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Android TV Update Puts Home-Screen Ads On Multi-Thousand-Dollar Sony Smart TVs (arstechnica.com)
Google is testing a new "Pilot Program" that puts a row of advertisements on the Android TV home screen. XDA Developers, which was the first to report the program, says: "We're currently seeing reports that it has shown up in Sony smart TVs, the Mi Box 3 from Xiaomi, NVIDIA Shield TV, and others." Ars Technica reports: The advertising is a "Sponsored Channel" part of the "Android TV Core Services" app that ships with all Android TV devices. A "Channel" in Android TV parlance means an entire row of thumbnails in the UI will be dedicated to "sponsored" content. Google provided XDA Developers with a statement saying that yes, this is on purpose, but for now it's a "pilot program."
Sony has tersely worded a support page detailing the "Sponsored channel," too. There's no mention here of it being a pilot program. Sony's page, titled "A sponsored channel has suddenly appeared on my TV Home menu," says, "This change is included in the latest Android TV Launcher app (Home app) update. The purpose is to help you discover new apps and contents for your TV." Sony goes on to say, "This channel is managed by Google" and "the Sponsored channel cannot be customized." Sony basically could replace the entire page with a "Deal with it" sunglasses gif, and it would send the same message.
Sony has tersely worded a support page detailing the "Sponsored channel," too. There's no mention here of it being a pilot program. Sony's page, titled "A sponsored channel has suddenly appeared on my TV Home menu," says, "This change is included in the latest Android TV Launcher app (Home app) update. The purpose is to help you discover new apps and contents for your TV." Sony goes on to say, "This channel is managed by Google" and "the Sponsored channel cannot be customized." Sony basically could replace the entire page with a "Deal with it" sunglasses gif, and it would send the same message.
Those of us that bought the original sony google TVs and were abandoned by both sony and google have never forgotten. Pretty sure none of us will buy Sony again - definitely not TVs at least.
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The TVs are no longer "smart" if they simply shovel Google adverts into your face like you're some kind of ad-hungry maggot. (For once I'm glad I have a dumb smart tv... aka, Panasonic.)
Why are people surprised that companies are NOT interesting in your time, space, and money? All they care about is selling you out in order to make a few bucks.
Is Sony, etc. going to stop? No, all that will happen is that a few people will complain about how disrespectful this is and absolutely NOTHING will change. :-(
Boycotting these companies won't stop this stupidity. Most people just don't care.
I'm not sure what a good (or practical) solution is to get this to stop. While banning ads would solve the problem too many people just don't give a fuck about blatant (commercial) propaganda.
This is why you shouldn't connect your TV to the internet. In fact, you should generally avoid connecting things to the internet.
My sig doesn't address Anons, sigs aren't visible to them.
The whole point of "Smart" TVs is for natively streaming online media, quickly & easily, without the fuss of having to muck around with HDMI cables & external devices. And the concept of locally streaming via DLNA is very much limited to the realm of the geek/enthusiast, and that's very unlikely to ever change.
If you use a TV with an OS made by an advertising company, can you really find it that surprising or audacious? People need to stop thinking of Google as a technology company and start thinking of them as what they really are: The world's biggest ad agency.
I browse on +1 so AC's need not respond, I won't see it.
Apple products are for incompetent morons who are clueless. Paying 5000+ for a 1200 (at most) computer. Stupid fucks!!!
Android TV, not Android. It's a different OS.