Failing that, if you have a blog, publicise that so others get put off buying that brand. Complain to them (edit: sony) directly also. Don't just sit there are take it, it's what they're relying on.
What we need is a push for free software in consumer electronics. Get any major manufacturer to realize that they can not differentiate on software and stick to making good hardware. The sooner they accept that Google is eating their lunch on the value-add anyway and that the best way to counter them is by commoditizing the software stack.
Were I an executive of LG or Samsung, I would just make sure that any TV could boot a custom OS and I would get it shipped with Kodi. Get whatever resources on R&D you want to keep and make sure they work on top of Kodi. Show a big fat finger to Android and let Google being forced to make their own TVs if they really want the market.
Typically those consumer rights only protect individuals, leaving businesses (even small ones, who are at a similar disadvantage to consumers in not being able to negotiate anything with huge manufacturers/suppliers) with little if any protection.
One key difference from days gone by is that modern devices often contain large amounts of private data, which you might not be willing to hand over.
And it's all rather academic anyway if competition in that market has failed and all the major products are doing to same user-hostile things. This is normally the point where government intervention would be required, for example through legislation or regulatory action, but governments have been unwilling or unable to keep up with the pace of technological advancement.
I believe this is, at least in part, because representatives usually aren't technical experts and so may not understand the implications of modern technologies or the potential alternatives to current practice. I have reached the conclusion that until we educate those representatives and show them that people do care about these issues, the tide of increasingly user-hostile actions will only continue to rise. But of course that means people have to care enough themselves to get involved in contacting their reps or at least supporting organised campaigns, and sadly, it seems a lot of people either don't care enough to do that instead of moaning on Twitter of Facebook and then accepting their fate.
Any reason why not here?
> consumer rights only protect individuals
he's an individual. It was not apparently a business expense
> with little if any protection
If you're in the EU you've got protection.
> that modern devices often contain large amounts of private data
It's a TV so in this case so what (in general, perhaps, but don't most devices have encryption?)
> And it's all rather academic anyway if competition in that market has failed and all the major products are doing to same user-hostile things
And you're rolling over hopelessly as if you can't do anything. Fair enough, you get (nothing) what you give (nothing).
> because representatives usually aren't technical experts and so may not understand the implications of modern technologies or the potential alternatives to current practice
IT'S A TV! WITH CRAPPY UI RESPONSE! Stop making excuses for bad practice. Do something.
> the tide of increasingly user-hostile actions will only continue to rise
OK, let's stop here. I complain when necessary & shit gets fixed quite often. You clearly can't be bothered to fight back so you're rationalising that it's not worth it. I'm not wasting time on this.
And you seem to have ignored my entire final paragraph, which was about what I think we need to do to improve the situation. I am doing my part; I contact my representatives to draw tech issues to their attention, for example, and I donate to various relevant campaign groups. But I am only one person, and it will take more than just me and a few people like me to effect change on the required scale.
You start somewhere
> And you seem to have ignored my entire final paragraph
which culminated in
>> sadly, it seems a lot of people either don't care enough to do that instead of moaning on Twitter of Facebook and then accepting their fate.
which is you accepting your fate, it seems. You suggested nothing useful, only moaned that others couldn't be bothered.
In summary you built up a case of hopelessness and accused others of it.
How come I often get results when I bug manufacturers? Your apathy superpower is painful to see. Thank you but that's quite enough, I prefer to get results instead.
Key is persistence.
Sure, do exercise your right as a consumer and do more than just complaining. If I ever bought something that started performing this badly I would return it as well. Problem is, what do you trade it for? I'd like to find a 50" TV with no smart TV features. Will your complaining and nagging on review sites going to make this a reality?
As long as we keep accepting only the choices provided by the status quo all you are getting is a slightly more comfortable golden cage. This is what makes GP feel powerless.
OK, nitpick over, I have trouble disagreeing with you. Let's try to answer that.
> what do you trade it for?
Perhaps if companies had to deal with a load of complaints, losing cash at each one, they might start to care? I can tell you that companies hate being embarrassed in public so complain loudly.
But otherwise, on another hn thread a while ago some guy said he'd bought, or would buy, a dumb monitor and link that up.
There's 2 solutions (if the latter works). Don't complain they don't solve everything instantly, they won't.
> Will your complaining and nagging on review sites going to make this a reality?
You'll never know if you don't try.
> This is what makes GP feel powerless.
I know the feeling! But I keep fighting back and I get results. Read that as you will.
Many of you US guys died to separate yourselves from the rule of us brits. Now for domestic goods you can't be bothered to rage. Doesn't seem right...
Like your post though!
For a very low bar of "results", sure. But unless you are getting electronics with special features or without artificial restrictions imposed by the companies, I wouldn't count I managed to return a shitty TV that got shittier for another baseline shitty TV as "getting results".
> Perhaps if companies had to deal with a load of complaints, losing cash at each one, they might start to care?
They won't "lose cash". If consumers on aggregate started demanding more quality and better support from their companies, it would translate into increased costs and consequently increased prices. Business as a whole can sustain the occasional annoying customer like you, but only when you are the exception and not the rule.
> But otherwise, on another hn thread a while ago some guy said he'd bought, or would buy, a dumb monitor and link that up.
Find the price of a 40"+ monitor that can do 4k and compare with the price of TVs, see how even high-end TVs cost less than the monitors. As an exercise to the reader, correlate that with the point above.
> You'll never know if you don't try.
I won't know because I don't want to know. I simply refuse to buy the shitty crippled electronics in the first place.
> Many of you US guys
I'm not American, but I lived there long enough to understand that most people live by the "Give me convenience or give me death" mentality. I also lived there long enough to realize that money is the only thing they understand. Put these two together, and it gets really hard to expect the average consumer to work to get anything better when they have something convenient for cheap.
> For a very low bar of "results", sure.
I'm curious, what are these results I'm getting that you judge as low-bar? I mean, specifically what?
What I did say was a response to this https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24292859
The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat.
It is learned helplessness, or "I can't be bothered so it must be not worth trying because I'll fail anyway". I can get stuff done but I fear the worst for humanity if it just does what's easiest. And I don't mean about TVs, I mean about the future of our species and the planet.
YC News and Reddit are perfect examples. You'll regularly see NetFlix, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon staff directly responding to customer complaints on these forums. In the past, Slashdot would similarly have people in the industry commenting.
These are all US-based and predominately English-speaking organisations responding on a US-based news site in English.
Sony is headquartered in Japan. Their TV division is in Japan. They speak Japanese. They don't frequent YC News or Reddit. They don't read English-language tweets or blogs.
Similarly, it's borderline impossible to provide constructive feedback to laptop companies, because most are either headquartered in Taiwan, or constrained by the capabilities of manufacturers in Taiwan.