• sugar_in_your_tea
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    6 hours ago

    The privacy issues come from the app, not the headphones. Don’t use the app and you’re fine.

    General privacy rules apply: any data you provide will be stored and sold. If you tell an app your height, weight, etc, the company will sell that. That shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.

    The only interesting bit here is Bluetooth tracking, meaning people can see a unique identifier by being near a Bluetooth device. This is true for all Bluetooth devices (and honestly any wireless protocol besides point to point wireless), so not unique to headphones. If your phone connects to cell towers, your headphones aren’t going to be the ones breaking your cover…

    • Lojcs@lemm.ee
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      5 hours ago

      Bluetooth tracking is also bs. Nobody is walking around in pairing mode

      • sugar_in_your_tea
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        3 hours ago

        I don’t know too much about Bluetooth, but my understanding is that the MAC address doesn’t change, so if that’s ever transmitted, you can be tracked.

        Someone will have to log it though, so I don’t think that’s nearly as interesting as cell towers tracking you nonstop.

  • BananaTrifleViolin@lemmy.world
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    10 hours ago

    Every device you have that has an app is harvesting ypur data to varying extents.

    Sony’s trick is hiding some configuration options in its app so you have to install it to make changes.

    It the app that is phoning home, not the actual device.

    • Ulrich@feddit.org
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      3 hours ago

      Most headphones work fine with just Bluetooth.

      I’ve purchased a few devices in my day that will not work without an app and/or an account. I cry for 5 minutes about what a fucking dystopian future we live in and how I’ve lost almost all excitement for new tech and then send it back to where it came from.

      • jaxxed@lemmy.ml
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        2 hours ago

        This.

        JBL pods manual even says that you need the app to enable the noise cancelling, but if you tap twice it enables it.

        • endeavor@sopuli.xyz
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          5 hours ago

          Im not, i could buy an DAP that only plays music. Nobidy knows what i listen to. They don’t even know aboht the anime folderi.

          • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            5 hours ago

            I have considered looking into an old school style MP3 player myself as well, I really might try and find one, or build one of those open source ones I’ve read about. Maybe the time is soon. But tbh I’m already carrying so much shit idk where I’d put it, between phone, vape/juice, wallet, and flipper I need all my pockets

            • endeavor@sopuli.xyz
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              2 hours ago

              There are really good chinese DAPS that do what you want. The one open source one isn’t looking too hot atm. I had a fiio x1 for 10 years until the sd card slot broke. Now I got a cheapo hundred dollar hifiwalker that does the same stuff but has preamp out and bluetooth.

    • Kernal64
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      7 hours ago

      A couple of years ago, I found my old minidisc player and I’ve been using that for music. There’s a FLOSS burning application made by the minidisc community that lets you burn discs from your browser. I’ve been enjoying my low tech music listening, knowing it can’t be tracked by some algorithm. 💽

        • Kernal64
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          2 hours ago

          Certainly! The app is located here. You do need a Chromium based browser (Edge, Chrome, or any browser based on the Chromium engine) to run it, though. This is a guide to help you get started with the app. And the site that the guide is on is a wealth of information about minidisc, both its past and present.

          Enjoy!

  • Lojcs@lemm.ee
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    10 hours ago

    Flimsy ass clickbait article. Wrong and misleading on so many levels

  • nesc@lemmy.cafe
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    11 hours ago

    No, they don’t and they can’t even explode close to or inside my ear due to not being powered by lithium battery.