I just want a TV

The "dumb" TV is dying. Or maybe it's already dead.

For a while, stores kept one or two dumb TVs on hand even as the rest of their inventory shifted to "smart" devices. Now, even the cheapest entry-level TVs have "smart" features. For now, I can still find a dumb TV on the Internet. I wonder how long that will last.

If I seem biased against "smart" devices, it's because I am.

Smart grift

I tend to view smart devices as a cash grab couched in hype and fatalism. Smart devices provide an excuse for vendors to extract revenue from customers after the devices have been sold, in the form of advertising, data sharing agreements, and subscription services. The customer becomes a captive audience to market to. Great for them; less great for us.

What I've found repeatedly is that you simply can't purchase a device that leads the market in one dimension without also accepting these "smart" anti-features. If you want a 4K TV or the latest phone or a new car, you'll get all of the smart crap with it, and you'll like it.

What's to be done? Should we just accept that our very expensive, crystal clear, high fidelity TV panel is going to record our conversations and show us ads every time we turn it on?

Meet the Basic TV

For those of us who are concerned about our data, and our privacy, and our limited time and attention, we need to demand that vendors produce devices that respect us. A big part of that is changing the way that we talk about devices.

What would the technology landscape look like if "dumb" device vendors confidently played to their strengths and communicated the value of "dumb" TVs, instead of running away from them?

Let's try out. Here are some words and phrases that describe what "dumb" devices have to offer:

• Basic.

• Minimalist.

• Privacy respecting.

• Affordable.

• Easy to repair.

• No ads.

• No AI.

• No subscriptions.

• No spying.

• No connectivity issues.

• No account needed.

• Share with your whole family.

• Works with devices you already own.

The copy practically writes itself. Let's imagine what the packaging might look like. Here's a rendering I put together.

Imagine that! This already sounds awesome, and all we've done is rethink how we present the features that have already existed for decades.

What's more, I believe that there is a coalition of people who would still buy products like this when given the choice:

• People who don't like corporate spying.

• People who hate technology.

• People who don't want another subscription.

• People who want to own their devices.

• People who want their devices to last.

Conclusion

"Basic" devices are evergreen and awesome and we need more of them. It won't be what everyone wants, but the first company that decides to lead with their values here will own this niche and cement the loyalty of customers like me forever.

At the end of the day, I don't want all the other stuff. I just want a TV.