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Re: Google Home

#211
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You probably have on in your pocket already, is the thing. (I agree though, I don't want this in my house, and I turned off the "Ok Google" functionality on my phone)

I don't know about Android (though I assume it works the same way), but iPhone's "Hey Siri" is done entirely on-device, so until you activate Siri, nothing you say is sent to a server.

Though is that auditable? Siri's not Free Software AFAIK.

Re: Google Home

#212
post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've ditched the smartphone. And, for the most part, the phone. I'm not at all happy with the trade-off any more. I've got a tablet, both cameras taped over. Killing the mics would be a Good Thing. Sigh.

Tablet connected to a network?

Frequently, yes. Though not 3GL/4GL mobile networks.

I'm aware of the risk and hypocrisy. I'm also far from happy with it (I increasingly dislike Android, Samsung, and with varying levels, Google).

But given the balance of something I can power down, that isn't always on me, and the portability and cost benefits over an alternative laptop, its a far-less-than-perfect satisficing solution for now.

Re: Google Home

#214
The search queries that get sent to Google are probably the least interesting part of this to them. Sure, Google will get some additional search queries and be able to target you slightly better, but it's a rounding error in terms of the data they already have.

The interest in this on Google's side is on having a permanently connected 'listener' on your network to identify which devices you're running and when. If it's running through your WiFi network, Google is going to know about it.

Re: Google Home

#215
post #19

When I was younger, I dreamed of something like this. Voice control for my home! A Star Trek computer that I can interact with conversationally! I just say what I want and it happens! Now, I just see an internet-connected microphone in a software black box which I can only interpret as a giant frickin' security liability. I want this, but unless it's open source top-to-bottom, I won't ever actually put one in my home…

I laughed hysterically at the same fact last week. Everything we dreamed of 20 years ago feels like a burden now.

Hysterically sounds borderline crazy. Step away from Alexa, nice and slow.

Re: Google Home

#216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know about Android (though I assume it works the same way), but iPhone's "Hey Siri" is done entirely on-device, so until you activate Siri, nothing you say is sent to a server.

Though is that auditable? Siri's not Free Software AFAIK.

You can at least audit the network traffic. And since people have been able to hook their own software into Siri, you probably somehow can break open its encryption and look at the content. (Unless I misremember how that worked)

Re: Google Home

#217
post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Free Software Foundation, in its texts, often uses the phrase "the free world" to mean the realm of computing without proprietary restrictions, surveillance, etc. Approximately since Snowden, I've become more and more convinced about both the fragility and the value of this free world. And today, I basically see the tech giants as colossal enemies. Career-wise, henceforth I will avoid proprietary systems and dedi…

But do you think that free software can keep up against these giants? In the near future, it will all be about having large amounts of data, and processing power; it will be less and less about the actual algorithms. I'm afraid the only way out will be to rethink the economy.

It's an interesting question. Of course there are advantages to having these huge proprietary data volume, so I'm thinking along the lines of, how can we make useful software with the benefits we want, without relying on this kind of proprietary collection? Maybe there are alternate paths that even have their own technical or social or aesthetic benefits? Well, it's a question for the next decades, I think...

Re: Google Home

#219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I laughed hysterically at the same fact last week. Everything we dreamed of 20 years ago feels like a burden now.

Hysterically sounds borderline crazy. Step away from Alexa, nice and slow.

Ok a bit strong, but the self fulfilling dystopia really threw me off.

Re: Google Home

#220
post #122
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You probably have on in your pocket already, is the thing. (I agree though, I don't want this in my house, and I turned off the "Ok Google" functionality on my phone)

Which is why I keep mine in a lead box at home.

an interesting side effect is that, until you open the box, the phone is in a superposition of both ringing and not ringing at the same time.
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