1 (edited by chrismurf 2008-07-01 18:58:32)

Topic: On the topic of advertising.

I've been looking at Chumby for a while, and finally decided to get one after I finish writing my Master's Thesis (yay for rewards).  I saw a few of the discussions on the interspersed ads scattered throughout the forums.  Most of the threads I read got a little *ahem* emotional, and I didn't get a great idea of what the current status quo actually is.  So, (maybe as a potential FAQ):

* Can the ads that are delivered be individually removed via the chumby interface?
* Can they be individually removed via the web controls?
* Are we talking like 1 every cycle, 1 every 30 minutes, or 1 every month?  Or is it one every cycle but you may not have any for a while, then may have one for a while?

Apologies if some of my questions don't make perfect sense, as a non-owner I don't know all the chumby jargon (Chargon?) yet.  Generally, info on the current status of ads (yes, I know things may change) would be appreciated.  Looking forward to getting one and playing with it, and just trying to understand what I can.

Disclaimers: I don't see this being a big deal either way (just curious), I really hope that responses to this thread are short and factual, and after reading several of his responses I like Duane.  That is all. :-)

Thanks,
  Chris

ed: fixed BBCode mistake on my part.

Re: On the topic of advertising.

I am not bothered by the ads, they don't override anything I am doing. As I flip through a widget, instead of coming to my next widget, I occasionally come to an ad. I can either open it and look at it, flip past it, or delete it in 2 seconds; right from the chumby. I only use my chumby at night as a 'bedtime book' and I only run into an ad about every two weeks, and that's a lot of widget surfing for only one ad.

I don't have widgets automatically scrolling at any other time, but IF I did, that might be when I wouldn't like them and, perhaps those are the posts you are referring to, and I can understand those. If my widgets are automatically running, I wouldn't want an ad.

Re: On the topic of advertising.

So - if your widgets are automatically running, can you delete the ad from the interface?  As in, watch 2 seconds of the ad, realize you don't want to see it, delete it, move on with your life?

Thanks,
  chris

Re: On the topic of advertising.

I don't run widgets automatically, but I guess it's the same as sitting in my bed clicking through widgets with the top button. If I start a widget I don't want to see anymore, I click the top button to go back to the control panel and go to another widget. I think the ads (in my experience) load in like a widget, so it would be the same back to the control panel and instead of clicking the arrow to go to the next widget, click delete and it takes two seconds. And I use my chumby every evening, and truly, I only see an occasional (about every couple of weeks) ad. Others say different, but I'll let them chime in. I don't know if ads are scheduled to stay like they are now or change into something else...that's the part I don't know anything about, but that is probably the 'discussions' you were referring to. And you are so right about Duane...he is awesome and very, very helpful to all, regardless of the skill level. (I'm referring to me...not you!)

Re: On the topic of advertising.

Just wanna add one thing: I have also nothing against the adds with advertisements, I am just afraid some of them will be completely useless for me as I don't live in the U.S. Hopefully the chumby company plans some advertisement targeting, at least according to the users' account settings (country, gender, education ... probably also some areas of interest in future).

Re: On the topic of advertising.

wait theres ADS? please explain

Re: On the topic of advertising.

I don't know the specifics, but its like a widget inserted (read above) and to me it is inobstrusive and if you don't want to watch it, you skip past it or delete it. I use my chumby every day and I only see an ad about once every couple of weeks.

Re: On the topic of advertising.

I've spotted an ad so infrequently that when I do see an "unexpected" screen I actually run it to see what it is. Keeping the number of ads low, and keeping them unobtrusive makes them welcome guests, not overstaying lingerers!

I rarely see the Chumby 101 screens either, but I'd say I've seen them come up more than the ads, for what it's worth.

Marc Silverman
New York City
SilverMarc.com | Chumbian.com
MY POWER TEAM: Macintosh, iPhone, Chumby, Geocaching, WheresGeorge.

Re: On the topic of advertising.

Like I said, I'm not particularly opposed to the idea (especially if I can keep the ones that amuse me and delete the ones that don't).  Thanks for all the responses.

Re: On the topic of advertising.

My two main channels (work and home evening) have between 20 and 40 widgets each. In my experience on those two channels, unless I am staring at the chumby for extended periods of time, I rarely see an ad. And when I do, I'm generally not upset. I just continue with what I was working on and will look at the chumby later.

Re: On the topic of advertising.

I'm a new user and I'm EXTREMELY annoyed by the advertising.  It would be one thing if the ad were there, you deleted it, and it WENT AWAY, like any other widget, but the little suckers come back. 

There should at least be a way to opt out of the ads on the website. 

Why would Chumby want to make such a charming little device annoy it's customers?  I was going to buy one for my friend for his birthday, but not any more...

Re: On the topic of advertising.

READ what people who have used it are telling you. There are new users who are outraged and want to leave the chumby system and never get one because there are ads. There are users who have used the chumby daily for hours a day and rarely see an ad. And the few we've seen, takes two seconds to delete. Choose a group to listen to, but I'm here to tell you, as are others, there are not many of them.

Re: On the topic of advertising.

I have yet to see an ad, myself. They probably killed them off for the XMas season, knowing if they were there when people turned on their new device, they'd end up returning it.

14 (edited by hppyfngy 2009-01-06 13:45:43)

Re: On the topic of advertising.

heyartlady wrote:

READ what people who have used it are telling you. There are new users who are outraged and want to leave the chumby system and never get one because there are ads. There are users who have used the chumby daily for hours a day and rarely see an ad. And the few we've seen, takes two seconds to delete. Choose a group to listen to, but I'm here to tell you, as are others, there are not many of them.

I don't mind if it doesn't annoy you, but it does annoy me.  Takes two seconds to delete, but then it comes back.  That's annoying. 

Chumby sits on my desk and I do let widgets scroll and I see ads.  These advertisements are intrusive and unwanted by ME. 

Please don't suggest to me what I can or can't complain about.

Re: On the topic of advertising.

hppyfngy wrote:

Please don't suggest to me what I can or can't complain about.

I definitely was not meaning to imply what you should or shouldn't complain about. Honest. And I apologize if you read it that way. I looked at your date, thought you to be a brand new user and was letting you know in MY experience I didn't see ads and I was on regularly an hour and a half a day and that you shouldn't worry, so I was in "It's OK" mode. I don't do the desk thing, so you could be seeing something ENTIRELY different than I do in my nightly NYTimes, YouTube, and a few games. Sorry for the confusion.

Re: On the topic of advertising.

heyartlady wrote:
hppyfngy wrote:

Please don't suggest to me what I can or can't complain about.

I definitely was not meaning to imply what you should or shouldn't complain about. Honest. And I apologize if you read it that way. I looked at your date, thought you to be a brand new user and was letting you know in MY experience I didn't see ads and I was on regularly an hour and a half a day and that you shouldn't worry, so I was in "It's OK" mode. I don't do the desk thing, so you could be seeing something ENTIRELY different than I do in my nightly NYTimes, YouTube, and a few games. Sorry for the confusion.

That's okay I'm just stating that in the way I am currently using it I see ads and I don't like it.  Now when I pick it up and use it as you do, there is no real problem, but I mostly let it do it's thing on my desk and the ads come back even when you are given the false hope that you have deleted it. 

That's just ticks me off. 

Maybe I'm just spoiled in my TiVo world.  I also don't wear any clothing that advertises the maker... 

Maybe I'm just old and annoyed at the whole world of advertising.  Post Christmas exhaustion or something...

I'm just going to unplug everything and go live in a cave.  (no I'm not...)

DARN YOU CHUMBY!     =O

Re: On the topic of advertising.

hppyfngy wrote:

I also don't wear any clothing that advertises the maker...

This is off topic, I know, but I just have to say that you'd have LOVED my dad. I'd go with him when he purchased our brand new family car and was prepared and ready to pay cash or walk. He'd then ask for $200 to be taken off the bill. "For what?" the guy would say. "For the advertisement." "What advertisement?" "The decal (or screwed in plaque from back in the day) on the back of the car. The one that says, ____ Pontiac." "Oh No, sir, that car comes with that already on it." "Well, then, you can pay me $200 to advertise it for you or take it off. Your choice." and he would get up to leave. With all that cash. And I was a squirming teenager. But in later years, I did use a seam ripper to rip those little alligators of the front of my Izod shirts. And my dad has never had a decal or a screwed in thingy on the back of any of his cars. I've been waiting my whole life to be able to pay cash for a car so I could pull that little routine, (They don't give a darn when you are a payment sort of person, but I'm a teacher!) but it 'ain't' gonna happen!

Re: On the topic of advertising.

heyartlady wrote:

This is off topic, I know, but I just have to say that you'd have LOVED my dad.

I think ya got me. 


BTW, since we're having a conversation now, my Chumby has shut down on it's own twice this week and the screen seems very warm to me.  I've only had it since Christmas and don't have much running, in fact once it shut down while in sleep (night) mode. 

I'll poke around for answers, but you seem well informed...  Heard of these issues?

Re: On the topic of advertising.

I am TOTALLY well informed...but ONLY on the non-technical end of things so that won't help. I've been blessed with a Chumby that I turned on and put by my bed in November of 2007 and it has not crashed (shut-down?) or cut off once. My husband hooked mine up, I didn't know what it was, but now I leave it on 24/7 Pushpin-ed to my clock all day every day and it is not touched until I go to bed and have an hour of "Bedtime Book" time. Then back to push-pin on the clock when I go to work. I have may 150 widgets on 7 channels.

There is a hot or warm screen topic thread somewhere, mine IS warm. Not uncomfortable but the thread said it was supposed to and OK to get warm.

Now that you mention it, and this MIGHT be helpful, since I do leave it pegged every day, there have been A FEW days I have come home to goldfish bowl or scrolling widgets...not many...but I just attributed that to a burp somewhere, like something got re-set at Chumby. This has not bothered me or been a big deal so I thought nothing about it.

That being said, there are far many more people here on this forum that KNOW more than I do...I just have opinions, not knowledge, so SEARCH the threads (the search link is somewhere at the top of the page and is easy to use...type warm screen to start, but I promise, it IS OK to be warm, but I know Duane addressed it pretty good somewhere) and if you can't find what you want start a new one with a thread subject title that people who know your answers can respond to. Since THIS one is "topic of advertising" the people who know the answers to YOUR questions about other things might not be looking.

Re: On the topic of advertising.

Thanks again.

Re: On the topic of advertising.

Here's a tip for you, if the ads bother you. The ads only appear in channels that have more than 10 widgets. You could always create several channels containing <10 widgets and use the custom alarm feature to cycle between them (say, every hour or 2 hours).

Re: On the topic of advertising.

The ads don't really bother me since.  Since there is no charge for ongoing use of the chumby server for content streaming they have to monetize the project some way.  I'm assuming that the ads are part of the business plan.

Dr. Mom

Re: On the topic of advertising.

Weve gone down this road already. to quote someone else... the exits are clearly marked..
Im not going to get into this again.

Please feel free to use search to see other threads on this subject.

Heres a list of threads that previously touch on the subject. for your convienence.
(there are more, this is just a starter)

http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=2910
http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=2820
http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=2628
http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=2691
http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=2428

forgot to re-mention
http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=2604