[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Amazon Echo (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 3/27/2016 5:57:01 PM EDT
| Anyone have one? How do you like it? How good is the sound? Been thinking about buying one but have not seen one up close. |
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I have one, it sort of worked it's way into my life.
It started as a gimmick playing music and weather/news. Then I started looking to see what else I could use it for. That's when I started buying light switches, preordered a dot, hooked it up to my nest and I'm interested to see what else I can do with it. I guess I should note that I work for the company but not in that org. |
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Quoted:
I have one, it sort of worked it's way into my life. It started as a gimmick playing music and weather/news. Then I started looking to see what else I could use it for. That's when I started buying light switches, preordered a dot, hooked it up to my nest and I'm interested to see what else I can do with it. I guess I should note that I work for the company but not in that org. This is how I started. Sound is great for its size and the home automation is the best feature. Plus just ask it Wikipedia anything and it will. |
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I have one, it sort of worked it's way into my life. It started as a gimmick playing music and weather/news. Then I started looking to see what else I could use it for. That's when I started buying light switches, preordered a dot, hooked it up to my nest and I'm interested to see what else I can do with it. I guess I should note that I work for the company but not in that org. How'd you hook it to the Nest? I read that that wasn't possible. Was it the dot or the echo? |
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Quoted: Own a cell phone? Quoted: Quoted: Why invite the NSA into your house? Own a cell phone? The Amazon Echo records all conversations in the house, even from other rooms, and sends all that data to Amazon. Not really the NSA but people seem to have no problem paying for a device which gives up their privacy to 3rd parties. If you could go back in time, even just 10 years ago, and tell people that they would be happy to pay for a device that sent all their conversations to another company who would listen to them, you would be laughed at. Yet here we are. Even your Smart TV is getting in on that. Samsung actually sent out a warning/reminder to people that what they say in their homes is not private. Samsung's warning: Our Smart TVs record your living room chatter...Smart TV's voice recognition system will not only capture your private conversations, but also pass them onto third parties. http://www.cnet.com/news/samsungs-warning-our-smart-tvs-record-your-living-room-chatter/ |
| My lady friend (no photo) bought one when they first came out. She uses it for Pandora radio, grocery lists, weather, ect. She does have a table lamp plugged into a switch so she can turn the light on from her condo carport and not walk into a dark room. The grocery list is cool to use. If you use something up while cooking, just add it to the list. There is an app for iPhones that has you list on it when you go to the store, |
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Quoted:
The Amazon Echo records all conversations in the house, even from other rooms, and sends all that data to Amazon. Not really the NSA but people seem to have no problem paying for a device which gives up their privacy to 3rd parties. If you could go back in time, even just 10 years ago, and tell people that they would be happy to pay for a device that sent all their conversations to another company who would listen to them, you would be laughed at. Yet here we are. Even your Smart TV is getting in on that. Samsung actually sent out a warning/reminder to people that what they say in their homes is not private. Samsung's warning: Our Smart TVs record your living room chatter...Smart TV's voice recognition system will not only capture your private conversations, but also pass them onto third parties. http://www.cnet.com/news/samsungs-warning-our-smart-tvs-record-your-living-room-chatter/ Quoted:
Quoted:
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Why invite the NSA into your house? Own a cell phone? The Amazon Echo records all conversations in the house, even from other rooms, and sends all that data to Amazon. Not really the NSA but people seem to have no problem paying for a device which gives up their privacy to 3rd parties. If you could go back in time, even just 10 years ago, and tell people that they would be happy to pay for a device that sent all their conversations to another company who would listen to them, you would be laughed at. Yet here we are. Even your Smart TV is getting in on that. Samsung actually sent out a warning/reminder to people that what they say in their homes is not private. Samsung's warning: Our Smart TVs record your living room chatter...Smart TV's voice recognition system will not only capture your private conversations, but also pass them onto third parties. http://www.cnet.com/news/samsungs-warning-our-smart-tvs-record-your-living-room-chatter/ What a world we live in. |
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How'd you hook it to the Nest? I read that that wasn't possible. Was it the dot or the echo? Just came out, check your alexa.amazon.com page and you should see it under smart home > device links It's pretty limited now, but the fact that both companies are willing to work together is a good sign for iot. |
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Just came out, check your alexa.amazon.com page and you should see it under smart home > device links It's pretty limited now, but the fact that both companies are willing to work together is a good sign for iot. Quoted:
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How'd you hook it to the Nest? I read that that wasn't possible. Was it the dot or the echo? Just came out, check your alexa.amazon.com page and you should see it under smart home > device links It's pretty limited now, but the fact that both companies are willing to work together is a good sign for iot. Awesome thanks. |
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Anyone have one? How do you like it? How good is the sound? Been thinking about buying one but have not seen one up close. I use mine all the time. I stream the radio over it on occasion, but mostly I use it to check the time, weather, and as an alarm. I love being able to wake up in the middle of the night and ask Alexa what time it is w/o opening my eyes. |
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Quoted:
The Amazon Echo records all conversations in the house, even from other rooms, and sends all that data to Amazon. Not really the NSA but people seem to have no problem paying for a device which gives up their privacy to 3rd parties. If you could go back in time, even just 10 years ago, and tell people that they would be happy to pay for a device that sent all their conversations to another company who would listen to them, you would be laughed at. Yet here we are. Even your Smart TV is getting in on that. Samsung actually sent out a warning/reminder to people that what they say in their homes is not private. Samsung's warning: Our Smart TVs record your living room chatter...Smart TV's voice recognition system will not only capture your private conversations, but also pass them onto third parties. http://www.cnet.com/news/samsungs-warning-our-smart-tvs-record-your-living-room-chatter/ Quoted:
Quoted:
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Why invite the NSA into your house? Own a cell phone? The Amazon Echo records all conversations in the house, even from other rooms, and sends all that data to Amazon. Not really the NSA but people seem to have no problem paying for a device which gives up their privacy to 3rd parties. If you could go back in time, even just 10 years ago, and tell people that they would be happy to pay for a device that sent all their conversations to another company who would listen to them, you would be laughed at. Yet here we are. Even your Smart TV is getting in on that. Samsung actually sent out a warning/reminder to people that what they say in their homes is not private. Samsung's warning: Our Smart TVs record your living room chatter...Smart TV's voice recognition system will not only capture your private conversations, but also pass them onto third parties. http://www.cnet.com/news/samsungs-warning-our-smart-tvs-record-your-living-room-chatter/ I don't believe that's true about Amazon . They do save the commands they receive, but unless I"m mistaken nothing is transmitted unless it picks up it's command word Alexa. Sure it could be misused, I think you're wearing way too much tin foil. |
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Quoted:
The Amazon Echo records all conversations in the house, even from other rooms, and sends all that data to Amazon. Not really the NSA but people seem to have no problem paying for a device which gives up their privacy to 3rd parties. If you could go back in time, even just 10 years ago, and tell people that they would be happy to pay for a device that sent all their conversations to another company who would listen to them, you would be laughed at. Yet here we are. Even your Smart TV is getting in on that. Samsung actually sent out a warning/reminder to people that what they say in their homes is not private. Samsung's warning: Our Smart TVs record your living room chatter...Smart TV's voice recognition system will not only capture your private conversations, but also pass them onto third parties. http://www.cnet.com/news/samsungs-warning-our-smart-tvs-record-your-living-room-chatter/ Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Why invite the NSA into your house? Own a cell phone? The Amazon Echo records all conversations in the house, even from other rooms, and sends all that data to Amazon. Not really the NSA but people seem to have no problem paying for a device which gives up their privacy to 3rd parties. If you could go back in time, even just 10 years ago, and tell people that they would be happy to pay for a device that sent all their conversations to another company who would listen to them, you would be laughed at. Yet here we are. Even your Smart TV is getting in on that. Samsung actually sent out a warning/reminder to people that what they say in their homes is not private. Samsung's warning: Our Smart TVs record your living room chatter...Smart TV's voice recognition system will not only capture your private conversations, but also pass them onto third parties. http://www.cnet.com/news/samsungs-warning-our-smart-tvs-record-your-living-room-chatter/ Is there any truth to this about the Echo spying on you? |
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The echo doesn't until alexa is spoken, but it's pretty difficult to convince anyone of this.
Get wireshark yourself and watch your traffic. Then again, a secret nsa thing would probably just use secret listening devices in your tv. Far simpler than trying to make people buy a device that everyone thinks will listen to them. Or maybe that's what the man just wants you to think so that you think that he thinks that you think it's not actually a plan to listen to you. |
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Is there any truth to this about the Echo spying on you? Quoted:
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Why invite the NSA into your house? Own a cell phone? The Amazon Echo records all conversations in the house, even from other rooms, and sends all that data to Amazon. Not really the NSA but people seem to have no problem paying for a device which gives up their privacy to 3rd parties. If you could go back in time, even just 10 years ago, and tell people that they would be happy to pay for a device that sent all their conversations to another company who would listen to them, you would be laughed at. Yet here we are. Even your Smart TV is getting in on that. Samsung actually sent out a warning/reminder to people that what they say in their homes is not private. Samsung's warning: Our Smart TVs record your living room chatter...Smart TV's voice recognition system will not only capture your private conversations, but also pass them onto third parties. http://www.cnet.com/news/samsungs-warning-our-smart-tvs-record-your-living-room-chatter/ Is there any truth to this about the Echo spying on you? From what I understand it sends nothing until it detects the key word. Then it sends what follows to the cloud for recognition. They supposedly store what is transmitted for recognition but not everything it picks up. I haven't run wireshark to watch it, but I can't believe they'd be stupid enough to transmit everything. The bandwidth would be huge over time, and they would be crucified for the violation of privacy. I don't see it as any more of a risk than Siri or Gooogle's voice recognition products. |
Turn up the heat, bitch, ect. 
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Quoted: Why invite the NSA into your house? Its not that - its just one of the largest data warehousing and data analysis companies that exists - with practically no restrictions on what it does with data it acquires from the "always on" microphone that you are paying to install. |
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Its not that - its just one of the largest data warehousing and data analysis companies that exists - with practically no restrictions on what it does with data it acquires from the "always on" microphone that you are paying to install. Quoted:
Quoted:
Why invite the NSA into your house? Its not that - its just one of the largest data warehousing and data analysis companies that exists - with practically no restrictions on what it does with data it acquires from the "always on" microphone that you are paying to install. They're not transmitting everything the mic hears. Part of the reason for the limitation on key words is they want something that doesn't get used by accident often. Then they can send what follows for processing by a more powerful computer. Do you really think there wouldn't have been shitstorm of epic proportions if they recorded everything their mic could pickup? |
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They're not transmitting everything the mic hears. Part of the reason for the limitation on key words is they want something that doesn't get used by accident often. Then they can send what follows for processing by a more powerful computer. Do you really think there wouldn't have been shitstorm of epic proportions if they recorded everything their mic could pickup? Quoted:
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Why invite the NSA into your house? Its not that - its just one of the largest data warehousing and data analysis companies that exists - with practically no restrictions on what it does with data it acquires from the "always on" microphone that you are paying to install. They're not transmitting everything the mic hears. Part of the reason for the limitation on key words is they want something that doesn't get used by accident often. Then they can send what follows for processing by a more powerful computer. Do you really think there wouldn't have been shitstorm of epic proportions if they recorded everything their mic could pickup? This. I set up a packet sniffer to see if Alexa is transmitting anything other than when I ask her a question and she is completely quiet until you wake it up. I love having it. The second they announced the Echo Dot I ordered one for the bedroom. My delivery date is Thursday of this week. If it's as good as the original, I'll buy one for my office too. It's super handy when you have a home automation system as well. Heres a short video I made showing how she can control my Smartthings hub. Since this video they added thermostat support. Alexa and Smartthings |
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Quoted: I don't believe that's true about Amazon . They do save the commands they receive, but unless I"m mistaken nothing is transmitted unless it picks up it's command word Alexa. Sure it could be misused, I think you're wearing way too much tin foil. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Why invite the NSA into your house? Own a cell phone? The Amazon Echo records all conversations in the house, even from other rooms, and sends all that data to Amazon. Not really the NSA but people seem to have no problem paying for a device which gives up their privacy to 3rd parties. If you could go back in time, even just 10 years ago, and tell people that they would be happy to pay for a device that sent all their conversations to another company who would listen to them, you would be laughed at. Yet here we are. Even your Smart TV is getting in on that. Samsung actually sent out a warning/reminder to people that what they say in their homes is not private. Samsung's warning: Our Smart TVs record your living room chatter...Smart TV's voice recognition system will not only capture your private conversations, but also pass them onto third parties. http://www.cnet.com/news/samsungs-warning-our-smart-tvs-record-your-living-room-chatter/ I don't believe that's true about Amazon . They do save the commands they receive, but unless I"m mistaken nothing is transmitted unless it picks up it's command word Alexa. Sure it could be misused, I think you're wearing way too much tin foil. Amazon claims the Echo transmits everything after the wake up work and a few seconds before. I work in IT and if I created the device I would have it listening all the time. So yeah, I wear a lot of tin foil because that is what I would expect the device to do. Especially as I linked in the Samsung story other vendors are already doing that. Why would you create that capability and then now use it? |
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Anyone have one? How do you like it? How good is the sound? Been thinking about buying one but have not seen one up close. I've got one. Have had it for about 2 months and like it pretty well. Worth the price of admission, in my opinion, but I got it $50 off regular price on sale. Right now I've got it set up in the master bedroom near the door which isn't far from the kitchen and main living areas and, use it mostly for ambient music at night, cooking timers, shopping lists, and quick checking the weather. Eventually I'd like to set it up for lighting and environmental management but I haven't decided what system to go with since it is compatible with several. The sound quality is pretty good for such a small package! Complaints: - Using it for ambient music at night, I've found there's a huge jump in volume between level 2 and 3. Level 2 is too quiet and level 3 is a touch too loud. I end up using level 3 though. Would be nice if there were some finer steps in there. - When playing heavy music at higher volumes (8+), it won't hear you unless you scream at it or hit the mic button or, you'll have to manually turn it down by rotating the top. - There's no SiriusXM compatibility yet. I've got to settle for Bluetooth connecting my tablet or phone to it and streaming SiriusXM to it. It does have Pandora, Spotify, and Prime Music though. I use Pandora the most besides SiriusXM. You can also verbally rate songs thumbs up or down too which is handy. |
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Quoted: They're not transmitting everything the mic hears. Part of the reason for the limitation on key words is they want something that doesn't get used by accident often. Then they can send what follows for processing by a more powerful computer. Do you really think there wouldn't have been shitstorm of epic proportions if they recorded everything their mic could pickup? Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Why invite the NSA into your house? Its not that - its just one of the largest data warehousing and data analysis companies that exists - with practically no restrictions on what it does with data it acquires from the "always on" microphone that you are paying to install. They're not transmitting everything the mic hears. Part of the reason for the limitation on key words is they want something that doesn't get used by accident often. Then they can send what follows for processing by a more powerful computer. Do you really think there wouldn't have been shitstorm of epic proportions if they recorded everything their mic could pickup? And you know that how? |
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Quoted: They are great. I have one and bought some for gifts to my family and they love it too. I keep it in my office and have it play music most of time. It's nice to just say what kind of genre or song you want There is a 0% chance that your information is not currently being collected used by some government agency. 0%. |
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The echo doesn't until alexa is spoken, but it's pretty difficult to convince anyone of this. Get wireshark yourself and watch your traffic. Then again, a secret nsa thing would probably just use secret listening devices in your tv. Far simpler than trying to make people buy a device that everyone thinks will listen to them. Or maybe that's what the man just wants you to think so that you think that he thinks that you think it's not actually a plan to listen to you. our daughters name is Alexia, damn thing would always be waking up and listening. 
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our daughters name is Alexia, damn thing would always be waking up and listening.
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The echo doesn't until alexa is spoken, but it's pretty difficult to convince anyone of this. Get wireshark yourself and watch your traffic. Then again, a secret nsa thing would probably just use secret listening devices in your tv. Far simpler than trying to make people buy a device that everyone thinks will listen to them. Or maybe that's what the man just wants you to think so that you think that he thinks that you think it's not actually a plan to listen to you. our daughters name is Alexia, damn thing would always be waking up and listening.
My upstairs neighbors name is Alexa. It picks up conversations upstairs in her apartment all the time. Also there is a mic off button for everyone who is worried. I like mine a lot, got in on the pre order. |
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Even your Smart TV is getting in on that. Samsung actually sent out a warning/reminder to people that what they say in their homes is not private. Samsung's warning: Our Smart TVs record your living room chatter...Smart TV's voice recognition system will not only capture your private conversations, but also pass them onto third parties. http://www.cnet.com/news/samsungs-warning-our-smart-tvs-record-your-living-room-chatter/ Damn . . . that explains a lot . . . while watching TV late the other night, I sneezed and a voice from the TV said "Bless You ". 
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And you know that how? Quoted:
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Why invite the NSA into your house? Its not that - its just one of the largest data warehousing and data analysis companies that exists - with practically no restrictions on what it does with data it acquires from the "always on" microphone that you are paying to install. They're not transmitting everything the mic hears. Part of the reason for the limitation on key words is they want something that doesn't get used by accident often. Then they can send what follows for processing by a more powerful computer. Do you really think there wouldn't have been shitstorm of epic proportions if they recorded everything their mic could pickup? And you know that how? It's easy enough to verify w/ Wireshark. People have tested it. It's not streaming audio until it detects the code word. I'd be more concerned about a cell phone than I would an Echo. With Amazon saying it's not recording everything they'd get sued if it was. You would have people screaming at their internet bills when they pay by the GB. |
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There is a 0% chance that your information is not currently being collected used by some government agency. 0%. Quoted:
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They are great. I have one and bought some for gifts to my family and they love it too. I keep it in my office and have it play music most of time. It's nice to just say what kind of genre or song you want There is a 0% chance that your information is not currently being collected used by some government agency. 0%. Do you own a cell phone? |
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Love the heck out of mine, have a dot on pre-order too. To clarify, I got mine as part of the $99 pre-order. I use it to control all of the lights in my living room via a Wink hub, I use it to control my entire entertainment system via my Logitech harmony remote hub, and I use IFTT to program all kinds of functions that incorporate multiple devices. If I wasn't stuck living in base housing I would have a smart thermostat and smart locks to go with it too. As a home automation device it is fantastic. If you aren't going to use all that functionality, get some shitty Bluetooth speaker that costs just as much. |
Got mine for $99 on the initial pre-order. Works fine playing iTunes or YouTube songs when connected via Bluetooth and simply using it as a speaker. I also ran Wireshark and saw not data transfer other than when you speak the keyword. Love it, but there is one really annoying thing: I listen to my music loud. So I normally have the volume up higher than average. And when it's in your BDR, and an Alexa commercial comes on at 2am and you fell asleep with the TV on, it can really get you startled when Alex says "I'm sorry, I didn't understand what you were asking" at volume 8/10 
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Quoted: Do you own a cell phone? Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: They are great. I have one and bought some for gifts to my family and they love it too. I keep it in my office and have it play music most of time. It's nice to just say what kind of genre or song you want There is a 0% chance that your information is not currently being collected used by some government agency. 0%. Do you own a cell phone? Nope. I don't have the internet either.  |
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Quoted: What didn't you like about it? Quoted: Quoted: I bought one when you had to be on the waiting list. Finally got it and was majorly disappointed. I sent it back for a refund. What didn't you like about it? Lots. It had issues with voice recognition unless you were pretty close to it for one, and it wanted to lose it's internet connectivity for another. It's been a year so I don't remember many particulars about it much past I tried it out for about a week and didn't like it much.
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Alexa always spells it correctly.