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Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling

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Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling

#101

Post by thaumasiotes »

thinkling wrote: post #100
FullMtlAlcoholc wrote: post #56

> The one that has jumped out at me first is called “Drop In” — which lets you make a call to someone without them even answering the phone first. I wish that the product person who pushed this as an "innovative" idea lives a short, brutish, and painful life where he/she dies alone. EDIT: That's too mean spirited. If you want to peer in on your elderly parents, webcams are a better idea because you'll put them in a p…

I've actually long wanted something like this and proposed it to friends but never built it. When my friends and I got married and started having kids, contact fell off a lot -- we just didn't call as much, you get busy and you assume the others are busy putting kids to bed, etc. etc. What I wanted was a way to say "we're available to chat right now" for a handful of people I know and trust. My idea was to create a w…

> I think chat/messaging systems are still missing this explicit "I'm available for a synchronous chat right now" flag.

Seems identical to the long-established distinction between "online" and "away" status.

Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling

#102

Post by rhino369 »

FullMtlAlcoholc wrote: post #56

> The one that has jumped out at me first is called “Drop In” — which lets you make a call to someone without them even answering the phone first. I wish that the product person who pushed this as an "innovative" idea lives a short, brutish, and painful life where he/she dies alone. EDIT: That's too mean spirited. If you want to peer in on your elderly parents, webcams are a better idea because you'll put them in a p…

I'd be all for it as long as it doesn't start sending my audio and video until I give an OK. I'd love to be able to talk to my family around the country instantly.

I just don't wanna get caught watching porn.

Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling

#103

Post by dtien »

dkrich wrote: post #88
dtien wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're almost speaking to my point, Apple did create one of the best and widely adopted computing platforms out there with the Smart Phone. And yet... even you describe it as a 'computing device'. Echo/Alexa is the first step to that ubiquitous IoT future, where computing is sort of removed from the terminology and services are just available on demand in the most natural of human interfaces -- voice. Similar to that…

My point is that the iPhone/iPad/Android-enabled tablet is a ubiquitous IoT control panel. I disagree that the most natural of human interfaces is voice. It's like saying that listening to an audiobook will always be a better way to consume media than watching a video. Audio only is great for some use cases, but not most. Humans developed the ability to see, touch, hear, and speak for a reason. After all, radios pred…

In terms of voice/speech, we maybe talking on different points. I'm considering voice as an input mechanism, but the output mechanism certainly has to be dynamic and use the most sensible mechanism in the given context. Ex:

1. Alexa play song --> output on in-built speaker

2. "Alexa turn on Warriors game", "Alexa play latest episode of Game of Thrones" --> output onto nearest TV

3. Alexa get direction to San Francisco --> sends to my phone screen

4. Alexa show me top Sushi restaurants nearby --> send to nearest display ( TV or phone )

... and so on.

So yes, I definitely agree with you, voice as an output quickly becomes untenable. But again, that's what I mean by ubiquitous, you're no longer tied to a device for input/output. Your environment/context will define what your input/output mechanisms are. Outputs can be any displays, speakers, TVs, thermostats, lights, etc. And in most cases, voice is the simplest, most intuitive input mechanism for simple queries that a majority of our daily interactions with our surroundings will require.

Just as touch devices required UI developers to simplify their interface design to accommodate 'touch access' by removing layers of menus, pages, etc. Voice will also precipitate this type of simplification of the interface to where the core elements are accessible with simple queries, with strong, complex NLP and search behind it.

And again, it's more about accessibility than it is about expressiveness through voice input.

Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling

#104

Post by albedoa »

ghurtado wrote: post #97
dkrich wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, Apple sells about 200 million iPhones a year, so when you add in iPad sales to that, unless you are outside the US, you should consider yourself in a very select minority.

200 million worldwide . The iPhone currently has around 15% of the smartphone market: https://www.macrumors.com/2016/04/27/iphone-15-percent-marke... Last time I checked, 85% was most definitely not a minority.

Hold up. Is it your belief that Apple's smartphone market share in 1Q16 is equal to the number of people who have iPhones or Apple products?

Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling

#105

Post by dkrich »

ghurtado wrote: post #97
dkrich wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, Apple sells about 200 million iPhones a year, so when you add in iPad sales to that, unless you are outside the US, you should consider yourself in a very select minority.

200 million worldwide . The iPhone currently has around 15% of the smartphone market: https://www.macrumors.com/2016/04/27/iphone-15-percent-marke... Last time I checked, 85% was most definitely not a minority.

You're right, I stand corrected. Nobody uses Apple products. Let's move on.

Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling

#106

Post by mikeash »

FullMtlAlcoholc wrote: post #56

> The one that has jumped out at me first is called “Drop In” — which lets you make a call to someone without them even answering the phone first. I wish that the product person who pushed this as an "innovative" idea lives a short, brutish, and painful life where he/she dies alone. EDIT: That's too mean spirited. If you want to peer in on your elderly parents, webcams are a better idea because you'll put them in a p…

I really don't understand this anger. I can't imagine using it either, but it's optional and off by default. If people like it, why shouldn't they have it? If they don't, they won't use it.

I don't think the spying concerns are reasonable. If somebody wants to spy on somebody, there are already plenty of ways to do it. Why require that developers buy an expensive Amazon widget when you could require that they buy a $40 webcam, or better yet just say "if you don't answer the phone whenever I call you during working hours, you'd better be dead or in jail, or else you're fired."

Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling

#108

Post by ghurtado »

dkrich wrote: post #105
ghurtado wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

200 million worldwide . The iPhone currently has around 15% of the smartphone market: https://www.macrumors.com/2016/04/27/iphone-15-percent-marke... Last time I checked, 85% was most definitely not a minority.

You're right, I stand corrected. Nobody uses Apple products. Let's move on.

Are those the only two possible scenarios? Either everyone has an Apple device within 5ft of them at all times or nobody uses Apple products?

Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling

#109

Post by albedoa »

ghurtado wrote: post #108
dkrich wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're right, I stand corrected. Nobody uses Apple products. Let's move on.

Are those the only two possible scenarios? Either everyone has an Apple device within 5ft of them at all times or nobody uses Apple products?

You're looking for an honest conversation now? That's bold.

Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling

#110

Post by ghurtado »

albedoa wrote: post #104
ghurtado wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

200 million worldwide . The iPhone currently has around 15% of the smartphone market: https://www.macrumors.com/2016/04/27/iphone-15-percent-marke... Last time I checked, 85% was most definitely not a minority.

Hold up. Is it your belief that Apple's smartphone market share in 1Q16 is equal to the number of people who have iPhones or Apple products?

If you have a different figure, you should share it
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