Apparently my Samsung fridge has ads now

https://old.reddit.com/r/assholedesign/comments/1ow6cpu/apparently_my_samsung_fridge_has_ads_now/

by celsoazevedo • 8 months ago

54 21 8 months ago

old.reddit.com

Discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45737338

dnemmers3• 8 months ago

I’m sure other manufacturers are very happy to have Samsung bear the load of bad PR by leading the charge in Ad ‘supported’ appliances.

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.

JohnFen• 8 months ago

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.

Konnstann• 8 months ago

The cheapie appliances are the ones that will be subsidized by the insane data collection policies, just like TVs are now.

dpkirchner• 8 months ago

There's nothing technically stopping them from adding a cell chip to the fridge to make it "easier than ever to get your kitchen online"(tm).

immibis• 8 months ago

They'll either start refusing to cool down if you don't connect them to the internet, or they'll display a flashing warning screen that will be infinitely more annoying than the ads.

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.

orphea• 8 months ago

  > 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.

metalman• 8 months ago

It would take an open conspireacy to prevent someone from making and marketing add free dumb appliences, as there is already a market for just that. So at what point does the end game of a captured population realy become inescapable? an endless adverdistopia...

phyzix5761• 8 months ago

I think we’re overlooking that most non-technical people don’t really care about ads. They’re already used to seeing them everywhere. What they want is the initial emotional excitement of cool technology, which these so-called smart fridges offer. The ads are simply part of the package.

serf• 8 months ago

I think we’re overlooking that most non-technical people don’t really care about ads. They’re already used to seeing them everywhere.

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.

m463• 8 months ago

needed a new fridge and bought a used sub-zero. Kind of crazy to spend so much used (paid $2800). New it was ~ $12k

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.

neuralRiot• 8 months ago

Why would anyone buy an “ad capable fridge” on the first place is beyond me.

dnemmers3• 8 months ago

They cut the sale price to make them more attractive to purchasers. I’m assuming the ad deals are where the money is at (see Fb, Google, etc. al.)

bfkwlfkjf• 8 months ago

Stallman was right.

more_corn• 8 months ago

Immediate, total and permanent boycott of all Samsung products. Now.

jaredhallen• 8 months ago

My 20 year old GE doesn't.

Apparently my Samsung fridge has ads now

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