It's funny - i avoid Wyze because it seems such a good deal. Something seems off about that, the price is simply too good - and i loathe being the product these days.
I hate being the product as well, but it's pretty much inescapable now. Paying for a service does not opt you out of being marketed to other income streams as a product (ie, combined stats, being part of a test group, etc).
The best we can hope for by paying for a product is getting additional features and not being inconvenienced (ie, avoiding ads).
I almost bought an $80 pdf application (pdf expert) only to find out it phones home with my device details...
And now that company won't be getting my $80. I'll use the open source alternatives, even if they aren't as nice to use.
Use open source, write your own open source or just do without. You can't just accept the inevitable and bow into it - inevitability doesn't change morality.
> 2.1.2 Regarding the App: certain data is transmitted by your mobile device: namely your IP address, the periods of time in which you use the App and the type of device you use (e.g. IPhone, IPad), as well as events within the application recorded with Amplitude analytics in order to give us the possibility to continuously improve the App.
From their privacy policy. Oddly enough, no, they don't need to broadcast my ip and when I use the app. Not required at all for me to read PDFs. They may want that data - and if so they should ask me instead of just taking it.
I agree, but in the case of audio or video recording devices i am especially paranoid. If someone sells how often i use a toaster i'm annoyed - if someone sells video or audio of me i'm livid.
Been a customer for a few years. They're upfront with everything. From what I know I'm not the product (so far). Everything I ever purchased was an excellent value and met 99% of my expectations. My only gripe is there is no desktop software to manage all the devices. You should give them a try, the cameras are awesome.
Honest question: what do you base that off of? I can’t think of a way to prove the negative, that I’m not the product, that overcomes the assumption that the hardware prices are so low that they will have great incentive to monetize in other ways.
I got the feeling that the price was too good to not be something else as well.
I might be mistaken, but it appears to me that they might have ways of monetizing user data.
From the privacy statement:
> We allow others to provide analytics services and serve advertisements for us across the web and in mobile applications. These entities may use cookies, web beacons, device identifiers and other technologies to collect information about your use of the Services and other websites and applications, including your IP address, web browser, mobile network information, pages viewed, time spent on pages or in apps, links clicked, and conversion information. This information may be used by Wyze and others to, among other things, analyze and track data, determine the popularity of certain content, deliver advertising and content targeted to your interests on our Services and other websites and online services, and better understand your online activity.
Well I base it off the fact that how could the possibly monetize a video of some guy walking his dog or a vehicle going by. I can opt out of their marketing material and everything can be saved locally to an SD Card.
In my opinion the hardware prices are cheaper because it's sourced out of China and the product is at the lower end but worth every penny. I use to source widgets out of China that were amazing quality. I would have them delivered to my factory in Canada. The price of the finished product delivered to my factory door step was cheaper than the cost of raw materials in Canada. There were no duties involved since the HS Code of the item was duty free and China had Most Favored Nation Status.
So that's probably how they do it. The Camera costs them a few of $$ delivered and they sell it for $20 +. The only draw back is that the Chinese copied the design and would be selling in their internal market or markets where Wyze wasn't in yet.
