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I was recently looking for dimmable string lights, and everything I found online required installing an app to work the lights. In what universe is installing

I was recently looking for dimmable string lights, and everything I found online required installing an app to work the lights. In what universe is installing a shitty app more convenient for the user than turning a dial? It seems like more and more products are being converted into data harvesting channels, regardless of their intended purpose.

alar44 5y ago
Because app has a shitload more functions than a dial. I can program my strips to do all kinds of cool stuff. I mean, what data is going to get extracted? Your favorite color? The app that came with mine is great and I can work the controls remotely. Might be the wrong forum to be complaining that an app is too hard for you.
- _vertigo 5y ago
  > Might be the wrong forum to be complaining that an app is too hard for you. You're misconstruing the objection here. No one thinks an app is too hard. The problem I don't want my email to end up in some database because I wanted to dim my lights. I imagine it would also be able to collect info on what bluetooth devices I have in my kitchen, etc.
- pickledcods 5y ago
  Have you checked the trackers and data loggers build into that app that directly or indirectly call home when you interact with your lights? I have an aquarium and I use a water quality tester when I suspect something is wrong. Before it was a colour stripe you have to compare with a reference printed on a package. Now it uses a camera and matches the color better for a better analysis. However, that app calls home directly to JBL, so they are building a profile on how I abuse my fish because every time it logs, it logs a bad situation. It also leaks the usage to jquery, google and crashlytics without notifying me or asking my consent.
  - rablackburn 5y ago
    > It also leaks the usage to jquery, … This is the first time I’ve read someone refer to loading jquery as a data leak. Ideally they shouldn’t be using jquery, or just shipping it with the app/self-hosting. But for the general case, are you saying your ideal would be an app prompting you for permission before it loaded any external resource from any url? Even one as ubiquitous as jquery? How is the fact that your IP address requested a copy of jquery, one of the most downloaded JavaScript libraries of all time, any kind of meaningful signal? I’d be more worried about it as an attack vector than a privacy infringement.
    - pickledcods 5y ago
      I would like an app that handles the functioning of my paid product locally without internet access. The product was sold with strings attached that was not mentioned. Loading any framework script not hosted on the site the app originates is the same kind of leak as the facebook pixel. jquery gets my IP, access time and referrer. They can cross-site track me over all pages that load their scripts. I also use frameworks scripts, only I host them locally to counter this kind of leakage.
      - alar44 5y ago
        You're a drop of water in the ocean. Protect the shit that matters and stop worrying about apps "stealing" your contacts or whatever.
    - alar44 5y ago
      That's the thing, people actually think their data matters. It doesn't. Your a point in a multi billion point multimillion dimensional cloud. Your data doesn't matter. Yeah, data farms can glean data trends from populations, but there's infinite ways to do this and most aren't actually concerned about who "you" are, but what "people" are doing. In short, you're not that important, you're not being individually spied on, get over yourself. You're uninteresting as fuck.
      - 5y ago
- Arrath 5y ago
  Sometimes all you want or need is a dial. I don't need my dimmable lights to have a rave function, or work as a visualizer for the music I'm listening to. A dial on the wall also doesn't potentially open an IoT shaped hole in my network security.
  - alar44 5y ago
  - alar44 5y ago
    So buy one with those features, otherwise, you're just an old man yelling at clouds.
- lesuorac 5y ago
  > I mean, what data is going to get extracted? Your favorite color? Well probably that as well as information about every device on the same wifi network and a list of nearby bluetooth devices.
  - alar44 5y ago
    Your browser can do this too. So what?
    - lesuorac 5y ago
      Sure the browser can do that as well but your question was what data can be extracted and its more than just your favorite color.
- mission_failed 5y ago
  And then of course you can't turn them off when AWS is down
- murftown 5y ago
  > I mean, what data is going to get extracted? Your favorite color? For instance, a log of every time I turn my lights on and off? Coupled with of course all kinds of fingerprinting info about my phone which is also tied to all my accounts. Others mentioned it could also scan the local network. Creepy. So sick of apps being required for basic things. My ISP is trying to require one to admin my router...

alar44 5y ago

Because app has a shitload more functions than a dial. I can program my strips to do all kinds of cool stuff. I mean, what data is going to get extracted? Your favorite color? The app that came with mine is great and I can work the controls remotely. Might be the wrong forum to be complaining that an app is too hard for you.

_vertigo 5y ago
> Might be the wrong forum to be complaining that an app is too hard for you. You're misconstruing the objection here. No one thinks an app is too hard. The problem I don't want my email to end up in some database because I wanted to dim my lights. I imagine it would also be able to collect info on what bluetooth devices I have in my kitchen, etc.
pickledcods 5y ago
Have you checked the trackers and data loggers build into that app that directly or indirectly call home when you interact with your lights? I have an aquarium and I use a water quality tester when I suspect something is wrong. Before it was a colour stripe you have to compare with a reference printed on a package. Now it uses a camera and matches the color better for a better analysis. However, that app calls home directly to JBL, so they are building a profile on how I abuse my fish because every time it logs, it logs a bad situation. It also leaks the usage to jquery, google and crashlytics without notifying me or asking my consent.
- rablackburn 5y ago
  > It also leaks the usage to jquery, … This is the first time I’ve read someone refer to loading jquery as a data leak. Ideally they shouldn’t be using jquery, or just shipping it with the app/self-hosting. But for the general case, are you saying your ideal would be an app prompting you for permission before it loaded any external resource from any url? Even one as ubiquitous as jquery? How is the fact that your IP address requested a copy of jquery, one of the most downloaded JavaScript libraries of all time, any kind of meaningful signal? I’d be more worried about it as an attack vector than a privacy infringement.
  - pickledcods 5y ago
    I would like an app that handles the functioning of my paid product locally without internet access. The product was sold with strings attached that was not mentioned. Loading any framework script not hosted on the site the app originates is the same kind of leak as the facebook pixel. jquery gets my IP, access time and referrer. They can cross-site track me over all pages that load their scripts. I also use frameworks scripts, only I host them locally to counter this kind of leakage.
    - alar44 5y ago
      You're a drop of water in the ocean. Protect the shit that matters and stop worrying about apps "stealing" your contacts or whatever.
  - alar44 5y ago
    That's the thing, people actually think their data matters. It doesn't. Your a point in a multi billion point multimillion dimensional cloud. Your data doesn't matter. Yeah, data farms can glean data trends from populations, but there's infinite ways to do this and most aren't actually concerned about who "you" are, but what "people" are doing. In short, you're not that important, you're not being individually spied on, get over yourself. You're uninteresting as fuck.
    - 5y ago
Arrath 5y ago
Sometimes all you want or need is a dial. I don't need my dimmable lights to have a rave function, or work as a visualizer for the music I'm listening to. A dial on the wall also doesn't potentially open an IoT shaped hole in my network security.
- alar44 5y ago
- alar44 5y ago
  So buy one with those features, otherwise, you're just an old man yelling at clouds.
lesuorac 5y ago
> I mean, what data is going to get extracted? Your favorite color? Well probably that as well as information about every device on the same wifi network and a list of nearby bluetooth devices.
- alar44 5y ago
  Your browser can do this too. So what?
  - lesuorac 5y ago
    Sure the browser can do that as well but your question was what data can be extracted and its more than just your favorite color.
mission_failed 5y ago
And then of course you can't turn them off when AWS is down
murftown 5y ago
> I mean, what data is going to get extracted? Your favorite color? For instance, a log of every time I turn my lights on and off? Coupled with of course all kinds of fingerprinting info about my phone which is also tied to all my accounts. Others mentioned it could also scan the local network. Creepy. So sick of apps being required for basic things. My ISP is trying to require one to admin my router...