Tech Subscriptions Are Out of Control
Summary
TLDRThe video script discusses the privacy concerns surrounding Amazon's Alexa, suggesting it could be invasive due to its surveillance capabilities. It criticizes the trend of tech companies like Amazon and Logitech moving from one-time product purchases to monthly subscription models, which some view as exploitative. The script also touches on Anova's decision to charge a subscription for their smart sous vide cookers, despite the functionality being potentially unnecessary for cloud services. It ends with a call for consumers to resist such subscription models and opt for products that don't restrict basic usage.
Takeaways
- 🤔 Privacy Concerns: The script raises concerns about the privacy implications of devices like Amazon's Alexa, which can be invasive if misused.
- 🎥 Alexa as a Wiretap: It compares Alexa to a wiretap, suggesting that people are willingly placing surveillance devices in their homes.
- 👁️🗨️ Niche Utility: Alexa is acknowledged as beneficial for those with visual impairments, enhancing their quality of life through voice-activated assistance.
- 📈 Subscription Model Shift: The script discusses the shift from one-time purchases to subscription-based models for tech products, like Alexa's new $10/month service.
- 📅 Upcoming AI-Enhanced Alexa: Amazon is set to release an AI-enhanced version of Alexa in October, which has been in development for some time.
- 📰 AI-Generated News: The new Alexa is rumored to include a feature that creates AI-generated summaries of news articles based on user preferences.
- 🚫 Logitech's 'Forever Mouse': The script mentions Logitech's controversial idea of a subscription-based mouse that requires ongoing payments for software updates.
- 🍳 Anova's Sous Vide Cooker Subscription: Anova, a smart sous vide cooker company, plans to charge a subscription fee for using their app with the devices.
- 📱 Subscription Fatigue: The script highlights the growing trend of companies converting products into subscription services, leading to customer backlash.
- 🏡 Ownership to Renting: It critiques the change from owning products outright to a renting model where consumers pay monthly for usage.
Q & A
What privacy concerns are raised about Amazon's Alexa devices?
-The privacy concerns raised about Amazon's Alexa devices are that they may be invasive, with capabilities similar to surveillance bugs used by law enforcement or rival gangs in movies, yet people willingly place them in central locations within their homes.
For what specific user group does the script suggest Alexa might be beneficial?
-The script suggests that Alexa might be beneficial for people with visual impairments or other impairments that necessitate a voice-activated digital assistant for quality of life purposes.
What is the new business model that Amazon is implementing for Alexa after 10 years of offering it for free?
-After 10 years of offering Alexa for free, Amazon is now implementing a subscription-based business model, charging a $10 a month fee for an AI-enhanced version of Alexa.
What additional feature is rumored to be included in the new version of Alexa?
-The new version of Alexa is rumored to include a feature called 'smart briefing', which creates AI-generated summaries of news articles selected based on a customer's preferences.
How does the script describe the potential impact of Alexa's 'smart briefing' feature on the dissemination of news?
-The script expresses concern that Alexa's 'smart briefing' feature could be used to broadcast potentially misleading or 'fake news' directly to users, especially in sensitive times like a month before a presidential election.
What is the 'forever mouse' concept mentioned in the script, and why did it receive negative press?
-The 'forever mouse' is a concept by Logitech that would require users to pay for software updates on a continuous basis to use the mouse, despite its basic functionality being plug-and-play. It received negative press because it was seen as an unnecessary paywall for a simple device.
What is Anova's subscription model for their smart sous vide cookers, and how has it been received by customers?
-Anova announced a $2 per month subscription fee for using their app with their smart sous vide cookers. This model has been met with significant customer backlash, with many expressing dissatisfaction in comments on their blog post.
What is sous vide cooking, and how does it relate to the smart cookers mentioned in the script?
-Sous vide cooking is a method that involves sealing food in a vacuum bag and cooking it in a temperature-controlled water bath. The smart cookers mentioned in the script are devices that heat the water for this cooking method.
How does the script suggest that companies are changing the ownership model of their products?
-The script suggests that companies are changing the ownership model of their products from one-time purchases to continuous monthly subscriptions, which not only tracks usage habits but also requires ongoing payments for basic functionality.
What is the script's stance on the trend of companies implementing subscription fees for products that were once outright purchases?
-The script is critical of the trend, suggesting it leads to a dystopian-like scenario where basic household items require monthly payments and that consumers should resist such 'greedy' subscription services.
Outlines
🤖 Privacy Concerns and Subscription Models for Smart Devices
The paragraph discusses privacy concerns surrounding Amazon's Alexa, suggesting it may be invasive due to its surveillance-like capabilities. It contrasts people's reactions to fictional surveillance in movies with their acceptance of real-life devices like Alexa. The speaker acknowledges the potential benefits for individuals with disabilities but criticizes the majority of users for willingly installing a 'corporate wiretap' in their homes. It also touches on Amazon's decision to charge a monthly fee for an enhanced version of Alexa, rumored to include an AI-generated news summary feature. This move is seen as a step towards a dystopian future where tech companies transition from one-time purchases to subscription models, as exemplified by other products like Logitech's 'forever mouse' and Anova's sous vide cookers, which also introduced subscription fees.
💸 The Shift to Subscription-Based Services in Consumer Electronics
This paragraph delves into the growing trend of companies imposing subscription fees for products that were traditionally purchased outright. It uses Anova's sous vide cookers as a case study, where the company announced a monthly subscription for app usage, despite the app's basic functionality being accessible offline. The speaker questions the necessity of cloud services for such devices and criticizes the additional costs for features that could be locally managed. Anova's attempt to justify the fees by claiming the connected cookers incur costs is met with skepticism. The paragraph also mentions the backlash from customers, including those who were told they would be exempt but still faced charges. It concludes with a broader commentary on the absurdity of monthly bills for devices that were once a one-time investment, advocating for consumer resistance against such business practices.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Privacy
💡Amazon Alexa
💡Surveillance
💡Wiretap
💡AI-generated summaries
💡Subscription model
💡Logitech's forever mouse
💡Sous Vide
💡Cloud services
💡Grandfathering
💡Smart appliances
Highlights
Privacy concerns with Amazon Alexa being compared to invasive surveillance devices.
Irony of people using Alexa despite its potential for surveillance, similar to devices used in crime and spy movies.
Niche utility of Alexa for individuals with visual impairments or other disabilities.
The majority of Alexa users are able-bodied, yet they have a 'corporate wiretap' in their homes.
Amazon's decision to charge a $10 monthly fee for an AI-enhanced version of Alexa after a decade of free service.
Rumors of the new Alexa featuring smart briefing, generating AI summaries of news based on user preferences.
Criticism of Amazon potentially broadcasting misleading news through Alexa's smart briefing feature.
Comparison to the 'forever mouse' by Logitech, which required a subscription for software updates.
Logitech's backpedaling on the forever mouse idea due to negative press.
Anova's announcement to charge a $2 monthly subscription for using their smart sous vide cookers with an app.
Critique of Anova's claim that connected cooking devices cost them money, suggesting local functionality is possible.
Anova's offer of expert-created sous vide guides and recipe features as part of their subscription service.
Grandfathering of existing Anova customers before August 2nd, exempting them from the new subscription fee.
Public backlash and negative comments on Anova's blog post regarding the subscription fee.
The absurdity of having to pay monthly subscriptions for appliances that were once outright purchases.
Call to action for consumers to reject subscription-based services and choose products without paywalls.
Transcripts
from a privacy standpoint the Amazon
Alexa may be one of the most invasive
devices ever created it baffles me how
people can watch crime or spy movies and
see the extent that the characters in
those films will go through to find and
destroy surveillance bugs that are
placed in their home by law enforcement
or rival gang members to spy on them
while having a device with the very same
capabilities placed in a central
location within their living room
bedrooms and kitchen now I can see a
certain Niche usage of Alexa for people
with visual impairments or other
impairments that would necessitate a
digital assistant that's voice activated
like Alexa for quality of life purposes
but the vast majority of Alexa users
don't fall into this category they're
able-bodied people who have a corporate
wire tap in their home just so that they
can ask it for pan cake recipes or to
play some songs for them occasionally
but after 10 years of Amazon's Alexa
being Freez and beer the company has
decided that now is the time with all of
the AI hype to start charging a $10 a
month fee for the privilege of you using
Alexa or at least for the privilege of
you using an AI turbocharged version of
Alexa this is a project project that
Amazon has been working on for a while
now since the AI fever started and after
numerous delays Amazon claims its
overhauled Alexa service will be
available in October the new Alexa is
also rumored to come with smart briefing
a feature that creates AI generated
summaries of news articles that are
selected based on a customer's
preferences so Amazon is putting themsel
in crime position to broadcast some of
the craziest fake news that you'll ever
hear right into the ears of those who
not only use the wir but pay a $10 a
month subscription for it one month
before a presidential election you
better get used to cyberpunk dystopias
because you're living in one now this
$10 a month AI Alexa service is not the
only recent example of tech companies
changing their products from things that
you actually own after a single purchase
into monthly subscriptions that you
never really get to own you probably
heard about the forever mouse that
Logitech came up with a couple of months
ago that would have required users to
continuously pay for software updates
for a mouse so that they could use it
forever which was also rumored to have
an upfront cost of around $200
computer mice these days are pretty much
all plug-and playay even the ones that
have several buttons DPI switches and
extra scroll Wheels they just work with
your OS drivers as soon as you plug them
in but Logitech thought that it might be
a good idea for them to put one of the
easiest things in Computing behind a pay
wall that also comes with an expensive
upfront cost they were also claiming
that the software for the forever Mouse
would offer macro support in a lot of
other fancy features but this can all be
achieved with free software for the
power users who want it without any
extra monthly cost and the software
works with any Mouse not just the fancy
$200 ones for that much money you can
already get a very well-built mouse that
will pretty much last you forever as
long as you don't bash it around even
sheet mice these days are rated for over
50 million clicks or so
and maybe if you play a lot of
fast-paced games you'll eventually wear
out the left or rightclick buttons on
your mouse but you may still be able to
repair the mice and continue using them
but for normal usage a well treated
Mouse will probably last you as long as
the adapters that you use to plug it in
are around now Logitech has since
backpedal on the forever Mouse idea
because of how much negative press it's
gotten but that hasn't stopped stopped
other companies from coming up with
ridiculous subscription fees for their
products that you once used to be able
to own
outright Anova a company that sells
smart Su cookers announced last month
that they were going to start charging
people who use their app with the
devices $2 per month for that privilege
now in case you aren't familiar with
suid it's a process for cooking food
that involves sealing it in a vacuum bag
and then placing it in water that's
heated by one of these devices and this
lets you cook food to a perfect internal
temperature without trying it out
because all of the moisture is sealed
within the bag and you can also cook
several different things that are sealed
in different bags at once if you have a
large enough water basin and Sous is
also one of the most hands-off cooking
methods in existence
which is why like air fryers it's
showing up in a lot of Home kitchens and
in restaurant kitchens now an NOA
explains in their blog post about this
subscription fee update that connected
Cooks actually cost them money and by
connected Cooks I assume that they're
talking about when you use the app to
set the cooker and track how long it's
cooking and things like that instead of
just manually setting that on the device
itself
but I have a really hard time believing
this claim about connected Cooks
actually costing Anova any money unless
they just
purposefully design their app to run
everything in the cloud instead of
locally on the customer network from
what I could tell the primary function
of the app is basically a two-way smart
thermometer you connect to the Sid
machine over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
depending on the model and from there
you can see the temperature of your food
in real time you can adjust it you can
see how long it has to cook and adjust
that too and all of that functionality
can be done locally without any Cloud
and requiring an internet
connection for the app to function is
basically a disservice to people because
then you're not going to be able to use
the app in remote places where you don't
have internet an NOA also mentions that
you'll get sued guides that are created
by experts which are basically these
pre-programmed cooking recipes that you
can use and they have a recipe search
function and a recipe bookmarking
feature but again all of this could
technically be done locally in the app
without extra Cloud shed other than
maybe hosting a recipe website which
also isn't terribly expensive to do now
on on the bright side they have also
said that the people who created free
Anova accounts before August 2 first are
going to be grandfathered in and not
have to pay but all the new subscribers
will but despite that there's hundreds
of negative comments below the blog post
and some are from people that even say
that they signed up for an account
before the period where it was going to
start costing them money and there're
still being told that they have to pay
from the computer mouse to household
cooking appliances products that people
use to actually own are now not only
tracking your usage habits but sending
you a bill every month for their
continuous usage imagine living in a
world where you look over your monthly
expenses making sure that you paid the
mortgage the cell phone bill light bill
and oh don't forget about paying the air
fryer bill this month too because last
time you forgot and you couldn't make
late night chicken nug without calling
the Indian call center that's open when
it's 2 a.m. at your house so that you
can get your smart air fryer working
again hopefully people stick to their
online reactions towards these greedy
subscription services and pick gadgets
that don't withhold basic functionality
behind a $10 a month pay wall
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