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Whats worse is that if you own a google home mini and turn off the web and app activity it essentially becomes a useless brick. For most commands literally eve

Whats worse is that if you own a google home mini and turn off the web and app activity it essentially becomes a useless brick. For most commands literally everything is on the lines of "Sorry I don't have enough access to perform that command. You can change this in the Google Home app". Simple stuff like "Play some music" and "Whats the weather like?" is blocked. I just wish there was more fine grained control over exactly what I give access to.

universenz 8y ago
Yes, I found this as well. So now it is used as a broadcast system for Home Assistant notifications / reminders etc (super handy, actually).
taneq 8y ago
They will never give you fine grained control because this is part of the quid-pro-quo. You want convenience, they want data about you. They withhold convenience until you give them the data. Every single Google product is built around this core principle and it drives many if not all of their UI decisions.
- ardy42 8y ago
  > You want convenience, they want data about you. They withhold convenience until you give them the data. I already directly paid them a tidy sum for my phone. It's gauche for them to try weasel more out of me.
  - taneq 8y ago
    Indeed. And how much more did you pay for your car? Living in the future is usually pretty cool but there are some things, like this, that I just don't like about it. https://www.autoblog.com/2018/11/19/ford-reorganization-customer-data-mining/ https://www.autoblog.com/2018/11/19/ford-reorganization-cust... https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150211/10134429988/cars-are-delivering-tons-driving-data-to-manufacturers-with-minimal-security-even-less-transparency.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150211/10134429988/cars-... https://www.businessinsider.com.au/otonomo-selling-car-data-2017-4?r=UK&IR=T https://www.businessinsider.com.au/otonomo-selling-car-data-...
  - devoply 8y ago
    This from the Simpsons comes to mind https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H27rfr59RiE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H27rfr59RiE
ardy42 8y ago
Same with Android Auto. Voice commands need web and app activity, even though literally all I want to do with it is to make calls and send texts. It makes no f-ing sense, except as a dark pattern, since I can receive and reply to texts just fine without enabling the tracking.

universenz 8y ago

Yes, I found this as well. So now it is used as a broadcast system for Home Assistant notifications / reminders etc (super handy, actually).

taneq 8y ago

They will never give you fine grained control because this is part of the quid-pro-quo. You want convenience, they want data about you. They withhold convenience until you give them the data. Every single Google product is built around this core principle and it drives many if not all of their UI decisions.

ardy42 8y ago
> You want convenience, they want data about you. They withhold convenience until you give them the data. I already directly paid them a tidy sum for my phone. It's gauche for them to try weasel more out of me.
- taneq 8y ago
  Indeed. And how much more did you pay for your car? Living in the future is usually pretty cool but there are some things, like this, that I just don't like about it. https://www.autoblog.com/2018/11/19/ford-reorganization-customer-data-mining/ https://www.autoblog.com/2018/11/19/ford-reorganization-cust... https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150211/10134429988/cars-are-delivering-tons-driving-data-to-manufacturers-with-minimal-security-even-less-transparency.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150211/10134429988/cars-... https://www.businessinsider.com.au/otonomo-selling-car-data-2017-4?r=UK&IR=T https://www.businessinsider.com.au/otonomo-selling-car-data-...
- devoply 8y ago
  This from the Simpsons comes to mind https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H27rfr59RiE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H27rfr59RiE

ardy42 8y ago

Same with Android Auto. Voice commands need web and app activity, even though literally all I want to do with it is to make calls and send texts. It makes no f-ing sense, except as a dark pattern, since I can receive and reply to texts just fine without enabling the tracking.