This question was asked on the latest episode of Jupiter Broadcasting’s show “User Error”. I thought it was an interesting topic, and worthwhile to start a discussion here.
Mine would be those “infotainment” screens in cars. They just seem like a worthless gimmick and a pointless distraction to me, but more and more cars seem to have them.
“Smart” speakers. An always-on device listening to everything I do and is, at best, marginally useful. No thanks. Any internet connected IoT device is also suspect. I have a Pi Hole running and the amount of times these things phone home is unacceptable. I don’t consider myself a security and privacy zealot but these kinds of devices are a nightmare. Most consumers either don’t know or don’t care about how much information they are giving away. Pretty sad state.
Absolutely agree with you regarding those smart speakers. None of these alexas or googlehomes will ever find a place uner my roof.
Also, I agree with you. My current TV set is from 2010 and when I bought it I was able to play YouTube clips on it (mostly cartoons for my son), as there was a YouTube app installed in the machine. Only one day Google stopped supporting it so smart tv stopped being that smart. So I purchased BoxeeBox and was using it for some years - until DLink stopped supporting it.
Luckily, I learned from my mistakes and now I have a Raspberry Pi running OSMC connected to my TV and this is all I need 
Sorry if I offend anyone, marketing is a virus. It infects everything it comes into contact with.
IMHO, it ruined TV ( I watch Netflix - without commercials ). I can’t stand buying gas at stations that have very loud ads blaring from the pumps. The internet is clogged with ads, most of them are designed to be very distracting. Pi-hole to the rescue.
The gas pump thing is infuriating. Luckily the stations I go to have a mute button. My daughter has never watched commercial television at home so when she sees it somewhere she’s like “Why do they keep interrupting the show?”. It makes me happy that I’m able to shield my child from the cesspool of marketing aimed at kids.
You mean the pumps at gas stations have screens and speakers on them in your neck o’ the woods? Yikes!
Ugh, I did not even own a TV, ever. I was 20 when I moved away from my parents, and I have a PC since then, totally happy about it.
Also there was a hype around “smart” watches some time ago, I did not get it. Notifications? Useless. Heart rate? I am fine, thanks.
I liked paying with my smartphone though, back when I used Google services. I do not do this anymore, but it would be good to have a company I can trust with such data.
Some of them do. And they make me wait in the car while the gas pumps.
Same here. I bought a ‘dumb’ TV on purpose but with HDMI and have it now connected to my Raspberry Pi.
One thing that is specific in my case is the use of trackers and fitness gadgets or even smart watches. I am a runner but do not use any of those devices or apps. Do not get me started with going for a run with my smartphone on my arm. 
I do get the point of some of them but I rather enjoy the nature and trust my personal intuition for the pace and speed.
Do they sell or make “dumb” TVs anymore? I don’t even want a smart one near my network lol.
The regression of not having a phone with a removable battery. (<3 Pine64 / Fairphone)
The pros:
The cons:
Airpods. There are better alternatives for cheaper.
The OP deserves an entire essay in response. It takes me considerable effort to try not to get more crusty and pessimistic with every new privacy-thrashing, profoundly crap-tastic new “innovation” that the high tech Ad-men of the world vomit out on a regular basis these days.
How about a plain old computer monitor, with some sort of Kodi appliance (like a Raspberry Pi 4) hooked up to it? There are inexpensive Infrared USB receivers with a Kodi-compatible remote control as well.
I say plain old monitors are the new Dumb TV.
A contact if mine posted a rant on LinkedIn about the term serverless not really being serverless.
I commented that serverless is a marketing term, not an IT term.
The same applies here. Some innovation is driven by IT, some is disguised as IT innovation by actually being driven by marketing
Considering that I use computers with OS and software only of my choice and now wants to use such a mobile phone (PinePhone), it would be nice to get a TV where I actually install the software myslef too I bet this is never going to happen. BTW, has anyone here have idea if there is FOS alternative to Google Chromcast?
Interesting point of view, especially for me since my computer is already under the tv. Problem is the monitor sizes in general. My tv is 40 inches and I don’t see myself going for lower than 55 for the next one 
I’m currently using Roku’s to provide streaming service from Amazon, Netflix, and youtube. Roku is moving to voice operated remotes. So, when I find the time, I will be building a couple of rpi-4’s and will be using Kodi as my Roku replacement.
I am also watching / waiting for a mobile phone that I can OWN. Remember, if you can open it, you don’t own it.
I’m using a 27 inch monitor as my bedroom “TV”. It’s big enough for me 'cause the room’s quite small, and it’s got VGA, HDMI and DisplayPort, so I can hook up more or less whatever I want to it. I mostly just use it with my laptop for watching DVDs or stuff from YouTube.