Amazon Echo • Hacker News Board

Re: Amazon Echo

#51

Post by SideburnsOfDoom » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 5:23 PM UTC

mtrn wrote: post #37

cvburgess wrote: post #12

This sounds like the creepiest tech product you could put in your home: an internet-connected microphone that can "hear you from across the room". Love the slick design, but I'll pass.

Being far from an industry expert, it seems to me that Amazon just at least wants to try to get some smart device of their own into your proximity.

All the big stacks want to.

Google has nest and android phones.

Microsoft has XBox (also voice activated and motion-recording) and band (with GPS) and windows phone.

Apple has iDevices.

Re: Amazon Echo

#52

Post by cooperpellaton » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 5:23 PM UTC

Is there any distinct benefit which this offers over Google Now other than the fact that it gives instant access to Amazon?

Re: Amazon Echo

#53

Post by Igglyboo » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 5:23 PM UTC

ctdonath wrote: post #43

Well that's an out-of-the-blue introduction. I'm increasingly unconvinced of the market for voice-driven devices (innate reluctance to talk when not to a person), but at a glance looks like this is as laudable an effort as can be attempted. At $199 it's too pricy for most, given the untested/unfamiliar niche. At $99 (select Prime members), some of is might give it a chance. I'm reminded that Apple started its move in…

Wouldn't consider it at $199, impulse buy at $99.

Re: Amazon Echo

#54

Post by isu89 » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 5:23 PM UTC

mtrn wrote: post #5

Always on. Connected to the cloud. In a recent talk Bruce Schneier called our times the golden age of surveillance.

Privacy is possibly becoming a generation gap issue; throw enough of these against the wall and people will just stop caring until they can quantize a real world impact

Re: Amazon Echo

#55

Post by berberous » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 5:23 PM UTC

colinramsay wrote: post #7

Well hang on - doesn't my iPhone already do all this? And presumably so does the Android equivalent? I appreciate this will have much better microphone technology but it still seems a little redundant.

I have found both android and iOS implantation to be quite poor at hearing you from afar or in any kind of noise. I was actually hoping someone would make a product like this, with much better microphones so it could hear me anywhere. Also, for battery concerns, you should only use always on listening on your phone when plugged in.

Re: Amazon Echo

#56

Post by hallman76 » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 5:23 PM UTC

balls187 wrote: post #26

Can I change the wake word? Alexa was the name of a girl I once dated, and would prefer not to call out her name.

23 seconds into the video the guy says "It only hears you when you use the wake word we chose."

Re: Amazon Echo

#57

Post by veneratio » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 5:23 PM UTC

ctdonath wrote: post #43

Well that's an out-of-the-blue introduction. I'm increasingly unconvinced of the market for voice-driven devices (innate reluctance to talk when not to a person), but at a glance looks like this is as laudable an effort as can be attempted. At $199 it's too pricy for most, given the untested/unfamiliar niche. At $99 (select Prime members), some of is might give it a chance. I'm reminded that Apple started its move in…

I think the real place this device will shine is in "homely" environments: kitchens (music and getting questions answered while you cook?), study areas for your kids, maybe even hobby rooms. It's definitely a bit on the steep side, but knowing Amazon, I wouldn't be surprised if the $99 sticks around longer than a "limited time" and the $199 becomes a thing of the past early next year.

Re: Amazon Echo

#58

Post by Igglyboo » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 5:24 PM UTC

cvburgess wrote: post #12

This sounds like the creepiest tech product you could put in your home: an internet-connected microphone that can "hear you from across the room". Love the slick design, but I'll pass.

The Xbox kinect already does this AND records video, millions of gamers own one as well.

Re: Amazon Echo

#59

Post by Someone1234 » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 5:24 PM UTC

andrewstuart2 wrote: post #4

> With enhanced noise cancellation, Echo can hear you ask a question even while it's playing music. I read: "Our cloud servers can hear you, no matter what." It's a killer idea. It's too bad privacy concerns might lead it to an early grave.

I grow tired of this pathetic baseless fear mongering every single time anything is posted with voice control.

You people completely ignore the mode of operation and start making idiotic claims about "well NSA!"

In this case, as the website makes clear, you have to say the word "Alexa" for it to start listening. If you had been paying attention to the mobile scene even a little bit you'd know that this is on-chip listening for the term, rather than in the cloud.

So, no, you're in fact wrong. Nothing will be transmitted to the cloud unless it is the word "Alexa" or sounds similar enough to the term.

Re: Amazon Echo

#60

Post by jgrahamc » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 5:24 PM UTC

A loud clatter of gunk music flooded through the Heart of Gold cabin as Zaphod searched the sub-etha radio wave bands for news of himself. The machine was rather difficult to operate. For years radios had been operated by means of pressing buttons and turning dials; then as the technology became more sophisticated the controls were made touch-sensitive -- you merely had to brush the panels with your fingers; now all you had to do was wave your hand in the general direction of the components and hope. It saved a lot of muscular expenditure, of course, but meant that you had to sit infuriatingly still if you wanted to keep listening to the same program.

I guess what'll happen with voice control is that we'll all have to keep quiet in case the ever listening devices interpret our speech as commands.