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

Locked out of 'God Mode', runners are hacking their treadmills

wired.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 477 posts

Re: Locked out of 'God Mode', runners are hacking their treadmills

#41

Post by CamperBob2 »

waffle_maniac wrote: post #2

I have an ebook reader mount I attach to the rafters. If I want to watch TV I set my laptop on some storage containers far back from the treadmill and put in my airpods. In both cases I'm looking straight ahead. Looking down at the NordicTrack screen doesn't seem ergonomic or comfortable. I don't get this article. Edit: From 2 points to 0. And probably going to go negative LOL.

You're both right. It's outrageous that companies are allowed to get away with nerfing products you've already paid for by pulling new restrictions and limitations out of thin air... and it's also bad form to look down at an LCD panel on a treadmill while using it. 100% guarantee of a painful side stitch, at least for me.

Re: Locked out of 'God Mode', runners are hacking their treadmills

#42

Post by jasonlotito »

CountDrewku wrote: post #29

I don't understand this obsession with electronic exercise devices. The peloton, that stupid thing that mounts to the wall, treadmills etc. Outside is so much better than all of those. I will 100% run in single digit temperatures with snow on the ground before I touch a treadmill. If I have to be inside it's weight lifting.

Kids, safety, convenience, positive encouragement, all these things help. Not everyone is as privileged as you where you can easily just go outside and leave your home without a care in the world.

Re: Locked out of 'God Mode', runners are hacking their treadmills

#43

Post by lupire »

CoastalCoder wrote: post #31
gorjusborg wrote: post #17

This type of 'update' is one reason I tend to stay away from so-called 'smart' devices. If part of the product I've paid for is software, and the company can update it without customer consent at any time, then I can't rely on the product's features. Period. I experienced this myself on the PS4 version of Terraria. I bought a hard-copy of the game. I mastered the controls, and loved them. Terraria was updated one day…

I agree. Perhaps the U.S.'s legal framework reasonably allows this kind of behavior, but IMHO it's a sign that the framework needs legislative correction. The first time I encountered this was when Sony advertised Linux-compatibility for the PS3, which I bought expressly for that purpose. I was shocked when a judge upheld Sony's post-sale removal of that capability.

Overturned on appeal and then settled for $65/user.

Re: Locked out of 'God Mode', runners are hacking their treadmills

#44

Post by svnpenn »

gorjusborg wrote: post #17

This type of 'update' is one reason I tend to stay away from so-called 'smart' devices. If part of the product I've paid for is software, and the company can update it without customer consent at any time, then I can't rely on the product's features. Period. I experienced this myself on the PS4 version of Terraria. I bought a hard-copy of the game. I mastered the controls, and loved them. Terraria was updated one day…

This is why I disable updates for every piece of software that I use. People criticize this often, but it puts me in control. I can then review updates when I feel like it, and update as I see fit.

Re: Locked out of 'God Mode', runners are hacking their treadmills

#45

Post by fendy3002 »

waffle_maniac wrote: post #13
_fat_santa wrote: post #7

I really hate how we are moving more and more towards "managed experiences" in products. Used to, you would buy a product and use it how you see fit. But these days it seems that's not what the company wants you to do. You buy the product and enjoy a "managed" experience from the company. We see it everywhere with printers, coffee makers, phones, laptops, treadmills and even cars now. Everyone knows why this is being…

I bought a replacement $400 Canon printer recently. Same model, price is at least double what it was several years ago. The reason to buy the more expensive model is because there are readily available cheap third-party cartridges. A lot of the new cheaper models don't have that.

What I've read people write online is to ditch inkjets altogether and go with laser printer or use megatank printers. Don't know how better they are though.

Re: Locked out of 'God Mode', runners are hacking their treadmills

#47

Post by erwincoumans »

Suitable story, hacking walled gardens on HN.

Reminds me of the Rigol DS1054Z 50 MHz oscilloscope, that you can trivially 'hack' into the more expensive DS1074Z 75 MHz or DS11074Z 100 MHz scope. Rigol hasn't disabled this hack, even though they can easily do it. They likely loose money if they do so, since customers move to other scopes.

Also, some Tesla updates make the experience worse instead of better (V11 update is terrible, inconsistent UI and much more menu diving). I should have disabled auto-updates, and read the forums before doing the update next time.

Re: Locked out of 'God Mode', runners are hacking their treadmills

#48

Post by treesknees »

axiosgunnar wrote: post #24

Just put a screen on a stand infront of your treadmill?

I don't disagree with you... in fact my Nordic ProForm treadmill includes a built in tablet mount that floats above the control panel. I used it with my iPad up until I found out this "God Mode" of side loading apps existed.

But some of these exercise machines actually come with an impressive 32inch HD screen and loud speakers built-in which you can hear over the running noise. If you stop paying hundreds of dollars per year for an iFit subscription, the only thing this giant display does is show you the time and distance on a white background.

And perhaps you'd say, "don't buy a machine with a built-in screen", I'd say the article points out people actually decided to purchase these models _specifically_ because help articles and other resources showed how to get into the Android interface. Sideloading apps was practically sold as a feature.

Re: Locked out of 'God Mode', runners are hacking their treadmills

#49

Post by CoastalCoder »

lupire wrote: post #43
CoastalCoder wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. Perhaps the U.S.'s legal framework reasonably allows this kind of behavior, but IMHO it's a sign that the framework needs legislative correction. The first time I encountered this was when Sony advertised Linux-compatibility for the PS3, which I bought expressly for that purpose. I was shocked when a judge upheld Sony's post-sale removal of that capability.

Overturned on appeal and then settled for $65/user.

Thanks, I wasn't aware of that.

(Cue next rant about class-action settlements. To make me whole, Sony would have needed to give me a full refund (with interest) or restore Linux compatibility.)

Re: Locked out of 'God Mode', runners are hacking their treadmills

#50

Post by GauntletWizard »

judge2020 wrote: post #37
horsawlarway wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been thinking about this for a while, and my proposal is pretty simple: --- Legally - prohibit selling physical goods that contain digital locks unless the owner is given a key. Period. --- That's all you have to do. If I own the device, I get the keys for the physical locks, and the keys for the digital locks. I'm completely ok with manufacturers locking down computers for security, in much the same way that I…

How do you give the owner a key without enabling an evil maid attack? a physical usb device unique to the phone that will unlock it to run whatever when it's plugged in? something deep in settings that requires you do a dance and enter the konami code?

For my treadmill: Who cares? If my maid is evil and reporgrams my treadmill to randomly throw me off, there's a dozen more effective and hard to detect ways she could set traps in my house, like setting up common household cleaning products to mix and fill the house with chlorine gas.

Evil Maid attacks are real, but you don't need perfect security for your household appliances.

Post reply on HN