Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 3 years ago wife & I bought an expensive "Google" Sony TV with Android/Google operating system that was supposed to connect directly to the internet. For awhile it did. But as of 1/1/16, and despite updates, not one Google app on this Google unit is supported anymore. We are now required to use our 2-year old Apple TV module to connect to internet content such as Netflix, Google, YouTube (Google products) and anything else you can think of. A few years ago I had an Android phone that crapped out after the first system update a year after getting the phone. Because of the Apple TV, it really isn't a problem now, but it reminds me that any hardware that isn't Apple isn't supported for very long. I've been using Apple products for 25 years and have noticed that ancient hardware such as my 11-year old G5 still works. Granted, I have newer stuff that works better, but jeez, it doesn't just go kaput. I like to buy once and have things last awhile, instead of every year or two. I'll never buy another piece of hardware that isn't Apple (when available of course). Yeah, you can buy Google/Amazon/Roku sticks, but I bet in a year they'll be useless. My 2 cents and experience. As always, YMMV. EDIT: adding on, my local ISP (Time Warner) has upped its internet fee from $50/mo to $60/mo, plus an increase in their modem "rental" from $4/mo to $8/mo -- a 21% increase. (We don't have cable TV service.) Google is making inroads into our market as an ISP, but if they behave as the other "competitors", there won't be any cost advantage. Thank you FCC for "regulated" monopolies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Google Iphone 4 lawsuit.. Seems that there is a class action lawsuit against Apple for requiring older iphones to update their software to ios9. Yet the old hardware performs very poorly and is not acceptable to owners of older iphones. Smart TVs are one of the worst purchase a person can make. They cannot be updated and are a security risk from day one no matter whose os is running on the tv. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 I won't say Apple is perfect, by a long shot, but I am typing this on a 2007 vintage MacBook laptop that has been around the world with me, has seen use as personal computer, business computer and still works for me. The keyboard started acting up a few weeks back, so I plugged in an older keyboard. Until I can afford a new one, it will do the job. Upstairs we have an older iMac with OS 9 on it that still works. In our basement we have a "museum" of obsolescent macs dating back to the mid 80's. Yeah, I'm an Apple fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kajun Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 yadda some other stuff EDIT: adding on, my local ISP (Time Warner) has upped its internet fee from $50/mo to $60/mo, plus an increase in their modem "rental" from $4/mo to $8/mo -- a 21% increase. (We don't have cable TV service.) Google is making inroads into our market as an ISP, but if they behave as the other "competitors", there won't be any cost advantage. Thank you FCC for "regulated" monopolies! Just curious as to why you are renting a cable modem for a charge of what is now $8 per month. Is there something special about their particular cable modem that they "rent" you where you couldn't provide your own? A cursory search will show they can be bought for about $50 or so. Here is an example. At $8 a month the payback would be pretty quick. I have DSL internet and have never rented a modem from the phone company, I always have provide my own. I have a modem/wireless router all in one, keeps the clutter down. They make those in cable modem / wireless router as well as DSL. Kajun Kajun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted January 5, 2016 Author Share Posted January 5, 2016 Good question KK. I'm paying $4/month for the current modem and will buying my own in a day or two to avoid the increase. Real world, I'm getting just under 200 MBS download and 25 MBS upload. Upload is very important to me and DSL in my area is ox cart slow for the size files I send. To maintain those speeds I need a DOCSIS 3.0 modem which costs about $100, but still, I'll recoup that in a year. The other less expensive routers can't handle those speeds, so it's a waste to pay Time Warner for the service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colt B.A. Blastn Johnson Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 3 years ago wife & I bought an expensive "Google" Sony TV with Android/Google operating system that was supposed to connect directly to the internet. For awhile it did. But as of 1/1/16, and despite updates, not one Google app on this Google unit is supported anymore. We are now required to use our 2-year old Apple TV module to connect to internet content such as Netflix, Google, YouTube (Google products) and anything else you can think of. A few years ago I had an Android phone that crapped out after the first system update a year after getting the phone. Because of the Apple TV, it really isn't a problem now, but it reminds me that any hardware that isn't Apple isn't supported for very long. I've been using Apple products for 25 years and have noticed that ancient hardware such as my 11-year old G5 still works. Granted, I have newer stuff that works better, but jeez, it doesn't just go kaput. I like to buy once and have things last awhile, instead of every year or two. I'll never buy another piece of hardware that isn't Apple (when available of course). Yeah, you can buy Google/Amazon/Roku sticks, but I bet in a year they'll be useless. My 2 cents and experience. As always, YMMV. EDIT: adding on, my local ISP (Time Warner) has upped its internet fee from $50/mo to $60/mo, plus an increase in their modem "rental" from $4/mo to $8/mo -- a 21% increase. (We don't have cable TV service.) Google is making inroads into our market as an ISP, but if they behave as the other "competitors", there won't be any cost advantage. Thank you FCC for "regulated" monopolies! I have a sony internet TV box that uses google chrome and basically does the same thing yours does (im on it now responding to your post) so I'm looking at a 35" color TV screen instead of a tiny computer monitor.....You need to see if you can update to google chrome, thats what I had to do so mine would work properly. I have pandora music, youtube, social media sites(even thou I dont use them) twitter, myspace, facebook, ect, Police scanner radio app(comes in handy when you wanna know why theres sirens outside without getting involved) very cool tech! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston CAS Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Google Iphone 4 lawsuit.. Seems that there is a class action lawsuit against Apple for requiring older iphones to update their software to ios9. Yet the old hardware performs very poorly and is not acceptable to owners of older iphones. Smart TVs are one of the worst purchase a person can make. They cannot be updated and are a security risk from day one no matter whose os is running on the tv. Apple iOS updates are not required. The lawsuit is because people with older iPhones updated and then felt iOS 9 was too slow. Smart TVs are a sucker's bet. The Visio TV I have just did its first update in two years. Get an Apple TV or Roku device for your streaming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kajun Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Good question KK. I'm paying $4/month for the current modem and will buying my own in a day or two to avoid the increase. Real world, I'm getting just under 200 MBS download and 25 MBS upload. Upload is very important to me and DSL in my area is ox cart slow for the size files I send. To maintain those speeds I need a DOCSIS 3.0 modem which costs about $100, but still, I'll recoup that in a year. The other less expensive routers can't handle those speeds, so it's a waste to pay Time Warner for the service. Glad you won't be paying "rent." I did a quick look and found this cable modem for $69.58 shipped...looks pretty good spec wise too. Kajun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Glad you won't be paying "rent." I did a quick look and found this cable modem for $69.58 shipped...looks pretty good spec wise too. Kajun Before you buy verify with your provider that they support the modem. Some internet service providers have very specific requirements and any modem they do not approve of may not work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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