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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)

#91

Post by formerly_proven »

jdkdodo wrote: post #80
formerly_proven wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the phones got thinner No. They didn't. iPhone 5: 7.6 mm thin, 6: 7 mm iPhone 7: 7.1 mm > While Apple could likely have gotten their water resistance even with the headphone jack, they couldn’t have made the phones as thin. Except that's a pretty obvious lie. Not just that the phones did not get thinner (or lighter), they stayed around the same thickness (+- 0.5 mm), while getting larger, much heavier and much more…

The only reason? Doesn’t shallow dismissive posting violate comment rules here? It’s almost as if “every argument I make about frugalness and standards is maybe leading me to ignore other considerations.” “Pros” continue to make use of their wired kit, and it changes the math of recurring waste problem; I’ve thrown away many fewer pairs of $30 earbuds since iPhone 7. Saved money and generated less consumer waste over…

> Doesn’t shallow dismissive posting violate comment rules here?

Despite being aware of this, you went on to create a posting that's largely assumptions, projections and some salty ad-hominem.

> Sorry you haven’t been able to cope with, really, such a trivial change in 5 years.

I haven't upgraded my phone in a number of years, so it actually still has a headphone jack, which I virtually never use since I don't listen to music on the go.

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

#92

Post by sascha_sl »

BTCOG wrote: post #85
Lio wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You also can't get firmware updates if you don't install the companion app and allow them to spy on you.

Why on EARTH would anyone EVER need to update firmware for a pair of headphones? That's asinine.

The Bose 700 recently patched in EQ support, I'd say that's a reason.

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

#93

Post by wiredfool »

snvzz wrote: post #77
Bluecobra wrote: post #12

Ahh, this is real reason why the phone manufacturers want to get rid of the headphone jack. I was so naive to think it was only about DRM/licensing.

As usual, if there's no headphone jack, I won't buy that device. Privacy isn't even the deal breaker there. Latency and the ability to use my favourite set (Sennheiser HD600) are.

I like my grados, but my old sennheisers were perhaps a bit more comfortable.

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

#94

Post by sascha_sl »

throwaway8941 wrote: post #44
jdsully wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do my headphones need firmware updates? Presumably they work fine at purchase.

Noise cancellation sometimes gets better (or worse) after a firmware update.

Bose also added the in-device EQ to the Bose 700 via patch a few months ago.

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

#95

Post by Godel_unicode »

BTCOG wrote: post #85
Lio wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You also can't get firmware updates if you don't install the companion app and allow them to spy on you.

Why on EARTH would anyone EVER need to update firmware for a pair of headphones? That's asinine.

Better ANC is the usual reason.

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

#96

Post by sascha_sl »

aragorn9 wrote: post #37
Lio wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You also can't get firmware updates if you don't install the companion app and allow them to spy on you.

which is why bose for example only let you configure noise cancelling through the app.

There's a button on the Bose 700 to toggle between 10/5/0

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

#97

Post by formerly_proven »

hanche wrote: post #90
formerly_proven wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the phones got thinner No. They didn't. iPhone 5: 7.6 mm thin, 6: 7 mm iPhone 7: 7.1 mm > While Apple could likely have gotten their water resistance even with the headphone jack, they couldn’t have made the phones as thin. Except that's a pretty obvious lie. Not just that the phones did not get thinner (or lighter), they stayed around the same thickness (+- 0.5 mm), while getting larger, much heavier and much more…

The explanation/excuse I recall seeing, was about space, not thickness. The headphone jack takes up space inside the phone that they’d rather put to other uses, like more battery for example. At least, that seems to make a bit more sense.

Yes it does. I think back then teardown pictures made the rounds where the innards of the two generations where virtually the same, except they added some component where the headphone jack used to be. And as far as smartphone components go, a 3.5 mm jack is pretty big; I'd guess about the volume of a camera module.

I don't know who started the thinness-jack meme, I suspect it was an explanation made up by people other than Apple, since Apple is usually more into omitting things instead of lying.

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

#98

Post by Godel_unicode »

Lio wrote: post #20
gruez wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't this really only an issue if you use the companion app? I doubt the usb-c/lightning/bluetooth headphones can exfiltrate data if you don't have the companion app installed.

You also can't get firmware updates if you don't install the companion app and allow them to spy on you.

I only installed the Bose app when I was going to be on a plane, as the app allows you to pair multiple Bose headphones to one source. Then you can watch the same movie with someone else.

Edit: Bose also had a nice big opt-out button in the app, and asks during setup.

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

#99

Post by sascha_sl »

pureliquidhw wrote: post #54
oarsinsync wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My QC35IIs have a button on the side to adjust noise cancelling. No need for an app.

I think you need the app to switch that to noise cancellation level from digital assistant activation.

the bose 700 has 3 buttons

one for on/off, hold to pair, hold long to reset bluetooth

one for noise cancellation

one for assistant

in addition it has the transport controls / battery response touch controls on the right earcup

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

#100

Post by gmrple »

BTCOG wrote: post #85
Lio wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You also can't get firmware updates if you don't install the companion app and allow them to spy on you.

Why on EARTH would anyone EVER need to update firmware for a pair of headphones? That's asinine.

In my case improved noise cancellation.
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