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Amazon Echo Show

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141–150 of 467 posts

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#141
post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because this way the screen can turn on and off dynamically. Also, it doesn't tie you to having to have a TV in a location you want one.

HDMI-CEC allows similar on most modern TVs. As for not being tied to where you have a TV, for $200 you can buy a 40"+ 1080p TV, for $100 you can have a really nice IPS 22" 1080p monitor. Probably better than this tiny thing.

Leaving aside interoperability fun and the user experience that /u/smacktoward refers to, TVs don't always switch on very quickly.

My TV takes a good 10 seconds to start producing audio after the google chromecast 'on' command. Putting the screen in themselves gives them control of that experience.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#142
post #93

“The telescreen received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it; moreover, so long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque commanded, he could be seen as well as heard. There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugge…

We heard you the first 10 times.

Every time a new Echo is released, the warnings go out. If you don't want one, don't get one.

In the meantime, the cellphone that you carry with you everywhere will report your location, voice, etc much more effectively.

Here's a 2 year old Echo story, maybe we can recycle some of the comments?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9764723

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#143
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's probably running their fire os.

AFAIK FireOS is ARM only and a brief look on wiki says all the other devices (FireTV, Echo, Echo Dot, etc) are all ARM. Either way, I'd imagine you would want to wipe it completely. Can't wait for the iFixit teardown.

FireOS is based on Android which definitely runs on x86

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#144
post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My latest gen Apple TV wants to disagree with you. As does my wife's first gen Apple Watch ... both are magical turds IMHO.

I don't own an Apple Watch, but I know lots of people who do and love them. But in any case, I think the last ten years of iPhone and iPad releases do somewhat agree with me.

So if we only look at Apple's successful products, we can agree that Apple's only makes "very carefully designed" things..

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#145
post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My latest gen Apple TV wants to disagree with you. As does my wife's first gen Apple Watch ... both are magical turds IMHO.

I don't own an Apple Watch, but I know lots of people who do and love them. But in any case, I think the last ten years of iPhone and iPad releases do somewhat agree with me.

[deleted]

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#146
I could see the use in the kitchen as ask alexa to look up recipes or turn the page while my hands are greasy or covered in flour.

this functionality will probably need a custom firmware tho.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#147
Now they're much closer to solving 'smart home assistant' online shopping. Communication only via voice results in two uncomfortable options: either you're blindly believing that you'll get best price/option ("order xyz") or you may stuck in very slow listening of options (try to read search result list). That barrier will be stepped over with this little screen enhancing shopping experience, if needed.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#148
post #79
post #65

The video calling capability seems especially neat - I wonder if they will interoperate with Facetime, Google Duo/Hangouts, and other video calling protocols. It will make our lives so much easier.

?

Companies with closed platforms do have a track record of collaborating and integrating.

However, if you are making a case for standards in this space - I agree.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#149
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are we ever going to see unity between these services, or are we doomed to have little walled-off fiefdoms forever? A phone number works anywhere in the world, to anywhere in the world, with anyone who has a phone. All e-mail providers work with each other. I don't care who you're with, and I wouldn't even have to know except it's usually part of the address. SMS works no matter which provider we both have. It feels…

FWIW, email only sorta interoperates...try running your own mail server and unless you get all the elements of server reputation exactly right, your email will probably not get delivered to people using the large email providers. Thanks to spammers, we've allowed our open, interoperable standard to be much more closed. And SMS is also frustratingly non-universal. After years of having cell service with one of the lar…

Good points, both! I think it's telling that the e-mail one is a relatively recent development. Is that also the case for SMS? I'm not too familiar with the history of short codes, but I have the impression that they're newer too.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#150

A few thoughts: - This is way less creepy-looking than the Amazon Look ( https://www.amazon.com/Echo-Hands-Free-Camera-Style-Assistan... ), but it is actually very similar. - It is great to add a screen to the Echo. Just more feedback on interacting with it, and possibility to watch YouTube, Netflix, etc. casually. - It doesn't have the same cool minimalism as the Echo. The Echo sits on my counter and looks nice when…

I wonder, why go this route instead of creating a device to add to your TV? My echo is right next to the TV.

Not everyone has or wants a TV.
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