ITT smart hackers asking for more features and noting the privacy implications. Unfortunately, this, Echo, and others are coming for the masses, the masses who have everything public on Facebook and won't really understand the issues until it's too late. Give it a few years and 'everyone' will have a Star-Trek-like home computer experience. What can we do to turn the tide in favor of privacy and security? Or do we just trust Google/Amazon will do the right thing?
Google Home
121–130 of 468 posts
Re: Google Home
#122When 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…
You probably have on in your pocket already, is the thing. (I agree though, I don't want this in my house, and I turned off the "Ok Google" functionality on my phone)
Which is why I keep mine in a lead box at home.
Re: Google Home
#123Yeah, I'm sticking with Echo because business model.
Re: Google Home
#124Earlier 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…
Link?
@pinboard
Re: Google Home
#125When 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…
If I was a shady business, a nefarious government, or a malicious hacker and I wanted to eavesdrop on you, I would probably attack the vector that spends much more time by your side and can easily hide its data connections from you, e.g. your mobile phone. As long as these home automation devices ride on your own personal network, it is easy to monitor to what extent they are sending data back home.
whats the argument here? We shouldn't care about privacy because we have iPhones?
we shouldn't tight the seatbelt wheb driving because we're going to die by cancer in the long run anyway?
Re: Google Home
#126Earlier quoted context omitted.
Interesting take. I should rephrase this to say--I am less interested in allowing google to profit even more from me.
I don't really understand this motivation. Google profiting from your actions doesn't necessarily mean that you're losing something. It's not a zero sum game between you and Google, there are other actors in the system. A similar analogy would be how social systems are valued by their number of users. Their value is not coming from your pocket, you add value to them by being a user and they add value to you by provid…
Biologically, you're much better off with commensal organisms that expect to have a long, profitable relationship with you, giving you things you want and benefiting from you in return, rather than organisms with a shorter time horizon.
Re: Google Home
#127Can we get the link changed to https://home.google.com/? Non-HTTPS just 404s.
Re: Google Home
#128I really don't want to come off as super negative here ... but am I the only one who finds this one UGLY?
Compare to some of the other devices from previous years, and competitors:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=google+nexus+sphere&tbm=isch
https://www.google.ca/search?q=amazon+echo&tbm=isch
https://www.google.ca/search?q=amazon+echo+short&tbm=isch
It sort-of looks like a cheap air freshener. Maybe it'd grow on me, but I kinda think it is ugly.
Someone should manufacture a range of "tchotchke skins"
https://www.google.ca/search?q=tchotchke&tbm=isch so it could sit on your counter and look like something that you'd be happy to mix in with the rest of your decor. (angels, golden lucky-cats, porcelain hands, googly-eyed-wooden-owls https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/78/b5/80/78b580270...)
Anything to stop that thing from lookling like a plug in air freshener really.
Re: Google Home
#129Earlier quoted context omitted.
Interesting take. I should rephrase this to say--I am less interested in allowing google to profit even more from me.
I don't really understand this motivation. Google profiting from your actions doesn't necessarily mean that you're losing something. It's not a zero sum game between you and Google, there are other actors in the system. A similar analogy would be how social systems are valued by their number of users. Their value is not coming from your pocket, you add value to them by being a user and they add value to you by provid…
> I don't really understand this motivation. Google profiting from your actions doesn't necessarily mean that you're losing something.
It has nothing to do with "I should also profit from my data" but rather, I want to contribute less to Google's dominance.
Google has become very powerful--it's in the top 10 of lobby spending in the US.
Their power is tied to their profits, and limiting my contribution of one, should limit my contribution to the other.
Re: Google Home
#130Another Amazon Echo. Not at all interested.
I wish there was a text box:
Please never send me the latest updates about Google Home.