Roku is exploring ways to show consumers ads on its TVs even when they are not using its streaming platform: The company has been looking into injecting ads into the video feeds of third-party devices connected to its TVs, according to a recent patent filing.

This way, when an owner of a Roku TV takes a short break from playing a game on their Xbox, or streaming something on an Apple TV device connected to the TV set, Roku would use that break to show ads. Roku engineers have even explored ways to figure out what the consumer is doing with their TV-connected device in order to display relevant advertising.

  • yuriy@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    If the gas pumps have those unlabeled buttons around a screen, try pressing all of em. The pumps around here (nebraska) will mute the audio when you press one of the buttons, it just isn’t labeled. I’ve taken to writing “mute” on the magic-button with a sharpie whenever I pump my gas.

    • ralakus@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      One of my local gas stations had that to where it was so loud you can hear them in the car. A few weeks after they installed them, someone came by with a hand drill and drilled out all of the speakers. Not sure what happened to that hero but we need more people like them.

      • Cosmic Cleric@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        While I never condone audio speaker violence, I do want to cheer/salute the activism of the person who did the work.

    • qwertyqwertyqwerty@lemmy.one
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      8 months ago

      I’ve tried pressing every button at every pump I’ve used in my area and this trick doesn’t work. I want to epoxy the speakers and screen and glitter-bomb the entire thing.

      I won’t. But I want to.

      • 4am@lemm.ee
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        8 months ago

        Sometimes it’s multiple presses. Around here for example I find that at my local Shell station it’s the second button down on the right side, two or three times.

        • qwertyqwertyqwerty@lemmy.one
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          8 months ago

          I really can’t afford to commit a crime by damaging the pumps, but if I found a way to temporarily disable them I’d be all for it.

          • yuriy@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            I reckon you could kill it with a pin in a casual enough way, maybe make it look like you’re just putting a hand there to lean? Also you have like 4 other people come throughout the day and get gas at that same pump, and they do a similar casual hand movement around the speaker.

            You’d be safe as houses, probably!

      • Confused_Emus@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Definitely had to resist the urge myself a few times to jam my keys into the speaker when the mute button method didn’t work.