Oz regulator tells telly-makers to mind their language The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) has told the top five telly-makers to stop describing their products as “WiFi Ready” when a dongle is needed to connect them to a network. "The ACCC considered that the term 'Ready', when used in promoting audiovisual products, is widely understood by consumers to mean …
A victory, but sadly no fine. You have to wonder how many $120 adaptors they sold at the typically Aussie added tax price compared to, say, the $30-40 you could pay for a WN111 USB adaptor. Seems strange to me that Apple gets fined for its 4G advert but these guys get off with a "don't do it again". They are claiming an ability that the device as sold does not have.
Not many. I made the mistake of buying one of those bluerays a couple weeks ago and only discovering it when I asked a friend to set it up while I was working on something else. When he told me I'd have to take it upstairs to update it I told him to just put it back in the box. Next day I returned it to the store and got one that had built in WiFi.
If it were me, I'd mandate the "WiFi receiver sold separately" label. The others offer too much leeway to continue the deceptive advertising.
There are piles of regulations around the world surrounding network connected devices - even more *wirelessly* connected devices. That, in addition to all the regulation on the TVs. So the only option to produce one unit sellable across the world, is for manufacturers to make optional all the stuff which much raise eyebrows of the customs and certification authorities. It's called "globalization" - looked it up.
Now, that "Bla-bla Ready" language *IS* pretty annoying. I learned over time to read it as: oh you might happen to get it working - theoretically - but it still might suck and be unusable, even after alas you paid us all the money.
It is possible to make globalised wireless-ready products. It is however both costly and challenging.
Those companies that actually *do* take up the challenge and invest in the development to actually make gloabised wireless products should be able to call their devices "Wifi ready" and use this as a differentiator in promoting their products.
Those that have not figured out how to do this should be limited to the more limp wristed claims.
"So the only option to produce one unit sellable across the world, is for manufacturers to make optional all the stuff which much raise eyebrows of the customs and certification authorities. It's called "globalization" - looked it up."
No its not, its to make it part of the package. They sell a TV in Australia, the retailers get sent a package of USB adaptors that they then include FREE with the TV, ooooh that was really hard, therefore the packaged item is WiFi ready. There's absolutely no reason why the wifi adpator should be an optional extra, oh yes except they can charge $120 for something that normaly costs around $20-$30 from a computer shop.
How come my $100 router and Apple TV come with wireless but my $4k LCD TV is only wireless ready?
My Samsung phone has wireless. My android tablet but not my expensive TV. Every other device in the world can have wireless built in but TV need a dongle.
Globalization has figured out how to do wireless everywhere. Buying Dongles is an excuse to rip you off twice.
They save themselves $2 and then rip you off $100 or more for an addon.
Indeed.
Now perhaps they can get at HP for selling "Photosmart" printers for which you need to buy a special "Photosmart" cartridge in order to print black and white photographs!!!
'Scuse me, but if I've got a black and a colour cartridge installed in a printer labelled "Photosmart" I shouldn't need to buy an extra special cartridge in order to use it to print photos. And then because I only do a small amount of B & W printing removing it again for ordinary printing and then presumably finding out that the next time I want to use it, it has dried up.
half the time it's down to the store selling it too. I've had plenty of stores where I'll be looking at a TV or a computer and I'll hear a salesman spout a load of BS
"Does the TV need any special adapter?"
"No no, it comes with everything you need"
A few minutes later I tend to walk over and list off the amount of BS spouted to them, followed by the truth.
Hell I had one salesman try to tell somebody the difference between an i3, i5 and i7 was the number of cores, with i3 being 3 cores, so on so forth. It took a lot of will power not to call him retarded while he was still stood there.
And at issuing $LARGE fines to companies which jerk them around.
2 other decisions I can think of off the top of my head:
$2million fine given to an ISP offering bogus unlimited internet (company previously fined $13k, then did it again)
Declaring DVD region coding as an illegal retraint of trade.
Compared to the UK and EU agencies they're a positive shining example.
Except when it comes to oil companies and the supermarket duopoly whereby they just can't seem to find any evidence of price collusion. Yet pump prices of fuel change based on day of the week and whether the holidays are coming and do so simultaneously across all major chains and Australians pay more for just about everything even when reasonable differences are taken into account.
Seriously, they a f*cking hopeless at their remit and this action is the exception rather than the rule. When it comes to the competition areas that are really harming the consumer they bottle it.
"Australians pay more for just about everything"
Really? Are you sure about that? And compared to what?
It's true for a lot of things - especially for electronics, designer clothing and, well, don't get me started on video games...
But, for example, today's average unleaded petrol price in Sydney - 137.9 cents per litre (lowest is 127.9). I wish I was only paying £0.89 per litre for my fuel, even if the Yanks pay hardly anything by comparison.
And my grocery bill is a lot higher since moving to the UK too - I almost [accidentally] turned vegetarian because I was subconsciously converting to AU$ and saying "I'm not paying that!" every time I ventured into the meat section.
The weekly fuel price fluctuations are a reality, but fairly predictable. The school holiday increases are a bit annoying, but on the whole if the pump prices are lower mid week, then fill your tank mid week - simples
I seriously don't know where you are buying your bacon dude but no doubt you're getting it out of a packet or buying in Asda. Bacon is the one thing I miss from the UK due to the variation in cuts alone and the fact that you can get it to crisp up nicely. The shear ability to order from the farmer, buy organic produce at less than triple the price, shop around for niche breeds etc just shits on what Australia has to offer. I can go into a supermarket and get a free range corn fed chicken. In Australia they're either free range or they may have seen a piece of corn once in their lifetime. No flavour comparison at all. The supermarket duopoly in Australia is ruining the food market.
I won't even upset you more by pointing out how much you have to pay for alcohol which means you get robbed drowning your sorrows.
Food higher in the UK? Some items maybe, but milk? Nope, 3l for $4.57 compared to 3.41l for £1.74. Bread? Nope, $4.40 for a Brumbies fresh loaf, around $3+ for a Woolworths fresh loaf, 2 large fresh loaves for £2 in Morrisons. Fruit? Nope, raspberries £2 a punnet in Tesco, $7 in Woolworths, blueberries $7.97 for 125g in Woolworths, £3 for 350g in Tesco. Granted meat is dearer, but that is about the only item that is. The rest of the basket including staples and non-food items are much cheaper. There is genuine supermarket competition in the UK, there isn't in Australia.
If you want to compare the price of a tax-laden item such as fuel then how about comparing the price of what it goes in? Cars are ridiculously cheap in the UK compared to Australia.
As a high-end comparison a BMW M5 drive away price in the UK is £60k. The *list* price in Oz is $180k (that's both last model). BMW 535d, drive away £44,295, Australia $130,879.90.
A V8 Landcruiser diesel which has only 1 UK spec, something Japanese rather than European, one model £63,910 drive away, at least VX equivalent which is $107,046.60 drive away. If it's Sahara equivalent then that's $126,806.59 drive away. Closer, but still no cigar by a long way.
For second-hand cars we could have a 6 year old Porsche Cayenne, £13,000 vs $74,995 - I looked because a mate said they were so cheap. You can basically buy the thing then likely import it with all duties paid and sell it at a profit. The prices in Australia are mad.
I even import brand new books from the UK delivered for cheaper than I can even buy them in Australia. I imported my Asics running shoes for $100 less than I could buy them locally. There's an ACCC investigation on the pricing of electronic downloads compared to the UK and US.
Australia may be many things but cheaper will never be one of them.
I have had my fights with the ACCC......
Fairly atypical inept beurocracy.....
Ohhh and isn't Sony one of the cretins doing all this "The consumers are playing content that we are not sure that they paid us for.", and yet here they are scamming away with their council, their retailers and suppliers... with MORE of the "Lets just bullshit the consumer with misleading half truths".
Good one Sony......
I mean "Good One Ready" - Sony - All you have to do is purchase the credibility.
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