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Amazon Echo Show

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Re: Amazon Echo Show

#151

Post by irq-1 »

trapperkeeper79 wrote: post #4

Amazon is killing it in IoT/Smart Home. However, IMHO, they are making a bit of mistake by not allowing developers to monetize their platform (at least the last time I checked). There were also certain device functions that apps could not utilize (e.g. programmatically mute and unmute). I suspect they'll have a wall garden approach to their new Echo devices too ... if this was open, they'd win it all (again, just my…

Amazon subsidizes hardware by collecting information on the users, so they can't open their hardware. It's ironic because, like uBlock on Chrome, only a small percentage would change the hardware/OS anyway -- and those are the people who could try radical experiments and show Amazon what works.

Hopefully Google, Samsung or Microsoft(?!) will sell open hardware/firmware that isn't subsidized by collecting information.

Amazon is basically following the CueCat strategy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CueCat#Failure

> The company's response to these hacks was to assert that users did not own the devices and had no right to modify or reverse engineer them. Threats of legal action against the hackers swiftly brought on more controversy and criticism.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#153

Post by electriclove »

lsaferite wrote: post #94
ashark wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Traffic is another good example. You want to know that there's a 30 minute delay on your route to work, but it's more important to know where so you can plan your route around it. Back when I used Android, Google Now seemed to really do this right (if creepily): it figured out when/where you commuted and would give you a heads-up before you left, offering to plan a route around the trouble. More useful since you ta…

Did you ever take a look at the location tracking info google keeps on you? They know everywhere I've been for the last several years or so. I just checked, they list location data back to 2009. https://www.google.com/maps/timeline

I went here with the intent to delete my history but I actually kinda like being able to see this. I've got mixed feelings about it..

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#155

Post by tonyedgecombe »

verytrivial wrote: post #63

I must be one of those old farts who prefers privacy over convenience. I do not want what amounts to an always-on black-box surveillance device in my home and I simply do not understand why other people think it is okay. I honestly don't. Down with this sort of thing!

I would never bring something like this into my home, I just don't trust big corporations enough for that.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#156

Post by com2kid »

JimmyAustin wrote: post #74
dawnerd wrote: 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 just Android with a UI skin and some Google services ripped out. I'd be surprised if an x86 fork wasn't always maintained, if for nothing else than ease of debugging!

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#157

Post by tahoeskibum »

Shivetya wrote: post #12
FLGMwt wrote: post #3

Any echo owners feel like they would get additional value out of this? 90% of my interaction with my standard echo has been "what's the weather". Even when I want visual controls for music, I'd rather pull out my phone than walk over to a screen.

I am going with the idea that if they throw enough uses/features at the wall something is going to stick. The first step of course if getting people to talk to the device and they increase the chances of finding that breakthrough by giving people more reasons to do so. I would not mind full home integration to where it detects me by my phone if not my saying I'm home and turning lights on if needed and more. (better…

I use Alexa integrated with SmartThings and that allows all these automations e.g. lights switch off automatically when I leave, thermostat turns down heating/cooling etc.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#159

Post by HannibalChew »

untog wrote: post #136
lsaferite wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a large space between sitting at my computer and talking to my wife in the grocery store vs. sitting on the couch and talking to my wife in the grocery store.

Is it not a space filled by your cellphone?

My use case is walking around the house, remembering we need something at the store, telling Alexa about it, and then looking at the Alexa app when I get to the store. I don't walk around the house with my phone in my hand.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#160

Post by fredley »

sgift wrote: post #132
uptown wrote: 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…

The joke's on us. Not even Orwell thought people would be willing to pay for that kind of technology. He thought government would have to force people to get it into their homes.

Huxley though... I don't think it's really about whether Orwell was right or Huxley, I think they both are.
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