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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

#121

Post by colemannugent »

ionwake wrote: post #119
colemannugent wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

It's not a priority until it affects customers enough to seriously harm their bottom line.

Even if it cost them 10% in sales they are still saving money since having solid security would cost way more and take more of the little time they have to bring the product to market.

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

#123

Post by derefr »

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…

> EDIT: This will definitely become a feature on sites like Upwork so that buyers can make sure developers are billing them the correct hours, even though the prices are dirt cheap already.

Upwork already does this; clients can watch your screen or your webcam whenever they want, if you sign up for a job that requires such. The Hansonian-em dystopia of barely-positive-utility working-to-live doesn't need Amazon's help to make its way into existence. It's already here; just unevenly distributed.

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

#124

Post by guiambros »

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…

> What person would ever want this "feature"?

I've been waiting for years for a feature like this. Seriously. My wife let our son play with her phone, so when I call her on my way home, she never picks it up.

It got to a point that sometimes I have to log in into her account and activate "Lost my iPhone", so it rings at full volume. More recently I bought an Yi camera that has an intercom functionality by default, but it's clunky, app is not very friendly, I need to scream for people to hear me, etc.

Having a decent intercom functionality (and bonus points for having with video too) would be a dream come true in our household.

Just wondering on the interoperability with other regular Android and iOS devices...

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

#125

Post by manyxcxi »

colemannugent wrote: post #118
ionwake wrote: post #113

Earlier 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.

Just a thought, is it because it's Amazon? For me, if it was D-Link, Netgear, or most other brands, I'd immediately pass. Just absolutely no trust that they'd get it anywhere near right. If it's Google, I may pass because they already have so much of my data, and I'm just generally kind of creeped out by them a little bit more every day. If it's from Apple or Amazon I'm not assuming it's bulletproof, but I'm thinking it's going to be more secure than the vast majority of their competition, and likely as secure as anything else available.

Aside: I also realize that Apple or Amazon may pillage my data just the same, but I feel like they make money by actually selling things vs. selling my personal info and thus their incentives are skewed towards chasing things I'm generally more okay with.

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

#126

Post by wapz »

cpcb wrote: post #91
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 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…

First, congrats on your soon-to-be-child. To chime in as a parent, I never have needed this feature to date. The only times our son was alone in a room was when he was sleeping and we were close enough to hear if he woke up. I'm sure YMMV so hopefully you have a good use for it but we were definitely too protective to leave him somewhere that we'd want to "drop in." As for my parents, they can message me anytime to get video chat if they want. I can't imagine them wanting to watch my child without me there but who knows.

In terms of using it when your child is older, I'm not sure you'll be using the same device 3+ years from now.

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

#127

Post by wapz »

guiambros wrote: post #124
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…

> What person would ever want this "feature"? I've been waiting for years for a feature like this. Seriously. My wife let our son play with her phone, so when I call her on my way home, she never picks it up. It got to a point that sometimes I have to log in into her account and activate "Lost my iPhone", so it rings at full volume. More recently I bought an Yi camera that has an intercom functionality by default, bu…

I feel like there are multiple problems in your situation that need to be fixed. If you cannot contact your wife in an emergency there is a problem (setting off the alarm might not be viable in an emergency). Why not give your son either his own phone, a tablet, or an old phone of yours? Or why would your wife allow the volume to be off when your son is using her phone? If your wife is not at the location of the device when you "drop-in" this still won't fix your problem.

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

#128

Post by jjeaff »

blastofpast wrote: post #47
wan23 wrote: post #22

This seems like the biggest feature these devices have been missing. Some use cases off the top of my head: * Alexa, call my phone (because I can't find it) * Alexa, call for Chinese food (okay everyone call out what you want) * Alexa, send a message to my son -- "I've fallen and I can't get up"

#1 solution that I've been using, is setup an ifttt skill, then "alexa, trigger call my phone"

I use the trackr skill. Advantage being that even if your phone is on silent, it will ring it.

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

#129

Post by devilsenigma »

asciimo wrote: post #30

I wonder who's providing their telephony backend. There was some speculation that Twilio was powering Amazon Connect. Twilio's Jeff Lawson was an original AWS product manager...

I'm guessing its some component of their AWS Chime product https://chime.aws/

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

#130

Post by FullMtlAlcoholc »

manyxcxi wrote: post #125
colemannugent wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Just a thought, is it because it's Amazon? For me, if it was D-Link, Netgear, or most other brands, I'd immediately pass. Just absolutely no trust that they'd get it anywhere near right. If it's Google, I may pass because they already have so much of my data, and I'm just generally kind of creeped out by them a little bit more every day. If it's from Apple or Amazon I'm not assuming it's bulletproof, but I'm thinking…

> If it's Google, I may pass because they already have so much of my data, and I'm just generally kind of creeped out by them a little bit more every day. If it's from Apple or Amazon I'm not assuming it's bulletproof, but I'm thinking it's going to be more secure than the vast majority of their competition, and likely as secure as anything else available.

Curious why you differentiate between Amazon and Google. Maybe you pesonally don't shop there, but they are the world's largest (maybe Ali in China is bigger by volume) online retailer and they have a metric shit ton of what advertisers really want, the data on shopping preferences.

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