Alexa+ • Hacker News Board

Re: Alexa+

#351

Post by dangus » Sun, Mar 02, 2025, 5:33 AM UTC

Larrikin wrote: post #237

dangus wrote: post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Smart speakers just don't solve a problem. Period. - Don't need to control home devices or watch shit while you're cooking. If I really want to queue up a video I just do that before I start cooking. - Don't need music while showering, who cares, showering takes 5 minutes - Again just like "oh it's for music" - Yes I like controlling smart lights but I can just hold the power button on my phone and tell it what to do…

This comment reads like the type of arguments people used to make about cell phones versus standard computers. Why is convenience so bad? Also maybe try a longer shower or a bath. Its usually the most relaxing part of my day and I would hate to be in and out in 5 minutes

Convenience isn't bad, it's just that minimal convenience is oversold.

If I'm in a bath I can use my phone. A regular bluetooth speaker is sufficient. There is no need for a voice assistant.

A long shower is not relaxing, that's the opposite. It's not relaxing to stand in the same place for a long time. I can't even hear the music that well in the shower through the speaker, there is water in my ears.

Re: Alexa+

#352

Post by dangus » Sun, Mar 02, 2025, 9:17 PM UTC

taeric wrote: post #251

dangus wrote: post #212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is not having your phone on you at all times worth spending money on a stupid speaker device? And you need one in every room you spend time in? Like, the solution is to put your phone in your pocket. I don't get it. Unless you are walking around naked most of the time, the solution is a device you already own. That's something I like a lot about Apple's smart home setup having the option of having the Apple TV as the…

Did you read the rest of my post? As hands free and stays in the room when I leave are pretty big deals. I confess being able to turn the oven off or switch to warming temperature would be nice.

I can buy timers that stay in the room on Amazon for $6 for a two pack. Physical timers. Timers already exist as a standalone product.

I just have this hilarious picture in my mind of all these smart speaker users constantly balancing random objects in their arms as if they are not allowed to have their hands free or else they'll melt. Setting a timer on the microwave or stove you already own is fucking impossible. No way I can do that! I gotta install an Internet-connected microphone and speaker in my house for that!

Re: Alexa+

#353

Post by dangus » Sun, Mar 02, 2025, 9:19 PM UTC

acdha wrote: post #301

dangus wrote: post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Smart speakers just don't solve a problem. Period. - Don't need to control home devices or watch shit while you're cooking. If I really want to queue up a video I just do that before I start cooking. - Don't need music while showering, who cares, showering takes 5 minutes - Again just like "oh it's for music" - Yes I like controlling smart lights but I can just hold the power button on my phone and tell it what to do…

This sounds like the dudes who said the iPod was pointless because they already had MP3s on their computer, or wondering why they bought Macs instead of PCs. Other people are allowed to have different priorities than you, and it’s okay for products to find a niche which isn’t universal – very few things have smartphone levels of ubiquity. It’s generally quite useful to react to other people persistently buying someth…

The irony here is that the iPod was literally made redundant by the smartphone.

Re: Alexa+

#354

Post by dangus » Mon, Mar 03, 2025, 8:32 PM UTC

Gothmog69 wrote: post #260

dangus wrote: post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Smart speakers just don't solve a problem. Period. - Don't need to control home devices or watch shit while you're cooking. If I really want to queue up a video I just do that before I start cooking. - Don't need music while showering, who cares, showering takes 5 minutes - Again just like "oh it's for music" - Yes I like controlling smart lights but I can just hold the power button on my phone and tell it what to do…

Do you have cchildren? My kids yell at every device in the house. play bluey! turn the lights blue!

Sounds terrible.

Re: Alexa+

#355

Post by GrzegorzWidla » Sun, Mar 09, 2025, 6:25 PM UTC

theamk wrote: post #318

WheatMillington wrote: post #307

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Even the "simple" task of summarizing news had so many catastrophic failures that Apple had to pull it from the market. I'm not aware of any failures that could reasonably be described as "catastrophic".

well, what's the worst thing that can happen when summarizing? The summary is grossly incorrect, opposite of the text being summarized. This is exactly what happened, multiple times.

> Even the "simple" task of summarizing news had so many catastrophic failures that Apple had to pull it from the market.

Unsurprisingly this human-made summary of Apple’s missteps is grossly incorrect as well. There were no catastrophic failures and the feature being poorly implemented does not warrant the hyperbole.