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Smart hairbrush with in-built microphone


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Old 04-01-2017, 11:11
mick r
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The "Hair Coach" is full of sensors to help improve brushing techniques and has a in-built microphone and is connected to the internet in real time . As soon as you start brushing it collects data and the microphone is said to listen and record the sound of the brushing and of any breaking hair . The data collected is transferred over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to the brush's mobile app. With any connected smart device it can be hacked and the microphone can be used to listen to you talking and record anything you say .

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-38503932


We now have many smart devices that connect to the internet like toothbrushes , washing machines , TV's ,fridges, cookers, hair dryers , medical products ,Kids toys, weighing scales and many many more .All connected smart devices have the potential to listen to you or even watch you .The BBC did an report on Kids smart toys last year with the headline "Are your smart toys spying on you?"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/item/4...9-8d0cab1c3ddd
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Old 04-01-2017, 11:32
DigitalSpyUser
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They were planning this 15 years ago. No surprise to me. Part of my MSc thesis.
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Old 04-01-2017, 12:55
CollieWobbles
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Who the heck wants to connect their hairbrush to the internet? The only thing that should connect to the internet is a computer, there is absolutely no need for anything else to be required to do so.
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Old 04-01-2017, 12:58
Billy_Value
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What a load of bollocks.
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:04
jmclaugh
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Gosh I must dash out and get one of those.
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:06
bri160356
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What a load of bollocks.
Sounds like a brilliant idea to me;

…just wish I had a bit more hair to take advantage of this innovation.
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Old 04-01-2017, 13:13
Mustabuster
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Who the heck wants to connect their hairbrush to the internet? The only thing that should connect to the internet is a computer, there is absolutely no need for anything else to be required to do so.
Probably with added Facebook integration so you can share with your jealous friends.
"Today I achieved a score of 93% for my hair brushing technique! What can you do? Click here to buy"
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Old 04-01-2017, 22:03
WhatJoeThinks
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Can you sing into it?
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Old Yesterday, 00:24
muggins14
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Can you sing into it?
Duh! Isn't that what hairbrushes are for?

(I bought Jr a microphone for Christmas as she was singing her heart out to a hairbrush constantly. I cut the wires off though so that she couldn't plug it into anything!).
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Old Yesterday, 00:37
stoatie
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Don't get me wrong, I hate the all-pervading surveillance culture that we seem to be sleepwalking into, but if there was gonna be ANYONE who needed spying on it would be people who required online functionality for their hairbrushes. I mean, come ON. They're clearly already working for the AIs.
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Old Yesterday, 01:15
jaycee331
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Who the heck wants to connect their hairbrush to the internet? The only thing that should connect to the internet is a computer, there is absolutely no need for anything else to be required to do so.
Agreed - it's security 101 - expose nothing to the Internet that doesn't have a critical functional need to do so. The vast majority of "smart" devices have been proven time and time again to be a hackers dream, so I predict it's only a matter of time before these things end up within a botnet causing harm.

The last two big "the Internet is failing" attacks came from a botnet swarm of over 200k vulnerable CCTV cameras. Due to hard coded backdoor passwords and being things that the manufacturers lose interest in the moment they are on the market they benefit from no ongoing security patches or upgrades.

Now excuse me, I need to go apply a software patch to my hairbrush to keep it secure. It's crazy tunes! I have no doubt they will continue to appeal to social media exhibitionists, however.

Plus there is a hidden tone to all these smart devices, e.g. a connected fridge. The marketing men come up with some superfluous benefits as to why we need one, but the reality is it's all about intrusion and collecting new data streams to profile our behaviours and interests for the advertising men.
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Old Yesterday, 11:06
Doctor_Wibble
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... but if there was gonna be ANYONE who needed spying on it would be people who required online functionality for their hairbrushes. ...
Ask and ye shall receive - and better yet, they do it themselves so you don't need an extra spook agency to do it!

... I have no doubt they will continue to appeal to social media exhibitionists ...
The mirror mirror on the wall of course having long since been upgraded to allow portability such that none would ever have to suffer from being without its advice.

The brush will include cunning electronics to embed the subliminal brainwashing commands into the streamed music that people can't manage without. The article doesn't mention a speaker but whoever heard of something internet-connected with a microphone but no speaker? Absurdity!


And "I Always Do What Teddy Says", obviously.
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Unread Today, 08:01
Lushness
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The irony about this is brushes themselves can cause untold amount of breakage due to the bristles. I only use them as a finishing/styling tool.
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Unread Today, 08:24
Galaxy266
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Tracey Ullman had one of those 30 years ago!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiwopPbHGts
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