Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Amazon Echo

amazon.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

451–460 of 746 posts

Re: Amazon Echo

#451

Post by LLWM »

justcommenting wrote: post #203
leeber wrote: post #192

To everyone worried about privacy: We all trust our e-mail to be stored in the cloud, we store sensitive files etc on services like dropbox, we trust that our operating systems aren't collecting/sending data, etc. You're already using and relying upon MANY services with the ability (if they really wanted to) to steal TONS of private information from you. It all comes down to trust. But don't pretend like this opens u…

no, not everyone does and i think reinforcing that belief is harmful because it makes people think they don't have a choice, when they really do. there are a growing number of people who freely choose alternatives that respect their privacy/dignity/rights. i am one of those people. to the extent i can't control all data about me (e.g. to pay my taxes or get health insurance), that's pretty different than choosing to…

Most people do, and the few that avoid such things will avoid this too.

Re: Amazon Echo

#452

Post by ptaffs »

melling wrote: post #158
Someone1234 wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I grow tired of this pathetic baseless fear mongering every single time anything is posted with voice control. You people completely ignore the mode of operation and start making idiotic claims about "well NSA!" In this case, as the website makes clear, you have to say the word "Alexa" for it to start listening. If you had been paying attention to the mobile scene even a little bit you'd know that this is on-chip lis…

Yeah, I was just having this conversation 4 days ago. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8545144 There's always a guy on HN who wants to warn everyone like we're all a bunch of idiots. It's ok to be paranoid but we should file it under an FAQ. Our time is probably better spent discussing the value of the product itself. Hopefully, we get to that today.

The value of the product is undermined by what we now know the Agencies do. Before Snowden we all thought it was an idiotic idea we'd have pervasive surveillance, now we know it happens. Before Snowden we'd buy nice to have, harmless gadgets, or use easy Google speech recognition (your reference), now we shoot them down. As an investor i'd be thinking about this kind of reaction to a product. Maybe a table-stakes feature would be privacy in a way our community had some confidence it was well thought through.

Re: Amazon Echo

#453

Post by LLWM »

wfn wrote: post #412
LLWM wrote: post #305

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By that argument, those people won't buy the Amazon Echo either, so what's the problem?

> so what's the problem? I think that's a fairly naive point of view. Consider the simple fact that these devices are not to be used in isolation - e.g. you come to someone's home, etc. If you think this is too alarmist a mindset, maybe you'll remember how quite a few folk were outraged about facebook's new app which was to actively listen via your mobile's mic (so it can e.g. recognize music and add "while listening…

If you don't trust your friends, there are much worse ways they could betray you.

Re: Amazon Echo

#455

Post by dj-wonk »

IgorPartola wrote: post #377
jwallaceparker wrote: post #343

Watch the promo video again and pretend it's the first few minutes of a horror movie. A package arrives on the front porch. The family brings it in and opens it. It's Alexa. It's "for everyone," says Father. The next few days are blissful. Alexa integrates herself into the family. She is indispensable. How did they ever get by without her? Father rushes in from the backyard, "Alexa, how tall is Mt. Everest?" Alexa an…

Hah. After reading this, I really kind of want Amazon to release a version of this that looks like HAL. They should embrace their dark side.

"ALWAYS GETTING SMARTER"

Re: Amazon Echo

#456

Post by LLWM »

colinbartlett wrote: post #200
leeber wrote: post #192

To everyone worried about privacy: We all trust our e-mail to be stored in the cloud, we store sensitive files etc on services like dropbox, we trust that our operating systems aren't collecting/sending data, etc. You're already using and relying upon MANY services with the ability (if they really wanted to) to steal TONS of private information from you. It all comes down to trust. But don't pretend like this opens u…

That's the worst argument I've ever seen. "You either trust them with everything or you don't."

It's correct. Do you just not want to admit you've made such a rookie mistake?

Re: Amazon Echo

#458

Post by LLWM »

yourad_io wrote: post #149
isu89 wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Privacy is possibly becoming a generation gap issue; throw enough of these against the wall and people will just stop caring until they can quantize a real world impact

> people will just stop caring until they can quantize a real world impact By which time it'll be way too late. When all of your data is in all databases (rather than most of your data in some , as is now) and a Google search could result in some marketer cold-calling your landline about what you just searched, well... that'll be when people realize the outcome of the game they lost years ago.

Just like today it's way too late to stop the train of gay marriage acceptance. There are still a few crazy old people that rail against it though. Congratulations on being one of the crazy old people.

Re: Amazon Echo

#459

Post by LLWM »

Crito wrote: post #300
AngrySkillzz wrote: post #212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Snapchat is in no way private.

That in no way changes the fact that it is popular because consumers believe that it is. Consumers might not always be very bright when it comes to privacy and security, but the popularity of snapchat demonstrates that they do care.

That's not why it's popular today. It's popular because it's inconvenient to save messages, not because it's impossible. Nobody is under any illusion to the contrary.

Re: Amazon Echo

#460

Post by edgarallenbro »

jwallaceparker wrote: post #343

Watch the promo video again and pretend it's the first few minutes of a horror movie. A package arrives on the front porch. The family brings it in and opens it. It's Alexa. It's "for everyone," says Father. The next few days are blissful. Alexa integrates herself into the family. She is indispensable. How did they ever get by without her? Father rushes in from the backyard, "Alexa, how tall is Mt. Everest?" Alexa an…

This is what happens when your production facility is on an Indian burial ground...
Post reply on HN