I have a 4k monitor attached to a 4k roku and my mac mini.
When I want to stream a movie, I switch the monitor to my Roku. When I want to use my computer (95 percent of the time), I switch the monitor to my mac mini. Any insane browser requirements related to hdcp-2.2, specific plugins, and vendor certification is therefore fobbed off to Roku, and not to me/Apple. There are a few minor disadvantages and annoyances: Amazon’s roku app doesn’t have a high resolution interface to accompany the 4k streams–The menus look jagged. The search engine also kind of sucks because I don’t have a keyboard for my Roku.
Heck, I had a Samsung Bluray player that got bricked when the company botched an automatic software update for the entire model line. It’s an ugly doorstop now. I’m never buying their shit again.
Smart devices might offer all the non-smart features if the central server is down. For example a smart dryer that won’t remotely tell you the status, or push a notification that your clothes are dry if a server is down…but still “lets” you turn it on at the front panel, select dryer settings, and start/stop it. Or smart lights that work when something else in the home sends commands even with a central server down, but don’t work from outside the home (or really off of the same WiFi) if the central server is down.
Or a phone that won’t let you do a software upgrade if the central server is down, but will let you keep using the software it already has.
I have an older Vizio TV I never agreed to the terms of service for, so all I can do is use HDMI inputs…which is all I want. I got another similar model, but it won’t actually allow use of anything without agreeing to the terms of service. I attempted to return it to the retailer who told me they don’t take open box returns without a substantial return fee, but they ended up taking it back no fee when I pointed out CA law requires purchasers have a chance to verify that the product is suitable for use. They pointed out that in store testing was more then enough and I owed them a return fee. When I pointed out the in store version allowed use of HDMI and the TV they sold me did not, so they were either committing fraud, or violating the return laws, and I would be happy to let a judge figure out which one if the persisted…they took the TV back and gave a full refund.
They were not interested in helping me figure out what replacement TV wouldn’t require post-purchase licensing though.
Agreed, as long as that doesn’t establish so much burden that companies that let you remote-lock/brick cell phones when you think they are stolen can’t do that anymore.
This really ought to be obvious but if Samsung can remotely brick a bunch of their electronic devices then so can a clever group of hackers.
The next large-scale ransomware attack might not be against local government agencies or healthcare providers, it might be an attack against consumers themselves.
