After initial outrage cools, it’ll be a race for everyone else to catch up.
Not a chance shareholders won’t push for the extra revenue ($$$) regardless of what happens to consumers.
Once basically all manufacturers move to this model, consumers will be trapped for good.
Well, there's nothing forcing people to allow these things to talk on the internet. Also, I doubt that this stuff will ever come for the cheapie appliances, which lack bells and whistles but are just as good at keeping things cold as the expensive units.
How does that work if I buy the appliance outright? I mean on their end: I buy it, I don't let it talk to the Internet, the company loses ad revenue and... what? Break into my place and steal it from me?
On the upside, some people will make a nice bit of money reflashing them to remove the ads. That will still be legal... right? Buy a fridge for $2000, then pay the guy $100 to make it actually work right. The guy could be you. Like Rick Sanchez's curse removal service.
> Well, there's nothing forcing people to allow these things to talk on the internet.
I can imagine how some features or settings would be locked behind an app and cloud communication.If you want a wireless network without a password on it, you're in trouble too.
I think you're wrong. Just because they're effective at advertising means nothing about the perception of quality and associative effects.
You don't see in-your-face advertising at the fanciest restaurants and opera houses for a reason, it reduces the overall perception of quality.
also, a personal anecdote, my long dead tech-clueless mother used to have me install adblockers for her on her browser. Why? Because the ads got in the way of the damn news pages.
You don't need to be technical to be inconvenienced or irritated by an advertisement.
But it worked out. It is the best. Tall with everything in plain sight. easy to access water filter, etc. Two cooling systems, one for fridge, separate for freezer.
Not only are repair/maintenance parts plentiful, there are 3rd party water and air filters.
It is like the rackmount server of fridges.
It was a bi36-ufd/0 if you're curious. this one has no wifi.
ChrisArchitect•2mo ago