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Amazon Echo
https://www.beexcellenttoeachother.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10252		 Page 2 of 4
Author:  myp [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 16:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Findus Fop wrote:
asfish wrote:
Echo done a couple of odd things, I could have sworn it was saying stuff in the middle of the night, however been off all week with bad flu and was dosed up on Benylin so it could have been a dream :)

Later on this morning it started playing music I didn't ask for, I also was telling my mate about on the phone and it decided to order me a boat from what it heard, thankfully voice ordering is turned off so the boat was just added to a shopping list.


This sounds like the stuff of nightmares.

Yep. I'm not going near that shit with a bargepole.
Author:  MrChris [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 16:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Findus Fop wrote:
asfish wrote:
Echo done a couple of odd things, I could have sworn it was saying stuff in the middle of the night, however been off all week with bad flu and was dosed up on Benylin so it could have been a dream :)

Later on this morning it started playing music I didn't ask for, I also was telling my mate about on the phone and it decided to order me a boat from what it heard, thankfully voice ordering is turned off so the boat was just added to a shopping list.


This sounds like the stuff of nightmares.


It sounds like it's possessed. Call a priest.
Author:  Zardoz [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 16:33 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Says Demon Sword boy!
Author:  MrChris [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 16:36 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Zardoz wrote:
Says Demon Sword boy!

It only bit me once, man! Jesus.
Author:  asfish [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 16:39 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Lonewolves wrote:
Findus Fop wrote:
asfish wrote:
Echo done a couple of odd things, I could have sworn it was saying stuff in the middle of the night, however been off all week with bad flu and was dosed up on Benylin so it could have been a dream :)

Later on this morning it started playing music I didn't ask for, I also was telling my mate about on the phone and it decided to order me a boat from what it heard, thankfully voice ordering is turned off so the boat was just added to a shopping list.


This sounds like the stuff of nightmares.

Yep. I'm not going near that shit with a bargepole.


As long as you turn off voice ordering then it won't order anything by accident. This was one of this first things I did, I reckon maybe 2 weeks before my son would be ordering Thomas the tank engine stuff otherwise.
Author:  myp [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 16:42 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
It's just creepy as fuck.
Author:  Findus Fop [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 16:54 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Yep, it's the idea of it chunnering away in the night like a listless ghoul, starved of attention.
Author:  Mr Russell [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 16:56 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
How is it any more or less creepy than Siri?
Author:  myp [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 17:01 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Mr Russell wrote:
How is it any more or less creepy than Siri?

I don't have Siri set to constantly listen.
Author:  Grim... [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 17:03 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Lonewolves wrote:
Mr Russell wrote:
How is it any more or less creepy than Siri?

I don't have Siri set to constantly listen.

like that makes a difference lulz
Author:  myp [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 17:07 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Grim... wrote:
Lonewolves wrote:
Mr Russell wrote:
How is it any more or less creepy than Siri?

I don't have Siri set to constantly listen.

like that makes a difference lulz

Why? Also having a device in your home listening all the time rather than something that's in my pocket feels totally different.
Author:  MrChris [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 17:18 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Lonewolves wrote:
Grim... wrote:
Lonewolves wrote:
Mr Russell wrote:
How is it any more or less creepy than Siri?

I don't have Siri set to constantly listen.

like that makes a difference lulz

Why? Also having a device in your home listening all the time rather than something that's in my pocket feels totally different.

Something in your pocket letting the NSA listen to your groin is less weird?
Author:  ApplePieOfDestiny [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 17:20 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Just realised I can't have an Echo or I'll end up dropping £500 on GTA dollars every Wednesday night.
Author:  Cras [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 17:47 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Lonewolves wrote:
Grim... wrote:
Lonewolves wrote:
Mr Russell wrote:
How is it any more or less creepy than Siri?

I don't have Siri set to constantly listen.

like that makes a difference lulz

Why? Also having a device in your home listening all the time rather than something that's in my pocket feels totally different.


If you're at home then unless you've left your trousers somewhere else it's the same thing.
Author:  myp [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 17:49 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Cras wrote:
Lonewolves wrote:
Grim... wrote:
Lonewolves wrote:
Mr Russell wrote:
How is it any more or less creepy than Siri?

I don't have Siri set to constantly listen.

like that makes a difference lulz

Why? Also having a device in your home listening all the time rather than something that's in my pocket feels totally different.


If you're at home then unless you've left your trousers somewhere else it's the same thing.

Not everyone clips their phones to their belt, mate.
Author:  Cras [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 17:50 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
No...in your pocket, as you said. Huh?
Author:  myp [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 17:51 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Cras wrote:
No...in your pocket, as you said. Huh?

Right, this is ridiculous but I'll humour you. If I called you, stuck my phone on speaker mode, put it in my pocket and started talking, would you really be able to hear what I was saying? Compared to say, I don't know, a beacon placed in the middle of your house.
Author:  Grim... [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 17:53 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Yeah, reckon. As long as you were still.
Author:  myp [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 17:54 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Grim... wrote:
Yeah, reckon. As long as you were still.

Quote:
Compared to say, I don't know, a beacon placed in the middle of your house.

Really? Fair enough then.
Author:  Cras [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 17:54 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Yeah, I've had a few audible pocket dials before now.

And I'm not even GCHQ
Author:  Findus Fop [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 17:55 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Lonewolves wrote:
Cras wrote:
No...in your pocket, as you said. Huh?

Right, this is ridiculous but I'll humour you. If I called you, stuck my phone on speaker mode, put it in my pocket and started talking, would you really be able to hear what I was saying? Compared to say, I don't know, a beacon placed in the middle of your house.


What if you called Kov, and I was stood next to his car, and he had you on speakerphone? Wonder how audible that would be.
Author:  Grim... [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 18:01 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Lonewolves wrote:
Grim... wrote:
Yeah, reckon. As long as you were still.

Quote:
Compared to say, I don't know, a beacon placed in the middle of your house.

Really? Fair enough then.

Wait when did we start reading entire posts? I wasn't notified.
Author:  myp [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 18:06 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Learn to read, Grim...
Author:  Squirt [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 18:19 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Cras wrote:
Yeah, I've had a few audible pocket dials before now.

And I'm not even GCHQ

That's exactly what GCHQ would say! :ninja: :ninja:
Author:  Doctor Glyndwr [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 18:54 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Lonewolves wrote:
Mr Russell wrote:
How is it any more or less creepy than Siri?

I don't have Siri set to constantly listen.

How do you think that works?
Author:  myp [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 20:43 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
Lonewolves wrote:
Mr Russell wrote:
How is it any more or less creepy than Siri?

I don't have Siri set to constantly listen.

How do you think that works?

So if I turn 'Hey siri' activation off it still listens all the time?
Author:  Doctor Glyndwr [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 20:47 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Lonewolves wrote:
So if I turn 'Hey siri' activation off it still listens all the time?

No. But depending on what you mean by "listens" it might not really be listening all the time when its on, either. Again: I'm curious, how do you think it works?

Do you have "hey siri" disabled on your Watch, too?
Author:  myp [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 20:48 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
Lonewolves wrote:
So if I turn 'Hey siri' activation off it still listens all the time?

No. But depending on what you mean by "listens" it might not really be listening all the time when its on, either. Again: I'm curious, how do you think it works?

Do you have "hey siri" disabled on your Watch, too?

I do.
Author:  Mr Dave [ Fri Jan 13, 2017 21:39 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
Again: I'm curious, how do you think it works?

Mass produced magical Alastair Campbell pixies.

Obviously.
Author:  asfish [ Sun Jan 15, 2017 14:36 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Have to say you need a heavy investment in Amazon for the Echo to be of any real use. Without it it will tell you jokes and facts and the weather\news but not much else.

You need Prime @£70 a year which gives you access to 2 million music tracks, you can also load up to 250 of your own tracks as well

Then there are more Amazon options, Music unlimited (40 million tracks) 7.99 PM, Kindle unlimited if you want the Echo to read books (it will read compatible ones you own in your kindle library) 7.99 PM

You can also pay £22 a year and upload 250,000 of you own tracks into Amazon music, pretty sure you will need Prime for this though.

Then there is the 3rd part stuff that costs as well. I'm getting a lot out of mine and will probably get another this week for the kitchen but so far I've spent the following before the cost of the Echo.

Hive £250
Harmony £200 (this was the most expensive model and could be done cheaper)
Prime £70

Really like it though :)

In terms of listening I think it does that all the time ,but its not recording anything until you say the trigger word "Alexa," then a command, all of this is kept for "improving" the service but you can delete it all if you want.
Author:  markg [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 10:41 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Yeah, not really sold on this thing, maybe if it was fifty quid, maybe. But most of the time when I'm listening to music or finding something to watch I do it by browsing, by looking through lists, all of which you can already do quite well using your phone. Using voice for anything more but the simplest routine interactions is really slow and clunky.

I don't know call me a curmudgeon if you like but it just seems to be a solution to problems that don't exist.
Author:  Mr Russell [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 10:50 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
It's one of those things that's useful for tying a load of other services together, and is only useful if you already have those services. Otherwise it's an expensive gimmick.
Author:  markg [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 11:15 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Is it not still just an expensive gimmick even then, though? I probably do have a fair few of those things but I still can't think of much useful interaction that could take place by issuing short verbal commands. It just seems to be, "buy this exact thing" or "play this exact song", "play some music suggested by an algorithm" unless you have an internet kettle to turn on I suppose.

It feels like a retro-future idea that has suddenly become real but it in the cold light of day turns out actually not be of very much use. Like wristwatches with phones in them.
Author:  Cras [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 11:44 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
I think it's niche to those folks who fold it into their daily routine. If you make use of it, it'all be useful. I know people who have an Apple Watch for whom it's a gimmick they never use, and I know people who live their lives by them.
Author:  markg [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 12:00 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
I've seen examples of smartwatches that make them look at least marginally useful but I honestly haven't seen anything you can do with Echo that you couldn't do far more easily and better by just using your phone. That's not to say that there aren't any such examples but just that I've not seen them. Chiefly because any request you make that results in anything more than a binary choice makes voice a horribly clunky and slow way to do things.

But even giving information such as the oft stated weather forecast is rubbish and slow compared to what you could glean by a brief glance at a screen, even the tiny screen of a watch. You read and take in visual cues really, really fast when compared to how long it takes to actually read information out verbally.
Author:  Zardoz [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 12:24 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
What happens if you quack at an Echo?
Author:  Mr Russell [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 12:32 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
You get sectioned.
Author:  Bobbyaro [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 13:53 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
What happens if you are called Alexa?
Author:  Mr Russell [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 13:58 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Bobbyaro wrote:
What happens if you are called Alexa?

You change the name it responds to so as to avoid confusion in the household.
Author:  Zardoz [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 14:05 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Are there any plans for Amazon to make the Bunnymen?
Author:  Mr Russell [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 14:09 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Umberto will know.
Author:  myp [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 14:11 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Mr Russell wrote:
Bobbyaro wrote:
What happens if you are called Alexa?

You change the name it responds to so as to avoid confusion in the household.

What if you change it to Bill and then you say 'pay bill' and it empties your PayPal account and sends it all to Amazon
Author:  Mr Russell [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 14:26 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Lonewolves wrote:
Mr Russell wrote:
Bobbyaro wrote:
What happens if you are called Alexa?

You change the name it responds to so as to avoid confusion in the household.

What if you change it to Bill and then you say 'pay bill' and it empties your PayPal account and sends it all to Amazon

Then it does nothing, because you should have said "Bill, pay bill".
Author:  Bobbyaro [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 14:51 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
What if you change it to 'spot' and you are reading a children's book about a small dog and you read the book telling the dog to run? What happens then?
Author:  Kern [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 14:51 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
What if you call it 'Amazon' and ask it to pay tax?
Author:  KovacsC [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 14:55 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Kern wrote:
What if you call it 'Amazon' and ask it to pay tax?


Bravo
Author:  GazChap [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 15:10 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
Kern wrote:
What if you call it 'Amazon' and ask it to pay tax?

Image
Author:  Doctor Glyndwr [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 17:23 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
markg wrote:
Yeah, not really sold on this thing, maybe if it was fifty quid, maybe.

The cheap one is fifty quid.
Author:  markg [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 17:37 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
It's ok, I've convinced myself it's not even worth that. I'd have a punt for a tenner perhaps.
Author:  Doctor Glyndwr [ Mon Jan 16, 2017 19:00 ]
Post subject:  Re: Amazon Echo
That's some pretty solid goalpost moving there.
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