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Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

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Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#661

Post by zentiggr »

fmj wrote: post #505
acranox wrote: post #389

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You'd be amazed at my dad's ability to butt dial people with an iPhone. It's possible. Like multiple times per week possible.

My friend does this fairly often. He'll finish a call, and turn off his screen, but he has a tendency to to hit the fingerprint scanner as he's putting it into his pocket due to the design of the case and the way he holds it.

Got an LG G5 and quickly learned that they added a "feature" where double tapping each volume button opened a preconfigured application (Camera or QuickMemo+). Even when locked. Phone had to be completely powered off for it not to trigger. Went in settings and disabled that on day two when I saw how many pictures I had of the inside of my pocket.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#662

Post by collyw »

dustinmoorenet wrote: post #140

I have this idea of a system I would like to have in my house. It contains cameras in every room that are constantly watching where people are and relaying the coordinates to a central server. That server makes decisions on if lights should be on or if A/C should be running in that room. But I would never buy this system. I would have to make it myself. I am hopeful that open source software and hardware can produce…

Haven't burglar alarm systems been doing something similar for years?

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#665

Post by sqlacid »

vidarh wrote: post #644
cookiecaper wrote: post #383

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the Echo at least, there's an option to have the device make a thump-type sound when it's activated. There's also a light ring that activates out of the box and shows where it believes the audio is coming from.

I tested mine right now, and I can't see any correlation between the light ring and my location relative to it.

could be picking up a bounced audio if it close to a wall or other surface.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#666

Post by musage »

cortesoft wrote: post #187
jethro_tell wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How did we do it before? I can't even imagine. /s

Are you arguing that we should just stop creating anything new, since we clearly survived before without it? This comment could literally apply to ANY new thing.

The TV not running in the first place and singing to one's child isn't "surviving", it's like a lush forest compared to the irradiated wasteland that is "turning off the tv and playing some white noise and/or music".

> This comment could literally apply to ANY new thing.

Yes, and?

It applies to using x-ray machine to fit shoes in shoe shops, which was super fancy schmancy at first, and I'm sure anyone who rejected it solely on the bases of being unnecessary was laughed at by first adopters, too. On the other hand, there's the discovery of washing hands being derided and ignored, when quicker adoption could have saved lives.

Exactly because it can go both ways, you have to look at the actual thing. You can't determine the quality of a thing or the usefulness of a habit by just looking at a calendar and a clock.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#667

Post by dec0dedab0de »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #275
carbocation wrote: post #258

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Might be cool to add thermal sensors to that, so the lights don't shut off because you're not moving enough.

That's the main problem with motion activated office lights tbf, especially when you're doing software development for example - not enough motion to keep them on.

could be fixed with sensors in all the seats, or on the floors where people with standing desks are

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#668

Post by exikyut »

vidarh wrote: post #633
shagie wrote: post #575

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back in college, long ago... the Mac 660 AV was state of the art for personal computing. The computer lab I worked in had just updated all the old SEs to these over the summer - I was part of the group that set up and plugged in a few score computers. With the microphones. Our manager was a bit concerned about if the microphones would get stolen as he looked out over the rows of computers with the microphones on top…

Our computer lab had a bunch of SGI Indy's, and it was first machines the CS department had with cams on them. It took less than a semester from they were installed until every student had learned that if the camera cover was not in place it was practically an invitation for someone to log in remotely and prank them while using the camera to observe from a safe distance. I like to think that it infused a healthy dose…

FIRMLY within the spirit of good prank hacks like what has just been commented: a small number of USB webcams' LEDs are user-controllable, such as the random old Logitech C300s I have floating around here. You want webcam-tools from SF.net (other versions will spout obscure errors), then you can do

  $ uvcdynctrl -s 'LED1 Mode'
0 is off, 1 is on, 2 makes it flash (and you can even set the flash rate), and 3 is auto.

0, 1 and 2 apply regardless of whether an application has an active video stream coming out of the camera.

Shh. (Hi NSA)

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#669

Post by sopooneo »

duxup wrote: post #327
yason wrote: post #297

I am oversimplifying here but: * install device that is designed to listen to speech in the house * the device is connected to internet * the device is capable of contacting other internet peers/services/hosts * the device knows a bit about its owner's internet presence such as contacts * the device is equipped with simple conversational user interface based on fuzzy human speech-command detection These basically bou…

I remember the first voice command stuff on google. Buddy of mine was trying it out and I couldn't help myself but shout: "NEW TEXT MESSAGE TO JENNY! FUCK YOU! SEND!" Fortunately the phone was too slow to take it all (even if it had Jenny would have found it amusing, she was a cube or two away). But yeah first thing I thought of was that if it's listening how easy is it for it to mistake intent or someone else or etc…

The need for keyword escaping is entering meatspace.

Re: Amazon device recorded private conversation, sent it out to random contact

#670

Post by ItsMe000001 »

sorokod wrote: post #620
gnicholas wrote: post #536

Amazon's response, from Ars' article: > Echo woke up due to a word in background conversation sounding like "Alexa." Then, the subsequent conversation was heard as a "send message" request. At which point, Alexa said out loud "To whom?" At which point, the background conversation was interpreted as a name in the customers contact list. Alexa then asked out loud, "[contact name], right?" Alexa then interpreted backgro…

As unlikely as this string of events is, we are evaluating options to make this case even less likely. Would be very interesting to see the actual probabilities assigned to these "unlikelys"

It's like those "one in a hundred million years" events that nevertheless do happen, inexplicably, because hey, we calculated the odds, why won't the universe adhere to our calculations? :-) Taleb, Black Swan, etc... I'm aware I'm not making a high-quality comment of amazing insight, on the other hand, plenty of examples where people don't seem to care. Since I presume people, while being "people", are not that gullible, I'm sure if one follows the incentives one may find reasons...
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