Isn't that the world of Max Headroom?
this post was submitted on 09 Apr 2024
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A Boring Dystopia
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In their reservation terms of service:
"Telly takes the privacy of its users very seriously. For the current Telly Product Privacy Policy please visit [INSERT LINK TO UPDATED TELLY PRODUCT PRIVACY POLICY]."
I laughed so much at that, it's just perfect.
I signed up for one.
Fuck it. Free TV. I can probably disable the ad screen somehow (even just covering it but leave the camera uncovered) Certainly would be fun to see if it can be hacked.
Guess your time is free too.
Time to tinker with expensive hardware given away free in an attempt to break what is making it free in the first place? You bet.
I'm sure that would be interesting, but if you have the skills for that, why not do something more productive? I don't mean to insult. Are you making YouTube teardown videos or something?
I can't just have fun? And I mean, if I succeed it could be useful to people who want but can't afford a TV but also don't want the bullshit baggage. What could be more productive than sabotaging capitalism?
I guess. Maybe since I don't know how to do that sort of thing it feels like it would take a lot longer than it would for you. All for sabotaging the man.
I am more interested in the technology used inside the TV.
Yeah but if you can get the same or even better tech in a dumb tv, why wouldn't you get that?
I would, I just want to know how the tech. I don't want to use it.
Ah, taking inspiration from late 1940's literature, I see. Smart!
There were several isps that did this years ago... A banner at bottom is of your screen showing ads, free internet. They all went bankrupt I think.
Oh man the memories! My parents used NetZero
Considering you can buy a decent TV for a few hundred dollars these days, I don't see it going much differently for this company either.
It's "free" which means you're paying for it a different way than money. If you don't want the ads then don't get the "free" TV.
Yeah. I'm completely behind the complaints people have with a lot of modern world problems in this regard.
- Ads on TVs you paid for
- Ads on streaming services you paid for
- Actually, ads on cable/satellite TV with a subscription in general. What a ridiculous concept of paying twice!
- Subscriptions for hardware features already installed (although I am fine with a one-off payment to activate them. I can see the argument for a single SKU with all features installed and deactivated for making the production line simpler)
But in this case, they're very clear. They are making hardware available at no monetary cost. Therefore, you MUST know they're monetizing you somehow, and this is the somehow.
Having said that, yes, the description does seem like the dystopian tellyscreens in nineteen-eighty-four. But they were mandatory for everyone, which is the main difference.
Having said that, yes, the description does seem like the dystopian tellyscreens in nineteen-eighty-four. But they were mandatory for everyone, which is the main difference.
This is actually closer to Brave New World than Nineteen Eighty-Four. In the former, citizens voluntarily buy huge TVs to adorn their living room walls because their whole society is built around pleasure-seeking and entertainment. These displays are then used by the powers that be to distract and pacify the population, prevent critical thinking and reduce political unrest.
Actually looking through the site. I don't really see how they're going to make enough money on this.
I cannot see anywhere on their site that suggests the camera will be watching you (and there's probably laws against that, even in the USA!) and the FAQ specifically says the camera has a cover and only an app using the camera will make that open, and you have to accept the permission.
Also, it seems they play the ads on a separate screen. Which suggests there won't be sound either. So they don't even expect you to be paying attention to the ads, because it seems they won't block content for them.
I expect there might be an initial interest in advertisers. But if they don't see a decent conversion rate, I cannot imagine they will keep paying enough to cover the TV for ads.
Also, what happens when one of these breaks, they replace it for free? I'd imagine they would need to because otherwise the hardware they paid for is no longer generating revenue.
This sounds like a late April fool. :P
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