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Google Home

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Re: Google Home

#291

Post by dguaraglia »

Analemma_ wrote: post #26
cheald wrote: 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…

This entire keynote just keeps highlighting that one sentence from the end of Maciej's wonderful http://idlewords.com/talks/internet_with_a_human_face.htm "Yesterday ... I realized how long it had been since I looked at a new technology with wonder, instead of an automatic feeling of dread." EDIT: Speaking of Maciej, if you're not already following him on Twitter, today is the day to do that. He's having a field day…

I'm amazed that people still feel this level of paranoia about stuff, when they have a clear option: do not use the product. Concerned about the privacy implication of Google Home? Don't get one. Don't like the fact that Apple Watch reads biometric data? Get a Casio watch. Don't like the fact that Facebook knows who your friends are? Go out more.

The very fact that someone is watching the keynote and going "oh my Gawd, the level of intrusion" at every turn, kind of tells me they are interested in having the features but don't want to provide the data. Otherwise you wouldn't even be watching the keynote. Am I missing something?

(Full disclaimer: I do work for an Alphabet company, so take my words with as many grains of salt as you want.)

Re: Google Home

#292

Post by drdeadringer »

cheald wrote: 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…

> Now, I just see an internet-connected microphone in a software black box

A little while back, there was a kickstarter for "The Ubi"... basically as you describe.

A non-mobile v0.1 Ziggy [Quantum Leap] where you'd plug it in and ask it generic questions. "Ubi, what's the weather?" and the like. IIRC, the Ubi is slowly but decently chugging along.

However, your questions on security are valid.

Re: Google Home

#293

Post by xyzzy_plugh »

grownseed wrote: post #95

The page linked here is basically an ad with no content (yet it manages to have a scrollbar no matter the window size...). Tried to look for actual specs but couldn't find anything, does anybody have anything more substantial? On another note, is there a way to just get some sort of remote microphone array (I think that's what it's called on the Echo) and set up Alexa/Google/Cortana/... directly on a PC?

Amazon provided this, which doesn't necessarily have to run on a Raspberry Pi, and could be used to build what you want: https://github.com/amzn/alexa-avs-raspberry-pi

Re: Google Home

#294

Post by mrblah »

mbrock wrote: post #151
cheald wrote: 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…

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…

i'd love to see some work done in oss router firmware like tomato / dd-wrt to enable simple home automation tasks. not everyone needs a cloud assistant or has the chops to hack a web server onto their router.

Re: Google Home

#295

Post by detaro »

dguaraglia wrote: post #291
Analemma_ wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This entire keynote just keeps highlighting that one sentence from the end of Maciej's wonderful http://idlewords.com/talks/internet_with_a_human_face.htm "Yesterday ... I realized how long it had been since I looked at a new technology with wonder, instead of an automatic feeling of dread." EDIT: Speaking of Maciej, if you're not already following him on Twitter, today is the day to do that. He's having a field day…

I'm amazed that people still feel this level of paranoia about stuff, when they have a clear option: do not use the product. Concerned about the privacy implication of Google Home? Don't get one. Don't like the fact that Apple Watch reads biometric data? Get a Casio watch. Don't like the fact that Facebook knows who your friends are? Go out more. The very fact that someone is watching the keynote and going "oh my Gaw…

Maybe I'm parsing your tone wrong, but what is so outlandish/surprising about people liking features but not the implications of them? (or often, of the way they are implemented, see every cloud vs local software discussion ever)

E.g. cheald's comment above is pretty clear "I always wanted that, but I fear its implementation"

Re: Google Home

#296

Post by Klathmon »

protomikron wrote: post #272
CaptSpify wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

* add $thing to the grocery list * order more $thing * schedule an appointment with (doctor|vet|dentist) * start the dishwasher at 4 P.M. * turn on the oven when I get home etc. Just because you can't think of how it will benefit you doesn't mean it's bullshit.

Yeah, bullshit was a hard term, I am sorry, but I just can not see how these things require a specific "home" device; - grocery list: So some kind of Todo list. But you can do that with your mobile computation device, or just take notes physically? - order $thing: I do not think that humans need more convenient buying-experiences than what is already there (think Amazon, food-delivery services, etc.). I guess most pe…

- grocery list

You could use your phone or take notes on paper, but being able to make a note that i need more flour the second i reach for the bag in the back of the cabinet is significantly easier.

- order $thing

Again, you might not think so, but instead of just making a note that i need more flour, i'd love to be able to just ask for more flour and know it will be my "normal" brand and will be here in a day or 2.

- dish washer

Because it's loud, uses up hot water, and at least I often forget to start it until it's too late. I'd love to remember "oh shit i forgot to start the dishes" and just call out to have it go (or say to start at 1am when i'm asleep).

- turn on the oven

Again, in a perfect world i'd love this ability. I start on dinner and can just ask the oven to be at 425 in 15 minutes. Nobody is asking for it to be connected to the cloud specifically, but if it is and is secure i'd have no problems with it.

Re: Google Home

#297

Post by FmrAMZN_TA »

drzaiusapelord wrote: post #103
cheald wrote: 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…

Those of us with Google smartwatches have had this functionality for some time. Its very convenient to just whispers, "OK Google remind me at 3pm tomorrow about the dog's vet appointment." Or "What's the weather in Reykjavik?" Having this functionality on your phone, tablet, or computer is very different than having it right in front of you at all times. Its hard to quantify, but there's an inconvenience of pulling o…

It's funny you say the second paragraph - it feels like it directly contrasts the first (OK Google was first by a good margin).

Re: Google Home

#298

Post by FmrAMZN_TA »

deprave wrote: post #28

A company that makes money by collecting and selling access to personal information about people is offering to put a microphone in your home. If you need a product like this, for the sake of your privacy, buy an Echo.

Amazon makes $3B a year selling ads. You think they're just guessing about personal information? Please. They lay cookies everywhere (including off site) to target you properly.

Re: Google Home

#299

Post by FmrAMZN_TA »

balls187 wrote: post #15
free2rhyme214 wrote: post #10

Competition against Amazon Echo is always positive for consumers.

Yes, except I trust Google FAR less than I trust Amazon--simply because Google has permeated in many more facets of my digital life (gdocs, gmail, chrome, maps, search, etc). Amazon just has my shopping history.

And a huge ad business they support. Oh, they didn't tell you about that?

Re: Google Home

#300

Post by WesleyJohnson »

protomikron wrote: post #272
CaptSpify wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

* add $thing to the grocery list * order more $thing * schedule an appointment with (doctor|vet|dentist) * start the dishwasher at 4 P.M. * turn on the oven when I get home etc. Just because you can't think of how it will benefit you doesn't mean it's bullshit.

Yeah, bullshit was a hard term, I am sorry, but I just can not see how these things require a specific "home" device; - grocery list: So some kind of Todo list. But you can do that with your mobile computation device, or just take notes physically? - order $thing: I do not think that humans need more convenient buying-experiences than what is already there (think Amazon, food-delivery services, etc.). I guess most pe…

I have several small apartments where it's open concept and the dishwasher is loud enough to drown out the TV when it's at a reasonable volume. So, after you wrap up dinner and throw everything in the dishwasher, you can tell Google Home to start it in an hour while it's still fresh in your mind. Then you sit down and watch a show for an hour.

The alternative is to crank the TV up to hear it over the dishwasher or start the dishwasher in an hour after your show is done - but that's easy enough to forget. It's a very real scenario.

As for the pre-heating the oven. Maybe I'm at my desk (I work from home) and wrapping up my day. I look at today's meal plan and see I need to bake some chicken. I can ask Google Home to get the oven started while I wrap up my day.

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