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Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

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Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#411

Post by MereInterest »

pwdisswordfish2 wrote: post #409
MereInterest wrote: post #317

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd put it a bit differently. If I were designing headphones for my own use, would I have them collect personal data and then give that data to somebody else . I like collecting statistics about myself, because they are interesting. For example, tracking exactly when I go to sleep, start my commute (pre-corona, that is), go on errands. But that is data that is for my use, and not something that I would trust in someb…

Would you store the personal data in "the cloud" (i.e., remotely accessible shared computer)

Usually depends on who controls that remotely accessible shared computer. If it is under my control, or under the control of somebody I personally trust, then yes. If it is under the control of somebody else, then no.

Partly, that is because I've been coming to the conclusion that the privacy promises of a company are rather meaningless. In the case of bankruptcy, collected data is treated as an asset, rather than as a liability to be disposed of properly. In the case of acquisition, the database gets transferred to a parent company. For example, with Google buying Fitbit, they will have have access to all data collected by Fitbit. Though (as of yesterday), Google is stating that they don't intend to use this for advertising, I don't trust that not to be "accidentally" merged with google tracking ids in the future.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#412

Post by dragonsngoblins »

rorykoehler wrote: post #352
dragonsngoblins wrote: post #284

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been using my Sony W-1000XM3s with my Android phone for months and I haven't had to install an app. The only thing the app would get me is a bunch of equalizer shit (which my music player could do and I never use anyway), dynamic noise cancelling of some form (which I'm not sure why I'd ever use, just an on/off toggle is good enough for me). As shitty as the app collecting data is it isn't as if the app is requi…

How did you tune the headphones eq without to app?

My music player app has an equalizer function

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#413

Post by renewiltord »

arexxbifs wrote: post #402
renewiltord wrote: post #400

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is how you know you were wealthy. Everything was so much more expensive then. I remember even trying to get maps or a digital marker for where you were required so much money. Noise canceling headphones? Forget about it. And if you weren't in America with money, you could barely do anything online. Hotels, air travel? So expensive. Way cheaper now. TVs? So cheap now. And where I lived you couldn't even book your…

I can assure you I'm not wealthy and never have been, other than in the sense of me living in the west (though not the US). My point is that life can be pretty damn decent without digital markers for where you are, constant air travel and a new TV every other year. Yes, certain things have gotten more affordable. But is affordable noise cancelling headphones and cheap air travel really the result of apps and websites…

Yeah, that's the funny thing. Since you're in the West, you're automatically so wealthy that you're practically the "How much could a banana cost, Michael? Ten dollars?" character. It so permeates your worldview that you do not think about the wealth. It's not uncommon or worthy of reproof. Class self-identification tends downward a little bit from reality. At worst, it just means you're a normal person.

Today, you can buy a $200 55" TV. That is truly amazing. That took data selling as one part of the metrics. I'm not saying it's the sole cause, because I don't believe that. But it drives down the price, just as it does for everything else in a competitive market.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#414

Post by pwdisswordfish2 »

MereInterest wrote: post #411
pwdisswordfish2 wrote: post #409

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would you store the personal data in "the cloud" (i.e., remotely accessible shared computer)

Usually depends on who controls that remotely accessible shared computer. If it is under my control, or under the control of somebody I personally trust, then yes. If it is under the control of somebody else, then no. Partly, that is because I've been coming to the conclusion that the privacy promises of a company are rather meaningless. In the case of bankruptcy, collected data is treated as an asset, rather than as…

Indeed, I do not mean to suggest that shared computing is necessarily a net negative. Sharing a remotely accessible computer among trusted friends/family has always been an interesting idea to me because it would allow such easy communication. The way I see it, this is the core idea that underlies "e-mail" on UNIX. A group of people sharing accounts on a computer. UNIX allows easy messaging between accounts. Another group doing the same thing on another computer. Connect the two computers over a telephone line and now we have messaging to people in another group. Today, if you and I can both connect to the same computer, where we both have accounts, that is still an easy way to do messaging, in my opinion. Computers are no longer prohibitively expensive. There is no requirement that the computer belong to a third party. The ongoing problem however is that there needs to be someone who can administer the computer. It is not easy enough for anyone to do. It seems the "sysadmin" is still needed as much today as in the past.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#415

Post by arexxbifs »

renewiltord wrote: post #413
arexxbifs wrote: post #402

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can assure you I'm not wealthy and never have been, other than in the sense of me living in the west (though not the US). My point is that life can be pretty damn decent without digital markers for where you are, constant air travel and a new TV every other year. Yes, certain things have gotten more affordable. But is affordable noise cancelling headphones and cheap air travel really the result of apps and websites…

Yeah, that's the funny thing. Since you're in the West, you're automatically so wealthy that you're practically the "How much could a banana cost, Michael? Ten dollars?" character. It so permeates your worldview that you do not think about the wealth. It's not uncommon or worthy of reproof. Class self-identification tends downward a little bit from reality. At worst, it just means you're a normal person. Today, you c…

> Assuming things about me

Off to a great start there, champ.

> Huge TV

Just like with air travel, TV:s have gotten larger and cheaper for a long, long time before data harvesting even existed as a factor. Yes, the price of TV:s are continuing to drop. Mostly because of cheaper panels. Of course manufacturers claim that TV:s would be unsellably expensive without telemetry, but then again, they make lots of money off it and "cheap" is a neat way to justify that.

Current prices might've taken a bit longer to reach without telemetry - although the latest most significant price drops occurred a decade ago or more, well before spy TV:s were baseline models.

Today, you can buy a 32" monitor for $200, and they've not yet begun spying on us. For pure screen real estate, yes, it costs more than a 55" model. But is it "expensive"? Heck, would it be "expensive" if it was a 28" CRT, like the one my current LCD TV replaced a decade ago?

Sacrificing privacy for constant upgrades to something bigger and ostensibly better is, to reply in kind, if anything a kind of wealth blindness: What could possibly go wrong to anyone who owns a 55 inch TV?

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#416

Post by gumby »

Consultant32452 wrote: post #385
twoleftfeets wrote: post #304

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're not used to it you'd probably not be upset but having an iPhone and Airpods I'd be upset going back. I switch between my Mac and my iPhone daily so if I had to re-pair to do that that would suck. My guess is many modern alternatives let you pair more than one device at a time which would be another possible solution (better or worse I don't know). Apple's switching sometimes fails for me and when it does it…

I switch from my Mac mini to Android phone and back regularly. I don't have to re-pair them.

Bluetooth is supposed to require that but not all implementations do.

Apple has some additional out of band signalling so that if it is paired on one device you don’t have to do any handshaking to switch it to a device it’s never seen before as long as that device uses the same Apple ID.

It’s nice, it reduces friction but as you say it’s a small. Ice to have at best.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#417

Post by NoPicklez »

cjsawyer wrote: post #257
NoPicklez wrote: post #251

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I own the Bose QC 35's and I never had to use an app at all until I decided to update them to the latest software

You can’t change the noise canceling settings without the phone app. They also default back to “full” after you power cycle the headset. I wanted to use them with a PC and no ANC but no luck without the clunky phone process.

This is actually a positive to using the app.

I have the original QC 35's and they never originally gave us the option to change the ANC. Only through an update and using the app that they switched it on.

If our headphones didn't use can app, we would still be stuck without being able to modify the ANC level.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#418

Post by renewiltord »

arexxbifs wrote: post #415
renewiltord wrote: post #413

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, that's the funny thing. Since you're in the West, you're automatically so wealthy that you're practically the "How much could a banana cost, Michael? Ten dollars?" character. It so permeates your worldview that you do not think about the wealth. It's not uncommon or worthy of reproof. Class self-identification tends downward a little bit from reality. At worst, it just means you're a normal person. Today, you c…

> Assuming things about me Off to a great start there, champ. > Huge TV Just like with air travel, TV:s have gotten larger and cheaper for a long, long time before data harvesting even existed as a factor. Yes, the price of TV:s are continuing to drop. Mostly because of cheaper panels. Of course manufacturers claim that TV:s would be unsellably expensive without telemetry, but then again, they make lots of money off…

Dude, it's observation, not assumption. You know you're incredibly wealthy. Go on. Pull the other one.

Yes, dude, $200 is expensive. See, don't have to assume anything about you. You wear it on your sleeve. "Is it really expensive? It's only $200"

Being able to spend privacy for upgrades is freedom.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#419

Post by drcongo »

niklasd wrote: post #182
monksy wrote: post #167

The article should have buried sony for how egregious they are. They require the app to collect location information, and ear. https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00233341 I'm not sure what else they collect.. but those are the 2 bad ones. They've got a few settings that are software controlled (one being the bluetooth's internal volume) What happens if you get a software update and you open the app on…

I recently tried out wireless noise-cancelling headphones from both Bose and Sony, and (the important privacy issues aside) the user experience with these apps is just horrible. You unpack your Bose headphone, eager to use them. But before that, you have to download an app on the iPhone, then download a software update program on your laptop, which in turn opens a program in the browser that downloads an update, then…

I have the Sony WH-1000XM3 noise cancelling headphones, didn't have to install an app at all and the noise cancelation on them is absolutely incredible. Along with the amazing sound quality, they're the best headphones I've ever owned.

Re: Headphones are collecting too much personal data (2019)

#420

Post by 55555 »

inetknght wrote: post #310
55555 wrote: post #309

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Okay, that's interesting. I've used mine ~6 hours per day for 5 days a week for 2 years. Why can't mine hold a charge for more than an hour? Maybe there's something I don't understand about how batteries work that I am doing and that I could do differently.

I mostly don't use bluetooth. I keep them wired 95% of the time and noise cancelling just eliminates office noise. The remaining 5% of the time is typically on a flight to somewhere connected to my iPhone a couple of feet away.

I use bluetooth 100% of the time and I use them indoors so the temperature shouldnt be too bad.
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