The article mainly points out a Chinese AI kid toy for spouting chinese propaganda. I mean, obviously?

Their examples from the more popular mainstream toys was that it doesn’t prevent explaining how to light a match and how to sharpen a knife. Neither if those are that ridiculous. If a kid knows to ask they probably old enough to figure it out.

That is a wall of text sir.

I am aware of Loius Rossman and am a fan of his work. I am also aware of the arguments you are making and your Disney example.

But there is a difference between the theoretical and what happens in practice.

Name one major TV manufacturer that was sold off or went out of business and their TV was bricked because of it.

Do any of the TVs even force you to update if you don’t want to? I am not aware of any case but it’s possible. I’ve stopped updating my tv for over a year without issue.

You think all major corporations don’t care about image or branding and are only interested in the short term, but aside from forced ads none of the other issues came to fruition because customer feedback IS important to them. Find me a source of these issues related to Sony, Samsung, LG, or any other major TV brand.

Also your explanation of TV vs laptop… why is it that you are comparing an already set up laptop with saved credentials to an out of box experience on the TV? If I spent the initial time to setup the network, install a streaming app and log in once, I’m all set and no longer have to worry about connecting cables or another device.

The concern of whether the built in apps work well is valid, but both the app maker and manufacturer have a vested interest that it does.

For reference my LG TV is over 10 years old and running strong. It’s got Netflix Disney Amazon Plex and Jellyfin all working without issue. Aside from the ad that sometimes shows up when changing input, there is nothing to complain about. I have also connected a laptop for gaming and viewing files and have nothing against it, but a no laptop setup is absolutely better and it’s crazy to not at least acknowledge it.

Your comment represents the disconnect with most consumers and maybe it’s why you can’t see the reason most people don’t fight back against smart tvs.

First, just because a smart TV “can” be bricked by a manufacturer does not mean they all deliberately do so or use that as a means to extort you. If my tv bricked because of an update, and wasn’t remedied for free by the manufacturer, guess which maker I’m not buying from for my next tv? Not to mention the lawsuits.

Next, I’m struggling to figure how connecting a laptop to a tv is more convenient than a built in app. I have done every type of TV setup but no extra devices has always been a lot simpler than more devices.

I completely understand your concerns of privacy and a YouTube app that can’t block ads, but let’s not pretend that it’s all bad news.

I’m not following. People may prefer cheap to expensive but that does not mean they are desperate.

The option isn’t just cheap or expensive therapy. No therapy is as much an option if the therapy quality was 90s level machine chat bot.

Why is it exactly a problem that people have an extra avenue to better mental well being?

Believe it or not AI results are doing fine, which is why people use it.

Yes they will produce some funny/tragic results that are both memeable and newsworthy, but by and large they do what they are asked.

If the results were poor you wouldn’t have adoption and your AI problem is solved.

We have had chat bots since the late 90s. No one used them for therapy.

For some people, paying with their data is a lot cheaper than paying for therapy or religion. I do not fault them for this, especially if they are getting similar results.

Why? Is it somehow better to go to an actual church or pay someone to confide in?

People using technology to fill a need on the company’s funds is not the worst thing in the world.

It’s a balance between immersion and world building and tedium.

In silksong the run backs never seen so far that it is tedious. The save point is not right next to the boss fights but for the most part they aren’t egariously far. Plus the save points serve as rest spots for the multiple paths you take. A save point at every boss would be detrimental imo.

That’s just a casino.

Degenerates would just add the biggest items to their cart and gamble for the chance at ‘free’ money

Why is this a shit post? This is like straight out of Silicon Valley.