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Peloton Treadmill Owners Will be Able to Run Again Without a Subscription

posted by martyb on Friday August 06 2021, @09:51AM   Printer-friendly
from the internet-of-things-you-don't-actually-own dept.

DannyB writes:

Peloton treadmill owners will be able to run again without a subscription:

After a spate of accidents on its Tread+ treadmill, Peloton temporarily moved the basic running mode of Tread+ behind a paywall so non-authorized users couldn't gain access. Now, all users will be able to use the "Just Run" feature without a subscription [...]

[...] after several reports of injuries and one death. The company subsequently released a software update that required a passcode to use the basic running mode, but the feature was only available to subscribers.

[...] The Tread Lock feature locks the device if you haven't used the treadmill in 45 seconds and aren't in a class. You then need to input a four-digit code before it can be used again.

[...] While the update was inconvenient for non-subscribers who purchased the $4,000+ devices, Peloton did make it possible to do basic running without paying.

Putting the primary function of an expensive product behind a paywall is a way to prevent accidents.

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 1, Redundant) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Friday August 06 2021, @10:28AM (2 children)

    by Rosco P. Coltrane (4757) on Friday August 06 2021, @10:28AM (#1163985)

    You can lol all you want, but strictly speaking, it's true: if fucking Peloton bricks your $4,000 device, it can't hurt you. Not unless you try to justify the expense by using your newly-bricked treadmill for weight-lifting or something.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 06 2021, @10:32AM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 06 2021, @10:32AM (#1163987)

    For fuck's sake, man, not so loud! An MBA might hear you and implement a new business plan at that company: you now have to bolt your treadmill to your floor or else it won't turn on (for your safety of course) and if you don't slide in a quarter, you can't unbolt it.

    • (Score: 1) by anubi on Friday August 06 2021, @10:04PM

      by anubi (2828) on Friday August 06 2021, @10:04PM (#1164194) Journal

      I just wait for the neighbors to buy one, get tired of it, and set it on the curb for trash pickup.

      Then if I want it, it's free for the taking, and maybe I can make something useful out of it.

      --
      "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]