• deweydecibel@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Why in the world are people paying for this? You can get displays like this for digital photos that don’t even require an internet connection, much less a subscription. Is this how far people have gone in their unwillingness to learn to use technology that isn’t some cloud/app based bullshit? Just put some pictures on an sd card and be done with it.

    • Cort@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Great suggestion, but then when I want to send new photos to Grandma I have to drive all the way across the country to pop in a new SD card because last time we tried letting her do it she jammed the card in backwards and broke the card and reader.

    • linearchaos@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      My wife bought internet connected frames for family. We set the frames up on a visit and the pictures are delivered automatically to the non technical relatives as we upload new ones.

      That said, I’d never use an echo for this, that’s super invasive.

      • Irremarkable@fedia.io
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        3 months ago

        I’m going to be honest. Outside of elderly relatives on the cognitive decline, the “inability” to transfer files to a SD card is nothing other than laziness. Any functioning person that’s capable of making themselves a PB&J sandwich is more than capable of it. They choose to all of a sudden be stupid the moment a computer enters the discussion. It’s a choice made purely out of laziness.

  • BarqsHasBite@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    In September of 2023, Amazon announced the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition. It looked just like the regular Echo Show 8 smart display/speaker but cost $10 more. Why? Because of its ability to show photos on the home screen for as long as you want—if you signed up for a $2 monthly subscription to Amazon’s PhotosPlus. Now, about a year after releasing the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition, Amazon is announcing that it’s discontinuing PhotosPlus. That means Echo Show 8 Photos Edition users will be forced to see ads instead of their beloved pics.

    • deweydecibel@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Choose to live only in a cloud, require everything to be “smart”, and you’re inviting this shit upon yourself. There’s absolutely zero serious reason to buy internet connected frame beyond tech illiteracy, mindless consumerism, or sheer laziness.

  • unemployedclaquer
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    3 months ago

    Oof we have thousands of these at my work. I would happily light them on fire but for the whole needing a job thing and staying out of jail thing

    • solsangraal@lemmy.zip
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      3 months ago

      what use do these things have in the work place? unless amazon sent them for free because guaranteed captive audience for ads?

      • unemployedclaquer
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        3 months ago

        Sorry… The company I work for has a contract with that company named after a giant river. We are wzrehousing, packaging, shipping, all that shit. Not sure why any of this is happening.

  • solsangraal@lemmy.zip
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    3 months ago

    doesn’t most of amazon’s revenue come from AWS? why do they even keep trying with these stupid home surveillance/advertisement gadgets that no one asked for?

    • manualoverride@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Owning that space in peoples homes is the point, I bought them just for controlling my lights via voice, but the screen started as a clock and weather report and now shows adverts almost constantly.

      I’m looking at HomeAssistant as a replacement but you have to realise that unless you are tech savvy, you probably don’t even know HomeAssistant exists let alone know how to set it up for your requirements.

        • MotoAsh@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          No, it just requires people to run normal fucking updates like literally EVERY piece of software does, even the canned bullshit from corpos.

          • manualoverride@lemmy.world
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            3 months ago

            Having to do any manual step is beyond what the Echo devices require, they just reboot themselves randomly one day and boom, a whole new new set of features for advertisers.

            • MotoAsh@lemmy.world
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              3 months ago

              Ohh, fully auto updates turned on by default on a shitty IoT device? A hacker’s wet dream.

              • manualoverride@lemmy.world
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                3 months ago

                Not sure who you think you are advising here, but I suspect Amazon is making sure their echo devices are on the high end of security, any vulnerability will get a lot of press attention.

                For Home Assistant and other more open devices this is the problem, you either accept a lot of tinkering ensuring it’s updated, working and secure, or it fails the wife/parent test.

                Apple, Google or Amazon devices are just too easy in comparison, but you have to put up with the intrusion and ads.

                A lot more people are willing to sacrifice data and adverts for convenience.

      • unemployedclaquer
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        3 months ago

        you might want to read that book “the circle”. so scandalous it got banned somehweherehre. (actually it’s very tame)