I use ad blockers and open source privacy focused software whenever I can but occasionally I have to use computers that don't belong to me or an older phone where my usual applications aren't installed and seeing all the advertisements just feels dirty and dystopian.

I think the worst ads are the text to speech ones that say "Download this app today". The unblinking energenic people saying you can make a living at home are probably a close second.

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[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 35 points 2 years ago (15 children)

I'm used to seeing brief YouTube ads when I cast from my phone, but I was in a hotel recently where the only option was live TV (we were in the back of the hotel and the Chromecast didn't have a good enough antenna to pick up the router), so it was the first time in years I saw full-on commercials. If the movie hadn't been so good- After the Thin Man- I wouldn't have put up with it.

[–] bug@lemmy.one 3 points 2 years ago (5 children)

Tangentially related, I recently replaced my Chromecast with a "Chromecast with Google TV". It's an Android TV box which you can install SmartTube on and cast YouTube with no ads. Yes, I am aware of the irony of paying Google for new hardware instead of paying them for their ad-free service, but the new device cost less than 2 months of YouTube Premium and I like tinkering.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (4 children)

Oh nice! I'll have to look into that! Thanks! It's not glacially slow, is it? That's one of the reasons I never use the apps of my so-called smart TV.

[–] bug@lemmy.one 2 points 2 years ago

As the other commenter said it's about the hardware really. I tested it out on a really old device first to make sure it actually worked - it did but at a glacially slow pace. The new box is pretty snappy though!

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