Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
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Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling
111–120 of 140 posts
Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling
#112I wish we could just get some standardization and federation across VoIP providers. I would love to be able to use whatever device I want to call someone else, who can use whatever device they want to answer. Mac, PC, iOS, Android, Alexa - it should all just work together.
Apple is very hostile about this, especially when it comes to iMessage.
Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling
#113> 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 just placed a pre-order for 2 of the Echo Shows mostly for this Drop In feature. My wife and I are about to be first-time parents and for us, this is a pretty exciting product for parents compared to the other devices out there in this space. For the "drop in" feature specifically, my plan is to leave one Show in the nursery and one for my parents. They like to call us a lot, and with this device, I should be able…
am I the only guy in this thread worried about hackers and what they would do with such a trove of data? I simply would be more comfortable considering this product if I had a good report detailing how secure the system is first.
Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling
#114Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling
#115Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
I think there's a difference between "I'm available if you need me" (but I'm actually busy doing something right now) and "I'm relaxing and actively interested in chatting". I think that difference does not map well to status modes I've seen in Skype and the like.
Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling
#116Earlier quoted context omitted.
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
This is your source to defend. 85% of smartphones purchased in 1Q16 were non-Apple. You used this figure to claim that 85% of all people don't own iPhones.
You're most likely right, but I don't know what kind of honest conversation can be had with someone who is so willing to pull one over on the rest of us to force his point. You derived your own figure from an unrelated figure and implied a connection.
If you had answered "Oh haha yup, my bad" that'd be excusable. But it looks like you're running with it and / or throwing the burden on me for some reason.
Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling
#117> 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…
IIRC in the good old days, ICQ had separate status updates for Available and Available to Chat.
Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling
#118Earlier quoted context omitted.
I just placed a pre-order for 2 of the Echo Shows mostly for this Drop In feature. My wife and I are about to be first-time parents and for us, this is a pretty exciting product for parents compared to the other devices out there in this space. For the "drop in" feature specifically, my plan is to leave one Show in the nursery and one for my parents. They like to call us a lot, and with this device, I should be able…
am I the only guy in this thread worried about hackers and what they would do with such a trove of data? I simply would be more comfortable considering this product if I had a good report detailing how secure the system is first.
You're not alone. I am very surprised that people on HN of all places are so accepting of this when they are the first to tear others apart for their lack of security.
A detailed technical guide to the security features of this device would almost be enough for me to buy one if their methodology was good and their security sound.
Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling
#119Earlier quoted context omitted.
am I the only guy in this thread worried about hackers and what they would do with such a trove of data? I simply would be more comfortable considering this product if I had a good report detailing how secure the system is first.
You're not alone. I am very surprised that people on HN of all places are so accepting of this when they are the first to tear others apart for their lack of security. A detailed technical guide to the security features of this device would almost be enough for me to buy one if their methodology was good and their security sound.
I don't understand how an advert for a product like this does not have atleast 30 seconds dedicated to showcasing its security. Is it simply that no big data breach has ever occurred? So no one is concerned? Am I being too concerned? Is it just a matter of time before security and privacy is the priority ? Or will it never be a priority - even if a breach occurs?
Re: Amazon enables free calls and messages on all Echo devices with Alexa Calling
#120> 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…
> What person would ever want this "feature"? The disabled come to mind, for starters. The elderly, assisted living, I can think of a few use cases. Do you remember the Nextel phones? (push to talk) They were annoying as all hell in a corporate setting, but had some very valid use cases in a lot of industries, to the point of being the #1 feature of a Nextel.
Given that both sides of the link are fixed, rather than mobile, devices, Nextel phones aren't quite the right comparison here. Essentially this is a video intercom.