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I read about Samsung (?) smart TVs connecting to nearby unsecured Wi-Fi networks and others containing LTE hardware with a data SIM.
by snazz 6y ago
I read about Samsung (?) smart TVs connecting to nearby unsecured Wi-Fi networks and others containing LTE hardware with a data SIM.
- boardwaalk 6y agoSounds like a folk tale, unless you have a source? The second part in particular.
- t0astbread 6y agoIt may sound like a folk tale but to me at least it doesn't seem like a dumb strategy: Lots of people won't connect the TV to their home WiFi either because they're concerned about data collection or just because they don't want to spend time and effort on it. Most would consent to the TV's terms of service though, especially if a considerable amount of features are locked in case you decline. So if the TV manufacturer can sell its customers' viewership data for more than the cost of the LTE connection on average then there's a clear incentive to do it. Apart from that I'd always assume the worst case when it comes to digital self-defense.
- m463 6y agohttps://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24629155 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24629155
- renewiltord 6y agoAre the LTE modem and SIM network-locked like the Amazon Whispernet?
- solarkraft 6y agoThe WiFi rumor is plausible because it's free for them, the LTE story is not because it would be quite expensive in multiple dimensions.
- srtjstjsj 6y agoExpensive how? Maybe not LTE, but Kindle comes with 3G cellular.
- solarkraft 6y ago- An LTE module is significantly expensive (10€?). - A carrier contract costs some money (some m2m contracts for very low bandwidth can go for around 1€/month). - It's extra design and management effort (antennas, contract management and such) - Maybe most importantly: It's rather easy to spot and people would ask uncomfortable questions.