: post #57
racl101 wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah I caved in. Paying now. But I realized I watch more docs on YouTube than any other streaming video platform. More than Netflix, more than Prime, more than Disney+, more than HBO. So I cancelled Netflix and Disney+ and now just keep HBO and Prime. I don't love Prime but I still like the Prime delivery. So whatever, makes sense. I consume YouTube the most. Might as well not make my life hell and suffer through add…

Brave browser and/or UBO on Firefox does the job, while preventing Google from building profile about logged in YT watching habits.

yeah but i also wanted the mobile app to keep playing when listening to videos.

Re: Google appears to be scaling up the ads it shows to Gmail users

#265

Post by projektfu »

projektfu wrote: post #222
MAGZine wrote: post #59

Google's products do seem to be getting progressively shittier, in profound and confusing ways. take their home assistant, which used to be able to find information online and compose an answer to your natural langauges queries. Now she just says "I don't know, but I found this online..." Google Search seems to be getting truly terrible. Results completely unrelated to what I'm looking for are placing in the first pa…

When I used iPhone up until this year, I also felt like the flaws were as though nobody uses iPhones at Apple, which is obviously not the case. However, there is a lot of brainwashing going on telling people that something that is bad is actually good. Whenever Apple locks people into one of their properties, people say, "ooh, smart move". Maybe it is, but it's shitty. Siri couldn't turn my lights off, for example, a…

I meant landscape mode

Re: Google appears to be scaling up the ads it shows to Gmail users

#266

Post by ocdtrekkie »

roothog wrote: post #221
yamtaddle wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the US, it's pretty ridiculous that the USPS isn't doing email yet. Free account with some strict limits (especially on per-day sending) for all residents, paid options available, support at post office locations and partner libraries. It's nigh-necessary for communicating with government and participating in the economy—USPS ought to do email.

The USPS is a terrible spam blocker.

More than likely the USPS would be motivated to build an excellent spam blocker, and then charge bulk mailers for delivery. =) The USPS doesn't "block spam" physically because the USPS gets most of their revenue from it.

Re: Google appears to be scaling up the ads it shows to Gmail users

#267

Post by whywhywhywhy »

soraminazuki wrote: post #51
whywhywhywhy wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are no other platforms though. Even Apple is cramming their apps with ads for their services. They’ve ad-walled me over 20 times in the last 18 months on the way to listen to my music with an Apple Music adwall. Just on my way to listen to MY mp3s.

You can turn it off in the Settings app. Go to the Music section and you'll see a toggle labeled "Show Apple Music".

Doesn't stop the ads, doesn't stop the searchjacking and something keeps turning it back on.

Re: Google appears to be scaling up the ads it shows to Gmail users

#268

Post by ProjectArcturis »

refulgentis wrote: post #94
Mistletoe wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Am I naive to think that when you make $226 million in a year like Pichai that money should stop being your major driving force and that your reputation is more important? Like what else could he buy? But his reputation is taking severe hits. Maybe I just don't understand ultra rich people though. Maybe money is everything.

When you get that high up in a corp., your North Star is “shareholder value”, and you’re probably right to do that. I wouldn’t want to and won’t if I was ever lucky enough to have the opportunity. But what are the alternatives?

The alternative I was envisioning was similar to what Costco does on the retail side. Nearly every other retailer aims to maximize profits from their customers. Costco tries to offer the lowest prices it possibly can. This has huge implications for how the company is structured and where it uses its energy. Imagine a tech company that focused entirely on making the user experience as good as it possibly could, rather than one trying to extract as much money as they can this quarter.

Re: Google appears to be scaling up the ads it shows to Gmail users

#269

Post by otikik »

otikik wrote: post #263
valianteffort wrote: post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was shocked the last time I used Google without an adblocker. The first 4-5 search results were ads. I had to scroll to get to the first actual result. There also seems to be less effort to distinguish ads from regular links. I wonder which genius adsense manager thought "hey we could double our revenue if we show 4 ads instead of 2, user experience be damned".

> There also seems to be less effort to distinguish ads from regular links That is a good thing, isn't it?

I misunderstood.

Obviously the “effort” is in the opposite direction

Re: Google appears to be scaling up the ads it shows to Gmail users

#270

Post by xnx »

o10449366 wrote: post #28
ProjectArcturis wrote: post #20

Google now seems deep into the enshittification [1] process. Of all the big tech companies, they seemed the most customer-friendly, the least constrained by the need to optimize their money hose. But I guess the economic logic of tying executive compensation to short-term share price simply overwhelmed other considerations. The stock must go up, so revenues must grow, so Google must monetize everything to the maximum…

Customer-friendly? Maybe if you've never required support or human engagement for any issue. If you have, Google is by far the worst among the big tech companies.

Just had an excellent experience getting a warranty exchange on my Pixel Watch that stopped taking a charge. Talked to a real person within 2 minutes and the whole call was complete in 18 minutes.
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