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Amazon Echo Dot

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Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really liked how this was done in the movie 'Her.' There's something especially nice about only having your attention distracted audibly and not visually, especially in public. I wonder if the smartphone age will go away as quickly as it came. I picture a world where we just have smart wearables like a watch which has a tiny visual interface, but a powerful audio one (speaker, earpiece, put watch up to ear, etc). I…

For many functional tasks, I can see an auditory UI being superior. But currently most people use their smartphone to skim content. I don't want the equivalent of listening to voicemail for everything. Not to say that content can't shift for the medium, just as it always does. What would an audio Facebook sound like?

Well, I do that now sorta on my watch with its small screen. I scroll through notifications, but no, I don't get the full FB web or mobile experience. I'm not sure how many people actually want that; I often hear complaints about how phones and apps aren't simple anymore. I also believe that we really haven't figured out the best way to use these small screens. I'm surprised at how usable my watch is sometimes with its 320x320 screen at 1.8". For reference the original iphone was 3.5" at 320x480 resolution.

For teens and such I can see the big phone never going away but for most adults, having an inconspicuous wearable just seems like a more refined experience. I imagine there's a logical procession here from desktop > traditional laptop > ultrabook laptop/convertible > tablet > mobile > wearable. You lose functionality with every step, but depending on the use case, it doesn't really matter. For people in my peer group, a wearable that could work without a phone would sell like hotcakes.

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#222
post #61

"If you have more than one Echo or Echo Dot, you can set a different wake word for each". This is something I've been thinking is becoming more problematic as well as an opportunity for real ubiquity. I have 3 separate devices nearby that are Google Now voice activated (the newer devices support this even if the screen is off), and they will sometimes trigger at the same time accidentally. Since the processing is clo…

They really need to make it so that all of the Amazon Echos on the same network use a proximity algorithm to determine which one responds. Simply: The Echo that hears you best should be the one to respond.

I want to have an Echo in every room, and I don't want to have to remember all their different names!

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#223

When did I turn from the enthusiastic kid who dreamed of audio-controlled personal assistants like this to a cranky old man who doesn't want anything remotely spy-possible in his house?

Yet I'm guessing you carry a smart phone in your pocket almost everywhere you go.

But phones don't have a microphone on them do they? :-)

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#224
post #61

"If you have more than one Echo or Echo Dot, you can set a different wake word for each". This is something I've been thinking is becoming more problematic as well as an opportunity for real ubiquity. I have 3 separate devices nearby that are Google Now voice activated (the newer devices support this even if the screen is off), and they will sometimes trigger at the same time accidentally. Since the processing is clo…

Since the processing is cloud based, and they know my identity, why don't the devices recognize this fact and cooperate. Instead of just 7 beam forming mics in the Echo, if you have two within hearing distance you could have the benefit of 14 and a unified response. The echo and noise reduction software that I'm aware of can't really do that in a reasonable fashion. With current solutions, you've got one DSP that's r…

Just have the Echo that hears the person best be the one that responds. So simple, and easy to implement. I honestly don't understand why Amazon hasn't fixed this yet. It's so fucking obvious.

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#225

Any reason why Echoes couldn't communicate with other Echoes? My friend and I own Echoes. I could say "Alexa, call Joe" Joe and I could talk to each other through the Echoes over the internet.

Or even "Alexa, eavesdrop on Joe".

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#226

When did I turn from the enthusiastic kid who dreamed of audio-controlled personal assistants like this to a cranky old man who doesn't want anything remotely spy-possible in his house?

Couldn't legally the FBI get a court oder to be able to listen in on conversions in a room that has one of these? They already do that with car assistance services. [1] [1] http://www.cnet.com/news/court-to-fbi-no-spying-on-in-car-co...

I'm not terribly worried about various ways companies expose me to govt surveillance that requires a court order.

I do worry about said court orders being rubber stamps, and about surveillance that DOESNT require a court order.

Otherwise we can make no technological advancement.

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#227

The transition from primarily visual UX towards an auditorial UX is really powerful. Looking at screens to get key information distracts me from my surroundings and seems archaic. My wife is a sound designer who has opened my eyes to the importance of sounds both in film and in the world. It's not that I was unaware of sounds, but I didn't realize how important they are to centering me in this world and the made up w…

>> auditorial

Don't you mean oral or aural?

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#228

Be forewarned - if I am invited into your home for any reason, and I see an Alexa device, I will vocally add a large shopping list of nonsense to your Amazon cart :)

Serious question: is it feasible to implement a kind of loose voice 'fingerprint' to prevent this kind of thing? Will/could Alexa know who's talking to it?

It's not necessary anyways, as you have to provide a pin to actually order things.

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#229

"If you have more than one Echo or Echo Dot, you can set a different wake word for each—you can pick "Amazon", "Alexa" or "Echo" as the wake word." So they haven't solved the I have multiple Echos in my house problem yet..

They raised your options by 50%! (It used to just be "Amazon" or "Alexa").

But in seriousness, I have no idea why thy haven't enabled at least a larger list of wake words.

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#230
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Echo Dot is available in limited quantities and exclusively for Prime members through Alexa Voice Shopping. To order your Echo Dot, use your Amazon Echo or Amazon Fire TV and just ask: I guess technically you don't have to already have an Echo, but it is only available through voice shopping.

No, it's not. You can order it here too: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00VKTZFB4/ref=dp_olp...

Thanks a lot! I knew somebody on HN would figure out how to order it without an echo.
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