Thread: My propensity for buying faulty goods continues.

Gaah!

I just bought a Ring video doorbell. Opened the box (a tear off strip so it can't be resealed), scanned the QR code to download the app and find out it requires iOS 17.

I have iOS 16.7.11 and can't be updated. I'd have to buy a new phone (mine is an iPhone 8) and I don't intend to do that.

As a result the video door bell is useless to me.

It would have been nice if they put the iOS (or Android) requirement on the packaging.

I would think that you would have a case for returning it regardless of it being opened. It would seem to be not fit for purpose.
Not sure why you would want to connect your front door to the internet for any 15 year old to hack, but that's just me.
Good luck.

Convenience trumps security.

Neighbours are demolishing. They have IoT cameras on their shed (which is staying and contained most of their expensive stuff) connected to some cloud somewhere. They got knocked over and their cameras hadn't picked anything up, so they asked me if I could have a look at my CCTV. A (very long) motion search showed they'd been knocked over 6 times in 10 days. Their system had missed all of them, although they did get alerts from birds, moths and the demo guys. Not the crims though. The crims then finished up by stealing the cameras. Again, no useful alerts or footage. The owners came back for a look because they couldn't log into the cameras and found the cameras and about $20k of possessions gone.

Gave the cops half an hour of footage they can use to line up with the CCTV from the sporting clubs where the crims parked to do the raids (my system got them walking back and forwards with arm loads of stuff).

Hey, don't take advice from the neighbour with a real CCTV system (who does this for a living). Buy cheap "cloud" **** and lose all your gear instead.

Originally Posted by BradC

Convenience trumps security.

Neighbours are demolishing. They have IoT cameras on their shed (which is staying and contained most of their expensive stuff) connected to some cloud somewhere. They got knocked over and their cameras hadn't picked anything up, so they asked me if I could have a look at my CCTV. A (very long) motion search showed they'd been knocked over 6 times in 10 days. Their system had missed all of them, although they did get alerts from birds, moths and the demo guys. Not the crims though. The crims then finished up by stealing the cameras. Again, no useful alerts or footage. The owners came back for a look because they couldn't log into the cameras and found the cameras and about $20k of possessions gone.

Gave the cops half an hour of footage they can use to line up with the CCTV from the sporting clubs where the crims parked to do the raids (my system got them walking back and forwards with arm loads of stuff).

Hey, don't take advice from the neighbour with a real CCTV system (who does this for a living). Buy cheap "cloud" **** and lose all your gear instead.

I have cameras here. Hard to see. Mostly they spy on the possums. I haven't done this yet but there are ways to send the footage to your own ?cloud ? and access it remotely without sharing it with the world. I haven't done it yet because I have to slow Louis Rossman down to half speed so I can understand him. More, if he's been drinking coffee.

Originally Posted by Tins

I have cameras here. Hard to see. Mostly they spy on the possums. I haven't done this yet but there are ways to send the footage to your own ?cloud ? and access it remotely without sharing it with the world. I haven't done it yet because I have to slow Louis Rossman down to half speed so I can understand him. More, if he's been drinking coffee.

I have a VPN on my phone and laptop to the router at home, so I can log in remotely if I need to look at something. I don't use "push" events because frankly video motion detection sucks (as evidenced by the neighbours missing the crooks but getting the birds). If my alarm were to go off, I'd log in and have a look around. Mostly it's used when we're away to check for package deliveries or spot the odd dude casing the place. I have motion detection, but they record 24/7 anyway and I currently have nearly 3 months retention. I don't place any faith in a remote service being able to keep my data or systems secure.

Not goods, but food and services, yesterday I could've broken a tooth bitting into an olive pit in the Greek salad that came with my fish and chips. Earlier that day I noticed that my Thursday late night shopping $50 haircut had uneven sideburns by about 5mm's!

I recently thought (foolishly) that I'd try SpecSavers 2 pair of glasses for $149. I wanted one pair for reading/iPad and another for the computer.

Hmm, I dunno how their pricing works but they cost $415.

I went to collect them on Sunday. I couldn't use them as the prescriptions must have been off. The both were only in focus if I had the reading material about 6" from my eyes.

They tested my eyes again and have sent the glasses back to the lab for new lenses.

Would I go there again? Ask me in a few months.

Did they try to brow beat you into having a "free" hearing test as well ? They really do try to suck the funds out of Medicare, no wonder the health dept. budget is rising all the time.