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Privacy and Marketing – A Blanket Statement

Targeted Marketing

An “RD rant” about the ever-present and overwhelming amount of targeted marketing on electronic entertainment media such as cable TV, and SPAM email sent to me on my computer.

I would disconnect my cable TV if it were not for my spouse who somehow can tolerate the constant barrage of all the things that must be purchased to improve our lives.

I am sooo tempted to change my email address and “go dark” except for my closest and most trusted friends. All two of them… Ha!

I realize marketing is a necessary evil in a consumer driven Capitalist society.

70 years ago, the popular media was […] Continue reading » Privacy and Marketing – A Blanket Statement

October 5th, 2019 | Tags: , , , | Category: Asides, Musing, Observation | Leave a comment

Stealthy Prime Delivery

A strange thing happened with a recent order of coffee from Amazon Prime. Invisible delivery.

As I always do, I placed a “next day” (for Friday) Prime order for my usual 100 count, box of “coffee pods” for my Kuerig K-Cup brewer.

I was down to a two-day supply about 5 K-Cups. No problem as delivery here in the Dallas area is very fast.

The order was processed very quickly. As usual, I started getting delivery updates via text message which again was absolutely normal. Text messages are an opt-in feature for prime members. Sometimes, it seems like an overkill of tracking. But it has become the expected […] Continue reading » Stealthy Prime Delivery

September 8th, 2019 | Tags: , , | Category: Observation | 5 comments

A “Small” iPhone Update

iPhone 4S

This iPhone 4S is again running at full charge. It’s now had its second battery transplant. Presently on its third battery since new in October 2011. Not too shabby for an almost eight-year-old phone.

The battery cost is between $10.00 to $15.00 depending on the tools ordered with the battery. Micro-drivers are necessary as well as good eyes and steady hands. Both of those are starting to run out on me, just like the old batteries. Ha!

That cost and a little effort sure beats the heck out of a large new phone that I don’t want or need. The new phones are like carrying around […] Continue reading » A “Small” iPhone Update

August 2nd, 2019 | Tags: , , | Category: Observation | Comments are closed

Abusive User Reports

There are a lot of trolls and grinches is the world of consumer user reports. Also, some ignorant users who have no qualms about revealing their ignorance because they have no clue how ignorant they are. The concept of finesse in using a product or tool escapes them. Their world is “plug and play”. Problems or failure is never their own. Blame always belongs to the product or maker. They enjoy a sense of “empowerment” to cast a minority negative vote on a generally good product.

In some cases, negative user reports are attempted user blackmail against the seller. “Do what I ask, or I will hurt […] Continue reading » Abusive User Reports

June 17th, 2019 | Tags: , , | Category: Observation | Comments are closed

Ain’t Broke!

Many people believe that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain’t broke, it doesn’t have enough features yet.

I often say or think the first line. I almost forgot the come-back.

Many engineers are tasked with taking something that isn’t broke and make it cheaper to produce and no better than it needs to be. It’s call “planned obsolescence” when the need is determined to be designed-in failure. In the case of the light bulb, there was a light bulb engineering collusion that occurred on December 23, 1924, that decided the lighting industry needed to have a replacement market […] Continue reading » Ain’t Broke!

February 6th, 2019 | Tags: , | Category: Observation | Comments are closed
 
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