Why would anyone want a Spektrum Android radio?

[CertifiedMike]

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory...lement-texas-privacy-lawsuit-facial-112405253

THIS is what I was saying. Absolute SWINE!

 

[fstnd]

That's crazy

 

[CertifiedMike]

The thing is, with R/C, its likely that children will be involved. Minors I should say.
Meta doesn't care obviously.
This fine is nothing compared to the profit they stand to make from this info.
I imagine its more valuable if no one else has it yet so kids biometrics are likely $$$.
Worse than all this, the info is OUT THERE! If my or your prints got sold, they are NEVER going to be "private" again.
They are the evil that is running the entire planet into the ground. But that's just what I think.
Selling ppls biometrics without knowledge or consent is just low.
The technology is awesome! What is being done with it is terrifyimg!

 

[Greywolf74]

The thing is, with R/C, its likely that children will be involved. Minors I should say.
Meta doesn't care obviously.
This fine is nothing compared to the profit they stand to make from this info.
I imagine its more valuable if no one else has it yet so kids biometrics are likely $$$.
Worse than all this, the info is OUT THERE! If my or your prints got sold, they are NEVER going to be "private" again.
They are the evil that is running the entire planet into the ground. But that's just what I think.
Selling ppls biometrics without knowledge or consent is just low.
The technology is awesome! What is being done with it is terrifyimg!

Technology will be the noose in which they will hang us all eventually.

 

[CertifiedMike]

Actually, the way end user agreementts are written, wouldn't it be that we hang ourselves with the tech???

 

[Greywolf74]

Actually, the way end user agreementts are written, wouldn't it be that we hang ourselves with the tech???

I'm not even talking about that. I'm saying the government will enslave us using technology without the use of EULAs eventually. They've been gradually doing already for decades, and it's just gonna keep getting worse.

 

[CertifiedMike]

I know what you're saying and I totally agree. I was just tryin to laugh so I don't cry.
I think if I actually voiced my opinions here, I would quickly become the unpopular tinfoil hat guy on this forum.
I fear for what is to come if we don't step it up.
I do not think the govt is our friend either. Frankly, I believe the entirety of our nation has been sold to the highest bidders.
Its the only thing I can think of to explain how "our" govt is continuing to allow blatant spying on their own ppl.
Since the govt can't do it but Google sure as hell can... connect the dots. They openly share info with the govt. No warrants or court orders required.
We are in BIG trouble here.
THIS is why I post questions like these.
People are gonna do what they do.
I just don't want somene to be thinking they are buying one thing when they are actually paying for the "right" to be spied on.
Unfortunately, I can't come up with a better term for an Android device. Its spyware.
I'll go back to AM Futaba twin stick Attack radio's with 30' of range before I allow one of these sh*tbox radios in my home. But hey, thats just me.

 

[Jerold]

Google makes their money by collecting information about its users and then selling tgat info to those who advertise with them. This is not a secret. They openly admit to collecting the info. We agree to that in a hidden page in an end user agreement. We know how this works. Soon, this will have a camera that can't be shut off, gps, bluetooth and nfc. ALL of those things can be and ARE used to spy on all of us.

I see what you are saying, and it's true. Google, once the icon of freedom from the corporate overlords has become the ultimate overlord.

While I think that Android is completely unnecessary and overkill for this application. It is also bloated and not a real time OS and has no business being in any sort of control system. However, it does allow the developer (Spektrum) to create a highly functionality product by making use of the existing frame work.

Privacy is ALWAYs a concern. I didn't find any End User License Agreement on the Spektrum website and I'm sure they have one. It is a legal document that says what information they collect and how they use it. It might be something that can be requested from Specktrum. However, the license they have today isn't a guarantee that it will not change.

If you really want one and are concerned about it, use a burner email address. Personally, I would rather spend $700 on the Futaba.

 

[CertifiedMike]

Ther3 is a growing trend in technology. If anyone likes, I linked to a pretty smart guy on youtube. Louis Rossman is his name. He repairs laptops professionally and is pretty well in touch with the tech world imo.
He, like many others, sees a trend in tech where things "change" after a smart device is purchased. After that device is purchased, the manufacturer decides to change the End User Agreement. The changes have included being forced to giveup rights to your personal data in order to access your "now locked down accounts" .

This is Adobe. There are plenty of other "big name" companies who have done this.
Another trend is for manufacturers to sell a device and simply stop supporting it if its not as profitable as forecasted. rendering it totally useless. Even IF they eventually refund my money, how long does it take and now I need to start over with a new device AND dispose of MORE E-WASTE!

(I know how concerned we all are about rising sea levels. Has anyone considered how much water a "plastic (trash) island in the middle of the of the ocean" might be displacing?)
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/great-pacific-garbage-patch/
By using technology that can be changed nd adjusted by the will of the manufacturer, it seems LIKELY that the device we bought today WILL NOT be the same device we turn on tomorrow.
Cell phones update daily through OTA app. Any illusions that a consumer might have that this debice belongs to them or that they have ANY say in its future usability "as it is purchased today" is just that, an illusion.
https://www.esper.io/blog/the-evolution-of-android-ota-updates

A fair indication of things to come will be
if youtube and ither apps are removsble or if they are perm bloatware.
If this thing comes with nfc, bluetooth, wifi, a camera, micriphone, biometric scanning, telemetry, gps and IF YOU CAN SHUT THEM OFF OR NOT.
The device is stil 100% capable of collecting and sending data through bluetooth. It doesn't need wifi.
I don't really see how using a fake email address soves any of thee issues. You will likely avoid having your info sold at some point though.

We have the oportunity to tell Spektrum and other manufacturers that we like our old radios that work fine still.
We don't NEED another time-bomb android powered device whrre it was simply not needed (or wanted) before.
Honestly, if you HAVE to watch a youtube video RIGHT NOW, whats the likelyhood that you are going to reach for your radio over your huge screen tv, computer, laptop, phone or refridgerator that ALSO have Youtube bloatware???
Seriously, ENOUGH!
First its a feature that you pay a premium for, then it becomes standard issue, then you can't buy a device witjout it... THEN you find out its been spying on you the whole damned time... over and over this happens.

I'm gonna stand over here in the corner and whistle and watch while everyone else watches happen too.

Android IS Google and Google collects information for profit. They aren't gonna give everyone a "pass" because this is R/C!

I WANT someone to prove me wrong. I WANT for this to be untrue and a nightmare I can wake up from.
I am eagerly waiting for someone to show me that my thinking is incorrect here. Please!

This SUCKS!

 

[Jerold]

Ther3 is a growing trend in technology. If anyone likes, I linked to a pretty smart guy on youtube. Louis Rossman is his name. He repairs laptops professionally and is pretty well in touch with the tech world imo.
He, like many others, sees a trend in tech where things "change" after a smart device is purchased. After that device is purchased, the manufacturer decides to change the End User Agreement. The changes have included being forced to giveup rights to your personal data in order to access your "now locked down accounts" .

This is Adobe. There are plenty of other "big name" companies who have done this.
Another trend is for manufacturers to sell a device and simply stop supporting it if its not as profitable as forecasted. rendering it totally useless. Even IF they eventually refund my money, how long does it take and now I need to start over with a new device AND dispose of MORE E-WASTE!

(I know how concerned we all are about rising sea levels. Has anyone considered how much water a "plastic (trash) island in the middle of the of the ocean" might be displacing?)
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/great-pacific-garbage-patch/
By using technology that can be changed nd adjusted by the will of the manufacturer, it seems LIKELY that the device we bought today WILL NOT be the same device we turn on tomorrow.
Cell phones update daily through OTA app. Any illusions that a consumer might have that this debice belongs to them or that they have ANY say in its future usability "as it is purchased today" is just that, an illusion.
https://www.esper.io/blog/the-evolution-of-android-ota-updates

A fair indication of things to come will be
if youtube and ither apps are removsble or if they are perm bloatware.
If this thing comes with nfc, bluetooth, wifi, a camera, micriphone, biometric scanning, telemetry, gps and IF YOU CAN SHUT THEM OFF OR NOT.
The device is stil 100% capable of collecting and sending data through bluetooth. It doesn't need wifi.
I don't really see how using a fake email address soves any of thee issues. You will likely avoid having your info sold at some point though.

We have the oportunity to tell Spektrum and other manufacturers that we like our old radios that work fine still.
We don't NEED another time-bomb android powered device whrre it was simply not needed (or wanted) before.
Honestly, if you HAVE to watch a youtube video RIGHT NOW, whats the likelyhood that you are going to reach for your radio over your huge screen tv, computer, laptop, phone or refridgerator that ALSO have Youtube bloatware???
Seriously, ENOUGH!
First its a feature that you pay a premium for, then it becomes standard issue, then you can't buy a device witjout it... THEN you find out its been spying on you the whole damned time... over and over this happens.

I'm gonna stand over here in the corner and whistle and watch while everyone else watches happen too.

Android IS Google and Google collects information for profit. They aren't gonna give everyone a "pass" because this is R/C!

I WANT someone to prove me wrong. I WANT for this to be untrue and a nightmare I can wake up from.
I am eagerly waiting for someone to show me that my thinking is incorrect here. Please!

This SUCKS!

I've seen Louis's rants, and he sets the bar. He's not wrong though. The companies play dirty all the time.

I'm not saying to use a fake email address. I'm saying to use one specifically dedicated for the controller or whatever. I have several Gmail accounts most of them are for business things. I don't do anything on them except for business and I never sign into using credentials from other services. They stay clean from all the crap.

This often allows the new website, tool, game whatever, to access your Gmail (or whatever) account.

 

[CertifiedMike]

For functionality with the system. Gotcha.

 

[Jerold]

You always have the option (in every mobile device) I've seen to turn off BL and WiFi. They can collect all the data they want but if it's never transmitted anywhere it's a moot point.

BTW, why do my washing machine and refrigerator need to be "connected"? I know when I need milk because the carton is empty and the clothes done when it's stops. Not rocket science here.

 

[Glitch]

Hey now, that's a helluva idea. A racing game that utililizes the steering and throttle on the radio

Rlaarlo ct8b/a has a very basic version of that

 

[CertifiedMike]

My phone is a bit different than a lot of phones. Maybe its different.
In my phone there is no option to shut off nfc.
In the "foreground" I can shut off bluetooth so its not trying to pair with every device within its reach. However, I can NOT disable the app nor turn it off in background. This means that ALL the info that is being collected IS being shipped off to everyone who's listening.
Nfc does the same data collection all the time.
Wifi has a switch and can be disabled so I guess thats a win.
If this radio accesses the internet, it uses DNS.
I'll bet you a shiney nickle that its Google's DNS.
I'll also bet this radio won't work with a firewall and dns installed IF that can happen at all.
GPS is tricky because it has foreground and background, precise and general location. IF it can be shut off, its VERY unlikely that it will be off in all scenarios. (it would be on for background apps as well)
The trick with the camera, mictophone, gps, wifi etc is that some apps have control over them. This means they are fully capable of over-riding your settings to access them at any time. This is in the user agreements and permissions.
There is also an android app setting that will "allow app to change system settings" If ANY Google app has THIS turned on, it can and does have full control of your device.

These are the reasons I feel like these android radios are such SH*ITE and straight up spyware. Because EVERY other android device is a BATTLE to de-Google.
If they weren't stealing your info, why would they LOCK you into their junk apps and hardware instead of focusing on developing an actual good product like the rest of the world has to do???

Btw, when we bought this house, the home inspector we wete dealing with had mentioned upgrading some appliances.
He asked if we would be considering Wifi appliances.
I actually laughed.
He did too and said, "Good."
Forgot to mention another fun android (and Apple apparently) trick. Since its illegal for Google to give Gov't/police direct access to your device (without a warrnt) they share ALL your notifications... because YOU can shut them off.
Watch the red bouncing ball kids and follow along. If you're not careful, you're gonna find out that bouncing red ball is actually a 40 ton boulder on its way to flattening you like Indiana Jones!!!


https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2023/12/spying-through-push-notifications.html

Btw, when we bought this house, the home inspector we wete dealing with had mentioned upgrading some appliances.
He asked if we would be considering Wifi appliances.
I actually laughed.
He did too and said, "Good."
Forgot to mention another fun android (and Apple apparently) trick. Since its illegal for Google to give Gov't/police direct access to your device (without a warrnt) they share your notifications... because YOU can shut them off.
Watch the red bouncing ball kids and follow along. If you're not careful, you're gonna find out that bouncing red ball is actually a 40 ton boulder on its way to flattening you like Indiana Jones!!!


https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2023/12/spying-through-push-notifications.html

This radio is as dangerous as any other piece of data collecting tech out there.
And just like their "Gift from the Google God's" Chromebook's for kid's in school, these radios will be stealing kid's fingerprints, eye scans, data about how fast they are, their interests, who their friends are... And all this WHILE the permissions are "OFF".
Where do the legalities fall with all this?
Google pays a small fine and makes HUGE bank!!!
No company in the world WOULDN'T do this! There's WAY too much money in it!!~

Btw, when we bought this house, the home inspector we wete dealing with had mentioned upgrading some appliances.
He asked if we would be considering Wifi appliances.
I actually laughed.
He did too and said, "Good."
Forgot to mention another fun android (and Apple apparently) trick. Since its illegal for Google to give Gov't/police direct access to your device (without a warrnt) they share your notifications... because YOU can shut them off.
Watch the red bouncing ball kids and follow along. If you're not careful, you're gonna find out that bouncing red ball is actually a 40 ton boulder on its way to flattening you like Indiana Jones!!!


https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2023/12/spying-through-push-notifications.html

This radio is as dangerous as any other piece of data collecting tech out there.
And just like their "Gift from the Google God's" Chromebook's for kid's in school, these radios will be stealing kid's fingerprints, eye scans, data about how fast they are, their interests, who their friends are... And all this WHILE the permissions are "OFF".
Where do the legalities fall with all this?
Google pays a small fine and makes HUGE bank!!!
No company in the world WOULDN'T do this! There's WAY too much money in it!!~

Btw, when we bought this house, the home inspector we wete dealing with had mentioned upgrading some appliances.
He asked if we would be considering Wifi appliances.
I actually laughed.
He did too and said, "Good."
Forgot to mention another fun android (and Apple apparently) trick. Since its illegal for Google to give Gov't/police direct access to your device (without a warrnt) they share your notifications... because YOU can shut them off.
Watch the red bouncing ball kids and follow along. If you're not careful, you're gonna find out that bouncing red ball is actually a 40 ton boulder on its way to flattening you like Indiana Jones!!!


https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2023/12/spying-through-push-notifications.html

This radio is as dangerous as any other piece of data collecting tech out there.
And just like their "Gift from the Google God's" Chromebook's for kid's in school, these radios will be stealing kid's fingerprints, eye scans, data about how fast they are, their interests, who their friends are... And all this WHILE the permissions are "OFF".
Where do the legalities fall with all this?
Google pays a small fine and makes HUGE bank!!!
No company in the world WOULDN'T do this! There's WAY too much money in it!!~

Btw, when we bought this house, the home inspector we wete dealing with had mentioned upgrading some appliances.
He asked if we would be considering Wifi appliances.
I actually laughed.
He did too and said, "Good."
Forgot to mention another fun android (and Apple apparently) trick. Since its illegal for Google to give Gov't/police direct access to your device (without a warrnt) they share your notifications... because YOU can shut them off.
Watch the red bouncing ball kids and follow along. If you're not careful, you're gonna find out that bouncing red ball is actually a 40 ton boulder on its way to flattening you like Indiana Jones!!!


https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2023/12/spying-through-push-notifications.html

This radio is as dangerous as any other piece of data collecting tech out there.
And just like their "Gift from the Google God's" Chromebook's for kid's in school, these radios will be stealing kid's fingerprints, eye scans, data about how fast they are, their interests, who their friends are... And all this WHILE the permissions are "OFF".
Where do the legalities fall with all this?
Google pays a small fine and makes HUGE bank!!!
No company in the world WOULDN'T do this! There's WAY too much money in it!!~

I tried to edit that down but couldn't cut it. Sorry!

 

[Doom!]

Privacy is a modern day fairy tale.

 

[Jerold]

In the "foreground" I can shut off bluetooth so its not trying to pair with every device within its reach. However, I can NOT disable the app nor turn it off in background. This means that ALL the info that is being collected IS being shipped off to everyone who's listening.
Nfc does the same data collection all the time.

It's that bad. BlueTooth (BT), NFC and WiFi don't collect anything they are only connections. The apps collect the info and use these a communications conduits to the outside world.

BT like the others, is a hardware device that is used by apps, similar to your camera. The Operating Systems (OS) absolutely controls it 100% of the time. Modern operating systems are complex and have to enable, disable and reset hardware devices constantly. For instance, in low power mode it might disable the BT. If your OS doesn't allow you to manually turn it off there is something wrong with the OS.

You should be able to set permission on the apps for what they have access to. For instance Angry Birds can ask to use my camera but I can deny it, and they can deny me the joy of destroying piggies. Apps can (and will) ask for permissions to use everything, but you do not have to enable it.

The other thing is apps can upload/download stuff in the background. My wife's phone was doing this and tearing up our data plan. We disabled connectivity for everything that didn't need it. If you disable it and the app really needs it to operate it will ask you to change the permissions. Then you can decide if it can use it and when.

If you have a phone, it should have Airplane mode, that disables the BT (turns off the radio). If you want to test your BT control. Pair it to a headset, then put it in airplane mode.

There are places where you can't have any radio signals, so there "should be" a way to disable any feature on the phone, you may have to dig for it. If it doesn't or you can't find it I would contact your carrier or the manufacturer or get a different phone. The BT in your phone has a range of about 30ft. There are commercial versions that can go much farther, but it's specialized and not for a consumer product like a phone or watch. It's too expensive and power hungry.

NFC is a also a hardware device but is a bit different. The NFC tags are passive and has no power and can only provide a specific predefined packet (data). They cannot harvest data or control anything. It's literally a fixed string, like your CC info. Tags get their power through and inductive loop and is never really on or off, it just is. Descartes will ponder that one for a while.

The NFC reader (probably what is in your phone) does have a power source. Readers can also talk with other NFC readers (transmit and receive). They can process any data provided, like a modem. But something (the apps) need to provide and get that data. The range is limited to ~20cm (8.5") at best, so it's not uploading to the mother ship unless the table at the AppleBees has a secret NFC reader with an uplink.

The best way of not sharing info is to use a land line (not an IP phone) get a simple phone and no apps. With all that said everyone around the world will scan this post and extract information for us, without our permission.

 

[Jerold]

Speaking of NFC. I had an CC I need to shred so I pulled "the chip" apart. There's not a lot to see other than the antenna w/ PCB and the chip. The rings are on the bottom, that is the inductor (power), antenna and connection to the chip. When it close enough to the power source, the chip on the top sends the info.

 

[CertifiedMike]

Indeed, I oversimplified the system. Calling a portion of the phone hardware or software is just symantics here imo.
Bluetooth has 2 settings, long and short range. Long range is a constant signal that releases a blip signal at intervals that contain your devices info. It travels more than 30'.
Through mine, yours and every other bluetooth capable device, there is a unique identifier for each device that is passed on to each other. This data can be deciphered and passed on through any number of ways. This is not something that can be disabled other than perhaps airplane mode.
I'm curious to know why a RADIO control device would EVER need airplane mode so I'm not banking on that option. I'm not reall sure what good any transmitter would even be in "airplane mode" A functional paperweight at that point.
Nfc is a piece od hardware that can not be shut off on my device. Again, its info is passed through a background app that none of us has any say over, abd it passes my info on to the next device and so on and so on until it finds a device that IS google friendly and there goes the info.

Between nfc and bluetooth, a fair amount of our planet can be mapped by device.

If you honestly believe that you can shut off your phone and have it not spy in you, you must have a WAY better phone than I do.

The ONLY way to control electronics from spying on you is to not allow the hardware to exist in your private spaces.

Operating systems have TOTAL control over your system.
Open up Google Play Sevices App on your phone.
Now, where it says permissions, oen system permissions too.
ALL of those things CAN AND DO happen in the background on a cell phone every day.
Now, try and deny tje ermissions and tell me what your's says.
My phine tells me that these "permissions" are all necessary for the app to work and CAN NOT BE SHUT OFF.
It make NO difference what settings I have chosen on my phone here at all.

The camera, microphone and gps remain in the same catagory. I have a switch that doesn't control a thing.

This is the EXACT same problem ppl have with laptops and why there is a mecanical lid thst slides over the aperature. The camera can and does record even when the settings say not to.
The permissiins on your apps are a very different thing from the fairytale controls on your screen is what I'm trying to get at.

If the radio doesn't have Bluetooth, then it can't be used to spy on me.
Same goes for GPS, NFC, cameras, mics etc.
IF the radio DOES have these things, unless you are a tech guru, it seems impossible that you'll be able to control these things.

The fact of the matter is, even IF every one of these radips comes with switches to turn ALL of this stuff of, It can be revoked by Spektrum at ANY time and you are now left with a $700 paperweight or a $700 piece of spyware.

If it doesn't come with spyware, it can't spy. Thats the ONLY way its NOT going to spy on you.

 

[Jerold]

Indeed, I oversimplified the system. Calling a portion of the phone hardware or software is just symantics here imo.
Bluetooth has 2 settings, long and short range. Long range is a constant signal that releases a blip signal at intervals that contain your devices info. It travels more than 30'.
Through mine, yours and every other bluetooth capable device, there is a unique identifier for each device that is passed on to each other. This data can be deciphered and passed on through any number of ways. This is not something that can be disabled other than perhaps airplane mode.
I'm curious to know why a RADIO control device would EVER need airplane mode so I'm not banking on that option. I'm not reall sure what good any transmitter would even be in "airplane mode" A functional paperweight at that point.
Nfc is a piece od hardware that can not be shut off on my device. Again, its info is passed through a background app that none of us has any say over, abd it passes my info on to the next device and so on and so on until it finds a device that IS google friendly and there goes the info.

Between nfc and bluetooth, a fair amount of our planet can be mapped by device.

If you honestly believe that you can shut off your phone and have it not spy in you, you must have a WAY better phone than I do.

The ONLY way to control electronics from spying on you is to not allow the hardware to exist in your private spaces.

Operating systems have TOTAL control over your system.
Open up Google Play Sevices App on your phone.
Now, where it says permissions, oen system permissions too.
ALL of those things CAN AND DO happen in the background on a cell phone every day.
Now, try and deny tje ermissions and tell me what your's says.
My phine tells me that these "permissions" are all necessary for the app to work and CAN NOT BE SHUT OFF.
It make NO difference what settings I have chosen on my phone here at all.

The camera, microphone and gps remain in the same catagory. I have a switch that doesn't control a thing.

This is the EXACT same problem ppl have with laptops and why there is a mecanical lid thst slides over the aperature. The camera can and does record even when the settings say not to.
The permissiins on your apps are a very different thing from the fairytale controls on your screen is what I'm trying to get at.

If the radio doesn't have Bluetooth, then it can't be used to spy on me.
Same goes for GPS, NFC, cameras, mics etc.
IF the radio DOES have these things, unless you are a tech guru, it seems impossible that you'll be able to control these things.

The fact of the matter is, even IF every one of these radips comes with switches to turn ALL of this stuff of, It can be revoked by Spektrum at ANY time and you are now left with a $700 paperweight or a $700 piece of spyware.

If it doesn't come with spyware, it can't spy. Thats the ONLY way its NOT going to spy on you.

Anyway I don't think you nor I are buying one anytime soon.

 

[Chubaka]

Way above my pay grade and miles away from my attention span. What was the verdict?