5 ms·

Bose headphones are basically a spyware on your head

104 points by Classicaldj34 7y ago

diafygi 7y ago
*if you use their app. You don't have to use their app for day-to-day usage via Bluetooth, however, they make it impossible to initially setup noise canceling functionality without the app. I'm extremely grateful that the Bluetooth protocol is broken up into specific functions, so I know that if I connect my headphones/car/etc. via bt audio it can't also send data to the cloud through my phone.
- DoubleMalt 7y ago
  I never used the app and the button to cycle noise cancelling through off/high/low works just fine. What am I missing?
  - zenexer 7y ago
    Most don't have that button.
  - dylz 7y ago
    This is only on v2. v1 can't do this otherwise.
- nemosaltat 7y ago
  Not sure I’d be so trusting. “Bluetooth offers so many options for deployment that developers don't necessarily have full mastery of the available choices, which can result in faulty implementations. “ from Bluetooth's Complexity Has Become a Security Risk [0, 1] And now we’ve got folks discussing “Using Web Bluetooth to communicate with Bluetooth devices” [2, 3]. [0] https://www.wired.com/story/bluetooth-complex-security-risk/ https://www.wired.com/story/bluetooth-complex-security-risk/ [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19956512 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19956512 [2] https://www.balena.io/blog/using-web-bluetooth-to-communicate-with-bluetooth-devices/ https://www.balena.io/blog/using-web-bluetooth-to-communicat... [3] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21332283 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21332283
ncmncm 7y ago
I would never, ever buy a Bose product. Apparently the app uploads every single thing it can get access to, and you have to install the app even to (!) turn noise canceling on and off.
maest 7y ago
Yikes, this is really bad timing for Bose to get all this negative publicity. See also https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/11/26/bose_firmware_borks_headphones/ https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/11/26/bose_firmware_borks... Christmas shopping is coming and I sitting on the fence regarding new headphones, but I'm really unlikely to buy Bose now.
- flak48 7y ago
  Sony makes the best noise cancelling headphones/earphones now anyway. (assuming noise cancellation is important to you)
algaeontoast 7y ago
Well, guess I need to destroy my Bose headphones now...

104 points by Classicaldj34 7y ago

*if you use their app. You don't have to use their app for day-to-day usage via Bluetooth, however, they make it impossible to initially setup noise canceling functionality without the app. I'm extremely grateful that the Bluetooth protocol is broken up into specific functions, so I know that if I connect my headphones/car/etc. via bt audio it can't also send data to the cloud through my phone.

DoubleMalt 7y ago
I never used the app and the button to cycle noise cancelling through off/high/low works just fine. What am I missing?
- zenexer 7y ago
  Most don't have that button.
- dylz 7y ago
  This is only on v2. v1 can't do this otherwise.
nemosaltat 7y ago
Not sure I’d be so trusting. “Bluetooth offers so many options for deployment that developers don't necessarily have full mastery of the available choices, which can result in faulty implementations. “ from Bluetooth's Complexity Has Become a Security Risk [0, 1] And now we’ve got folks discussing “Using Web Bluetooth to communicate with Bluetooth devices” [2, 3]. [0] https://www.wired.com/story/bluetooth-complex-security-risk/ https://www.wired.com/story/bluetooth-complex-security-risk/ [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19956512 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19956512 [2] https://www.balena.io/blog/using-web-bluetooth-to-communicate-with-bluetooth-devices/ https://www.balena.io/blog/using-web-bluetooth-to-communicat... [3] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21332283 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21332283

ncmncm 7y ago

I would never, ever buy a Bose product. Apparently the app uploads every single thing it can get access to, and you have to install the app even to (!) turn noise canceling on and off.

maest 7y ago

Yikes, this is really bad timing for Bose to get all this negative publicity. See also https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/11/26/bose_firmware_borks_headphones/ https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/11/26/bose_firmware_borks... Christmas shopping is coming and I sitting on the fence regarding new headphones, but I'm really unlikely to buy Bose now.

flak48 7y ago
Sony makes the best noise cancelling headphones/earphones now anyway. (assuming noise cancellation is important to you)

algaeontoast 7y ago

Well, guess I need to destroy my Bose headphones now...