Reviewers Don't Trust Facebook's Portal

AlphaAtlas

AlphaAtlas

[H]ard|Gawd
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Reviewers have had their hands on Facebook's Portal for some time, and the verdict is pretty much the same everywhere: Portal is one of the best video calling devices ever made. The Wall Street Journal calls it the "most immersive video-chatting experiences I've ever had," while CNET praises the camera's tracking ability, screen quality, and camera quality, saying it feels like you're in the same room as the other person. However, almost every review I came across had one major caveat: they simply don't trust the device. The same Wall Street Journal reviewer who praised the Facebook device refused to even bring a Portal into her home. A New York Times reviewer was frustrated by how easy the device was to setup, and how amazing it was, as he couldn't shake the feeling that it was "some kind of digital Eye of Sauron." In spite of their substantial efforts, Facebook seems to have broken the trust of the press, and its possible that feeling could filter down to consumers this holiday season.

That was my biggest problem - and likely Facebook's most difficult hurdle to overcome when selling the Portal. It was the idea that I was putting an always-on camera in my home, connected to Facebook, 24 hours a day. There was no shaking the feeling that I was being watched.

Of course, there is a certain irony here. I wonder how many of those reporters walk around with (more or less) stock Android phones, with Facebook baked into the system image...
 
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Just waiting until some 4-yr old girl dances around in the buff in front of one of these, and some perv at Facebook sends it viral.
Maybe then people will stop paying to bring mega-corps into their homes to spy on them ... but probably not.
 
kju1 said:
I, for one, look forward to seeing the hacks and the embarrassing videos that show up on the interwebs...
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Just so you know, Arizona law (just to give an example) imposes a 10-year sentence (no parole) per item of child porn you posses, to run consecutively, and has a pretty broad definition of what qualifies as child porn. So I wouldn't be looking forward to quite all of those "embarrassing videos."

Once saw a case where a guy got 140 years (no parole) for possessing child porn. He'll die in prison, but frankly, he deserved far worse.
 
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Trust?
Facebook?
e8a[1].gif
 
rewted said:
I'll file this one under "no shit"
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Where is that double like button? I was going to say pretty much the same thing.
If anyone has any trust left in FB, I question where they have been living for the past year.....
 
pcgeekesq said:
Just waiting until some 4-yr old girl dances around in the buff in front of one of these, and some perv at Facebook sends it viral.
Maybe then people will stop paying to bring mega-corps into their homes to spy on them ... but probably not.
Click to expand...

it doesnt even need to be some perv. remember the stories from years ago.. when people had to get film developed?? of how innocent family pics of babies in the bathtub or such, had parents in hot water when picking them up? as pedos

some thing with this. Familys having video chats.. with people not aware.. partly naked or such.. walking by, and then others in the feed replaying it.. BAM.. instant child porn
 
I have 3 oculus/facebook cameras and a microphone in my home office for VR development. You bet your ass that machine is only on when its being used for VR, and has VR-only accounts on it. I physically cut power to the entire machine at the wall when not in use.
 
Spire3660 said:
I have 3 oculus/facebook cameras and a microphone in my home office for VR development. You bet your ass that machine is only on when its being used for VR, and has VR-only accounts on it. I physically cut power to the entire machine at the wall when not in use.
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You know there is still some power in the caps.... j/k ;)
 
Should come with a warning sticker "Do not masturbate in vicinity of device".
 
kju1 said:
Unless you are a hot chick. Then please spread
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Yaknow I almost said something to that effect but didn't want to hurt any feelings. You know, because hardforum is crawling with hot computer nerd chicks..... /S
 
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Who ever allows Failbook Portal in their home will be laughed at and questioned.
 
Just put riot.im on a tablet and attach it to A wall. Omfg you have something cheaper, reliable and actually respects your privacy. Even has provable E2E encryption.
 
Burticus said:
Yaknow I almost said something to that effect but didn't want to hurt any feelings. You know, because hardforum is crawling with hot computer nerd chicks..... /S
Click to expand...

I will let you know if any of them out themselves to me. I am not convinced there are unicorns either...but stranger things have happened right?
 
Does anyone really trust big tech not to spy on you and record everything you do?
1. Google has Nest Cam/Home, Google.com, Android, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Duo, Google Voice, Google Analytics, Google Glass, Google+
2. Amazon has Alexa
3. Microsoft has Windows 10, Xbox One, Skype
4. Facebook has Portal, face recognition technology, Facebook, Messenger
5. Apple has iPhone, Facetime

P.S. if you are dumb enough to have Nest Home in your home (or have no choice), at least put a sticker over the OPTICAL CAMERA on it (left of Nest logo) that serves no other purpose than potentially spying on you. The motion sensor above the logo still works fine.
 
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sleepeeg3 said:
Does anyone really trust big tech not to spy on you and record everything you do?
1. Google has Nest Cam/Home, Google.com, Android, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Duo, Google Voice, Google Analytics, Google Glass, Google+
2. Amazon has Alexa
3. Microsoft has Windows 10, Xbox One, Skype
4. Facebook has Portal, face recognition technology, Facebook, Messenger
5. Apple has iPhone, Facetime

P.S. if you are dumb enough to have Nest Home in your home (or have no choice), at least put a sticker over the OPTICAL CAMERA on it (left of Nest logo) that serves no other purpose than potentially spying on you. The motion sensor above the logo still works fine.
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Exist here they dont.
Freeeeeeeeeeeeee :)
 
Guys your forgetting about those people (the ones who don't close the door when they take a sh**) who just want to get attention and would love to have people watching them do their thing in their house. Imagine 5.1 surround sound for that guy's house!
 
sleepeeg3 said:
Does anyone really trust big tech not to spy on you and record everything you do?
1. Google has Nest Cam/Home, Google.com, Android, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Duo, Google Voice, Google Analytics, Google Glass, Google+

2. Amazon has Alexa and Twitch and Prime Video and IMDb and Kiva and Whole Foods + dozens more and via AWS has Netflix, the NSA, the CIA and more.

3. Microsoft has Windows 10, Xbox One, Skype
4. Facebook has Portal, face recognition technology, Facebook, Messenger
5. Apple has iPhone, Facetime

P.S. if you are dumb enough to have Nest Home in your home (or have no choice), at least put a sticker over the OPTICAL CAMERA on it (left of Nest logo) that serves no other purpose than potentially spying on you. The motion sensor above the logo still works fine.
Click to expand...


Fixed the Amazon reach a little. Pretty sure Jeff feels there's 2 or 3 too many companies on that list. Need to consolidate more. One stop surveillance shopping.
 
sleepeeg3 said:
Does anyone really trust big tech not to spy on you and record everything you do?
1. Google has Nest Cam/Home, Google.com, Android, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Duo, Google Voice, Google Analytics, Google Glass, Google+
2. Amazon has Alexa
3. Microsoft has Windows 10, Xbox One, Skype
4. Facebook has Portal, face recognition technology, Facebook, Messenger
5. Apple has iPhone, Facetime

P.S. if you are dumb enough to have Nest Home in your home (or have no choice), at least put a sticker over the OPTICAL CAMERA on it (left of Nest logo) that serves no other purpose than potentially spying on you. The motion sensor above the logo still works fine.
Click to expand...

Google owns nest.

Amazon: Has amazon photos, AWS, Imdb, WholeFoods, AbeBooks, Some publishers (49 north is one), Twitch, and more. Interesting Alexa used to be a web indexing company before amazon repurposed the name...
 
kju1 said:
Google owns nest.

Amazon: Has amazon photos, AWS, Imdb, WholeFoods, AbeBooks, Some publishers (49 north is one), Twitch, and more. Interesting Alexa used to be a web indexing company before amazon repurposed the name...
Click to expand...

Don't forget Amazon has Ring.
 
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