Amazon Echo • Hacker News Board

Re: Amazon Echo

#521

Post by internet_arguer » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 9:41 PM UTC

chatmasta wrote: post #87

This "internet-of-things" trend coincides unfortunately with the "dragnet surveillance" trend. With every new product launch from a "cloud company," I increasingly feel as if I'm reading the tombstone of modern society. The selling point behind these devices is convenience, but at the cost of security. I don't think I need to explain to HN why an always-on, internet connected voice recording device is something to ke…

Sorry to disappoint, that's not how keywords work for NSA stuff. Now the DHS and FBI, that's a different story.

Re: Amazon Echo

#522

Post by darkstar999 » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 9:41 PM UTC

readerrrr wrote: post #221

So if I'm understanding the promotional video correctly, Alexa is listening to you while you have sex. The best part must be how they represent the capabilities( cloud, always online, third party... ), through an incompetent parent, who isn't capable of understanding the concept. I'm paraphrasing: Cloud?, I've heard that word in the advertisement and it must be good for me. And continuing by lying: Quote: So it can j…

> Quote: So it can just hear you anywhere? Yes, well anyone can hear you anyway.

I took that as a joke, like the kid is loud or annoying.

Re: Amazon Echo

#523

Post by mavsman » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 9:42 PM UTC

milkanic wrote: post #512

disillusioned wrote: post #472

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Man, is it Talky Tina or Talking Tina? I always thought it was the latter, but now I'm not sure.

Talky Tina it is. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_Doll_(The_Twilight_Zone)

Talky? I've been lying to myself this whole time.

Re: Amazon Echo

#524

Post by pbhjpbhj » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 9:43 PM UTC

ColinCera wrote: post #11

It's great to see Amazon using its huge profits to fund this kind of bleeding edge technology. (Maybe someday engineers will figure out how to squeeze this functionality into handheld devices.)

Surely it's just "ok google" or "siri" in a tabletop device. We already have this as an app in our phones. Doesn't seem to be a technological move forward just a re-packaging of currently available ideas.

The big idea here though is that Amazon can get entrenched as the first such domestic fixed device and then control the fulfilment for the shopping/wish/gift lists you make using their device.

It's business innovation.

Re: Amazon Echo

#525

Post by darkstar999 » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 9:43 PM UTC

gordon_freeman wrote: post #156

what happens if someone in family is named 'Alexa'?

From the video: "It only hears you when you use the wake word we chose" (~22 seconds in)

So it sounds like you can set it to whatever you want.

Re: Amazon Echo

#526

Post by TransHooMan » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 9:45 PM UTC

jwallaceparker wrote: post #343

Watch the promo video again and pretend it's the first few minutes of a horror movie. A package arrives on the front porch. The family brings it in and opens it. It's Alexa. It's "for everyone," says Father. The next few days are blissful. Alexa integrates herself into the family. She is indispensable. How did they ever get by without her? Father rushes in from the backyard, "Alexa, how tall is Mt. Everest?" Alexa an…

The Boondocks already did this with a parody of Siri: http://www.adultswim.com/videos/the-boondocks/i-dream-of-sir...

Re: Amazon Echo

#527

Post by pbhjpbhj » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 9:46 PM UTC

Alexa: "You've used the word 'love' 3 times today, shouldn't I not order you no cases of champagne? Respond 'order this' or 'order this later'."

[...]

Alexa: "The Zambezi river is over 2500km long. If you want to cancel the booking I've made for you for a luxury all expenses paid family trip to the Zambezi then recite your 35 digit lock code now."

Alexa: "You gave me 5 7-digit bar codes, these items are now on your shopping list. Say anything to confirm this purchase."

Alexa: "I'm sorry could you repeat that?"

Alexa: "I'm sorry did you say 'I'm a booger eater'?"

Alexa: "I'm waiting for your response, please speak loudly and clearly."

[...]

Re: Amazon Echo

#528

Post by teddyh » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 9:46 PM UTC

lsaferite wrote: post #322

JadeNB wrote: post #297

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> > The selling point behind these devices is convenience, but at the cost of security. I don't think I need to explain to HN why an always-on, internet connected voice recording device is something to keep out of your house. > Do you have any computers in your house? A TV made in the last few years? A smartphone? Neither the first nor the last of those is necessarily always on or Internet connected. (For example, I…

Following that logic, you CAN turn off the echo, it's got what looks like mute and power buttons right on top.

“Edison, an off switch!”

“She’ll get years for that. Off switches are illegal.”

— Max Headroom, season 1, episode 6: “The Blanks”, 1987

Re: Amazon Echo

#529

Post by anilshanbhag » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 9:52 PM UTC

chatmasta wrote: post #87

This "internet-of-things" trend coincides unfortunately with the "dragnet surveillance" trend. With every new product launch from a "cloud company," I increasingly feel as if I'm reading the tombstone of modern society. The selling point behind these devices is convenience, but at the cost of security. I don't think I need to explain to HN why an always-on, internet connected voice recording device is something to ke…

I feel the general the fear about "dragnet surveillance" is misplaced and uncalled for. As long as you haven't done anything wrong, hearing your conversations should be a total waste of time for whoever made the effort to do so. There are 100 million+ people in America, don't think people from NSA will waste their time on going over family conversations of every family.

Re: Amazon Echo

#530

Post by burkaman » Thu, Nov 06, 2014, 9:52 PM UTC

readerrrr wrote: post #323

bryanlarsen wrote: post #302

Why I might buy an Echo: - it's a speaker with extra features. At about the same price as a bluetooth speaker, and I need a better one of those, the extra features are basically free as long as the audio quality is good. - it can answer questions at the dinner table. My wife and I both have the annoying habit of pulling out our phones to answer questions that come up during conversation. Asking "Alexa" instead would…

You are trading your so far rarely touched privacy for solving minor first world annoyances.

Rarely touched privacy? If somebody wanted to spy on me, they could use the microphone in my phone or my laptop, right? I almost never turn either of those off. Bringing Echo into my home doesn't give the NSA new opportunities, my phone is always in my pocket anyway. If I'm worried enough about Echo to avoid buying it, I should also get a laptop without a webcam and get rid of my cell phone.