On: Google Forcing Nest Cameras’ Visual Indicator Ligh...

[mbrumlow]

Do I not own these cameras? I don't think they should be able to retroactively change this behavior.

As a consumer of 5 of these things I hate them glowing at me. Any sane person should simply assume that if a camera is aimed at you it is recording...

[ajna91 → mbrumlow]

I wonder if you do actually own them. These days you can never be sure.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/wn949b/how-corporations-u...

[defertoreptar → mbrumlow]

Here's my low tech solution to random LEDs from electronics in my bedroom while I sleep: electrical tape.

[shiftpgdn → defertoreptar]

Black nail polish also works well to "hide" obnoxious LEDs.

[jdnenej → shiftpgdn]

Harder to remove

[mbrumlow → jdnenej]

Also the light is nice to have for maintenance, and when "OK google" is active.

It also shows boot status..

[WalterBright → defertoreptar]

That's also the solution to the blinking 12:00 on the VCR.

[smt88 → mbrumlow]

Genuine question: how do you feel about Apple preventing Japanese users from disabling the camera "click" on iPhones when they first came out?[1]

1. https://www.wired.com/2008/07/pervert-alert-j/

[mbrumlow → smt88]

I have no issues as long as the device was not changed after it was sold.

Being able to disable the light was a feature, now it is not. I likely would have not bought these if the ability to disable the light was not a shipping feature.

And I would really not care if all new devices being activated did not have this feature. But I do care that my devices will stop working one way and start working another way.

[tomschlick → smt88]

Pretty sure that's by law in Japan.

[saagarjha → tomschlick]

As far as I can tell, it's merely convention and not the law to have this sound in Japan.

[mbreese → saagarjha]

Here’s an article that seems to explain this better. Not sure if it is accurate, but I think it is. TLDR; it is a carrier requirement for the market. Not a law, but still a required feature.

https://articles.inqk.net/2018/02/09/japan-iphone-shutter.ht...

[hop → smt88]

It’s by law in Japan.

[saagarjha → hop]

I don't think it's the law: it's just something that carriers will ask for before selling the phone.

[mbrumlow → mbrumlow]

And I was just it with the update. Lights glowing all over my house.

My wife just freaked out and wanted to know why the lite was on, she says it makes her feel uncomfortable.

Result? I have started making designing my own cameras and will be replacing the nest ones with something I have more control over.

I feel like I should be able to get a refund on all these stupid devices now.

[parliament32 → mbrumlow]

Is it open source? If not, then no, you don't own the software on it.

This is why FOSS matters.