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comment by speeding_snail
speeding_snail  ·  4528 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Cisco locks users out of their routers, requires invasive cloud service
This is insane. A router is an appliance right? Serves one purpose etc. So, just keep it that way. Let it do one thing, namely that what you have bought it for. You could do other stuff with it, but hey, you can also do other stuff with your fridge. I don't see people updating their fridge to let the manufacturer know what is in the fridge.

I would probably just replace the firmware altogether, but as stated in the article, most people don't even know what firmware is. The worst part is that they can just do this. Sometimes I get the feeling that technology companies prey on those who are less tech savvy...





mk  ·  4528 days ago  ·  link  ·  
I hate to say it speeding_snail, but I see this coming soon: RFID on refrigerated food products. The upshot is that your fridge keeps inventory, and updates your shopping list. The downside, is that someone is selling Kraft and Monsanto the contents of your fridge.

Jesus... free fridge if you opt for the advertising panel on it.

b_b  ·  4528 days ago  ·  link  ·  
I really love the gas station ads, so I'm looking forward to this innovation. Remember when you used to be so bored when you had to pump gas, and now you get weather, celebrity news, tv show commercials, and everything else you could want. Life is good.
forwardslash  ·  4528 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Ever been to Disneyland? In Tomorrowland they have an exhibit run by Microsoft that has the kitchen of tomorrow which has exactly what you're talking about.
ou812dot  ·  4528 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Actually, it turns out that the refrigerator of the future will largely be influenced by the "Robot Uprising": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHqkw-g5pSE
speeding_snail  ·  4528 days ago  ·  link  ·  
The upside of internet enabled fridges is that you don't have to connect them, even tough that would disable the ads. Or maybe the fridge needs a verification code to be activated, which you can only get by plugging it in. That is one scary future. Lets just hope there are kind people who code adblockers for fridges or even better, disable the tracking. Man, a jailbroken fridge. That sounds awesome somehow.

BTW, a while ago I found a site which would allow you to save your security footage on their servers, but they would analyze the footage and sell the information. It scared the hell out of me...

cgod  ·  4528 days ago  ·  link  ·  
But they still don't make a microwave that will change back to the clock function if you stop heating something before the timer is done. A microwave could sit for years with 00:05 showing and not go back to the clock. MAKE THE DISPLAY RESET TO THE DAMN CLOCK IF THE MICROWAVE GOES WITHOUT BEING USED FOR 5 MINUTES. Ach, glad to get that off my chest, all this technology with no regard for basic utility.
speeding_snail  ·  4524 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Maybe it is because it requires some extra parts or circuits that would increase the price. These things are made with the bare minimum of parts. There is no intelligence in microwaves at all. It isn't hard to make, but maybe it is because of cost.
thenewgreen  ·  4527 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Good call cgod. What an seemingly obvious function, yet I've never seen it. You should put that together and sell it to Kenmore. -Not kidding.

Sometimes the most obvious of ideas are disregarded for years.

mk  ·  4528 days ago  ·  link  ·  
    BTW, a while ago I found a site which would allow you to save your security footage on their servers, but they would analyze the footage and sell the information. It scared the hell out of me...

That is sick. Especially considering the fact that facial recognition is getting so good. Also, the person on the security tape doesn't know that they are being sold. That should be illegal.

Why not just walk around the city with a video camera, and sell the people on the street?: "Hey look, Tom Smith, who lives at 555 Second St., and makes $95k is on East 39 street every afternoon."

speeding_snail  ·  4528 days ago  ·  link  ·  
It was for footage shot by your own security cameras, or maybe even for normal videos. It was an Taiwan based company if memory serves well. But the catch was that you get storage for free on your own footage. So you determine what happens with it, just like with uploading photos to facebook.

    Why not just walk around the city with a video camera, and sell the people on the street?: "Hey look, Tom Smith, who lives at 555 Second St., and makes $95k is on East 39 street every afternoon."

Isn't that what the paparazzi are doing? Granted, with already famous people, but still. I dread the moment that someone would somehow get acces to CCTV systems. That would be the end of real life privacy in for example London.

mk  ·  4528 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Hey, we can all be famous! :/
speeding_snail  ·  4528 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Sure we can, but the question is, would you like to be famous? All those weirdos running after you, snapping pictures, asking for comments and maybe remember more about what you did last night than you do. And all of that gets into gossip magazines. I most certainly wouldn't like that, nor do I like having my pictures uploaded to someone who wants to analyze them so they can select the right creams to sell to me :P