Amazon FireTv Cube scares the shit out of me
Amazon FireTv Cube scares the shit out of me
I just received a new Fire TV cube gen 3, because my old one is malfunctioning. I know, I hate these devices myself, but it's the only option right now, since a new version of the Nvidia shield isn't coming in the foreseeable future.
So, I plugged in the power chord and the HDMI cable into the cube.
When it booted up it showed a screen that it's downloading the newest update. At first I thought this must be some typo-bug on the initial boot steps, because I haven't even connected it to the internet yet, neither via cable nor did I go through the wifi setup.
After the update has finished, I was greeted with my real name and the cube indeed had the actual WiFi settings!
WTF?! How's that even possible?
Did you order it using your Amazon account? I think they pre-configure them for you unless you say “this is a gift” when ordering.
yes I did order it with my Amazon account
However, as appreciative as I am for making my setup process easier, I'm also not happy with the fact, that some random dude had access to my device prior to me.
Who says he's not part of some weird group installing miners or bots onto my device causing it to slow down over time?
You have an Amazon account, dude. Amazon already has your fucking information. ALL OF IT. Including things like card numbers, addresses, phone numbers, and your purchasing and viewing habits.
It pulled wifi settings from another Amazon device that you have, most likely.
It also downloaded your fucking information when it accessed the internet.
Do you really think there's some fuckin' rando sitting there doing nothing in an Amazon warehouse until the moment you order this thing, when they just plug it into a server and download your information to it?
No, it connected to your wifi and downloaded it.
Welcome to how almost every single electronic device operates.
If you're worried about miners or bots you shouldn't be purchasing invasive shit to plug into your home network. In fact, you shouldn't even have a home network.
if you got it from Amazon, they can preload your account and wifi details that you previously used with their products
This is likely part of Frustration-Free Setup.
I mean I get why its a thing but like ew , very uncomfy , ugh
It's not the "only option", not by a mile. It's just convenient for you to say that it is so you don't feel so bad about giving money to the worst of the evil megacorps.
What is the purpose of the device? I'm almost certain that there is another option, which is just a small PC running whatever software you need.
Don't buy an information vacuum if you don't want your data sucked up. Definitely don't buy multiple generations of information vacuum from the same company.
Probably the same they use for setting up Kindles since ages albeit there was an option to get it iunconfigured too if you want to use it as a present.
Hmm
Two possibilities:
Is the old device still plugged in while you setup the new one? Perhaps they connected to each other. My previous Samsung phone did this with my new one without prior setup of the 'feature', though after I signed into my Samsung account onnthe new phone.
Or it could have come pre-loaded with data on your account...
I'm not very comfortable with either option really.
When I set up my Amazon devices there was an option for it to save my WiFi details but I always declined.