How I Hacked Amazon’s $5 WiFi Button • Hacker News Board

Re: How I Hacked Amazon’s $5 WiFi Button

#71

Post by Istof » Mon, Aug 17, 2015, 10:15 PM UTC

pavel_lishin wrote: post #30

Brian-Puccio wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just put a webcam in your bathroom, you can track how long you brush, floss, even shower (save water if you're in CA!) with just one device. No, seriously, the bathroom is the last place I want the quantified self.

I assume you're concerned about privacy; the bathroom is probably the second best place (after the fridge) for tracking your health stuff. I would 100% buy a digital medi-toilet that analyzes my wastes and warns me if something is off.

Then they might start putting traceable additives to foods to better track you.... eg: you eat at restaurant X.... or shared food with person Y (by analyzing combinations of additives)... or used too much of drug Z...

Re: How I Hacked Amazon’s $5 WiFi Button

#72

Post by nkurz » Mon, Aug 17, 2015, 10:18 PM UTC

I was wondering the Button was configured for WiFi access. It's more interesting than I though. It's configured by running a Dash Button app on your Android or Apple smart phone.

The Android version works about as I would have guessed, by using the Dash Button as an access point, and the app helps you connect to it. But the Apple version communicates with the phone by ultrasonic tones!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=...

Re: How I Hacked Amazon’s $5 WiFi Button

#73

Post by andrewstuart » Mon, Aug 17, 2015, 10:18 PM UTC

How to buy from Australia....

Re: How I Hacked Amazon’s $5 WiFi Button

#74

Post by andrewstuart » Mon, Aug 17, 2015, 10:20 PM UTC

Love button. Press it to send an SMS telling your wife you love her.

Re: How I Hacked Amazon’s $5 WiFi Button

#75

Post by Someone1234 » Mon, Aug 17, 2015, 10:27 PM UTC

vlunkr wrote: post #49

Well that's probably more useful than what Amazon intended it for.

You say that but...

I have an elderly relative, she drinks Keurig K-Cups because with arthritis she struggles to brew coffee the other way(s). She isn't very tech' literate, and she has us order her more from Amazon every so often (since they're cheaper than retail stores).

I'd love to give her a Keurig button and say "push this and more coffee will arrive two days later." Literally I would have if they sold one (they don't).

Re: How I Hacked Amazon’s $5 WiFi Button

#76

Post by nnurt » Mon, Aug 17, 2015, 10:28 PM UTC

drtse4 wrote: post #18

Something similar could be built easily using an ESP8266, but a single AA battery would not be enough. Looking at this guide[1] it looks like new sw can already be flashed on it, but other than using the uart or some gpio, i don't see attempts at using the wifi interface. [1] https://learn.adafruit.com/dash-hacking-bare-metal-stm32-pro...

Amazon's WiFi Button is way way better than the ESP8266: it has 1MBit internal flash, 16MBit external flash, a powerful 120MHz microcontroller with tons of peripherals (2 DACs, 3 ADCs, etc), an internal MEMS microphone (!)

The microcontroller on Amazon's button also has a real 1500-page documentation in English, instead of 10-page badly translated Chinese datasheet.

Re: How I Hacked Amazon’s $5 WiFi Button

#77

Post by xienze » Mon, Aug 17, 2015, 10:29 PM UTC

chadlung wrote: post #11

This sounds like a potential Kickstarter project idea. A generic version, perhaps a pack of stickers to put on devices symbolizing misc. everyday things.

Well there apparently is an "Amazon Elements" button that is pretty generic. Just slap a label on top of it.

Re: How I Hacked Amazon’s $5 WiFi Button

#78

Post by uptown » Mon, Aug 17, 2015, 10:29 PM UTC

pavel_lishin wrote: post #30

Brian-Puccio wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just put a webcam in your bathroom, you can track how long you brush, floss, even shower (save water if you're in CA!) with just one device. No, seriously, the bathroom is the last place I want the quantified self.

I assume you're concerned about privacy; the bathroom is probably the second best place (after the fridge) for tracking your health stuff. I would 100% buy a digital medi-toilet that analyzes my wastes and warns me if something is off.

Ask your insurance company. In sure they'd be happy to buy you one.

Re: How I Hacked Amazon’s $5 WiFi Button

#79

Post by xienze » Mon, Aug 17, 2015, 10:31 PM UTC

ck2 wrote: post #28

I am really curious to eventually learn the mentality (and financial status) of people who use these buttons for real with Amazon.

They really are a good idea IMO. The idea is you put the button next to the garbage bags, detergent, etc. Hey, the detergent just ran out, click, ordered and done. Very convenient and eliminates the problem of forgetting to add to the shopping list.

Re: How I Hacked Amazon’s $5 WiFi Button

#80

Post by nivla » Mon, Aug 17, 2015, 10:33 PM UTC

Rimpinths wrote: post #66

Does this remind anybody of the CueCat? Same story...subsidized hardware that hackers repurposed for other uses. I think the makers of CueCat tried to unsuccessfully sue the hackers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CueCat http://www.securityfocus.com/news/89 Do the Amazon Dash buttons come with a license agreement? Has anyone read it to see if it prohibits these kinds of hacks?

Well CueCat was "free" (Although mostly forced on you). Amazon dash is a regular paid product on Amazon. Neither of them can hold you accountable for hacking/repurposing it. However, if someone has a chance that would be CueCat.