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Amazon Echo Show

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Re: Amazon Echo Show

#71

Post by danso »

I'm not willing or interested enough to enable voice activation (Siri) on my phone or desktop, but thought Echo would be nice to have as a music player. The voice recognition is so reliable -- not just the NLP, but the mic array (unlike trying to activate Siri on the iPhone) -- that it's converted me to a true believer in voice interfaces, at least for simple tasks, such as playing music, turning on NPR, and activating timers and alarms. I do have the Fire stick connected to a projector but I've definitely longed for the ability to navigate YouTube or HBO on a tablet-like device with Alexa (again, not just the NLP, but the mic array, which Fire tablets don't have)

This seems like a nice step in that direction but I've been spoiled by the low cost of the Echo Dot, which when it's on sale is so cheap it can be a stocking stuffer. I don't think I could pay $229 for the first generation version of the Show, but will likely get its cheaper, more advanced iterations.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#72

Post by deepGem »

yalogin wrote: post #39

Great now the echo will record all video as well and "anonymize" it and use it to improve their systems. This class of devices are the most puzzling to me. People know their value proposition is to record everything but then keep buying them. I keep waiting for the day when the scales tip in favor of privacy but that never happens.

Can you please explain a bit more about your privacy concern ? Are you implying that Amazon might 1. Inadvertently leak these videos 2. Succumb to a massive breach that will expose all these videos. 3. Use the private data as a signal to sell more stuff.

I only ask this because, if there is some company that genuinely cares about their customers, it's Amazon but from personal and anecdotal experience.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#73

Post by Klathmon »

mhermher wrote: post #54
Klathmon wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought that as well, but now that i've gotten into the home automation game, i've found that TVs just aren't fast enough for it. My TV takes 15 seconds on average to start up, and then another 3 or 4 to have sound. There is no easy way to turn them on and off in a reliable manner, and for some unknown reason many disable CEC by default... Not to mention that having to choose between watching something on TV and us…

You can leave the TV always on, but muted and blacked out by the set top box. That may be a good solution to that? Not sure if anyone has designed that on a set top box.

most TVs are then still using almost full power, some still aren't "black" when a black screen is up (it provides light at night, enough to see with in my case!), and still puts off heat.

It's a hack that might work for something personal, but I wouldn't be comfortable selling a product that did this.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#74

Post by JimmyAustin »

dawnerd wrote: post #60
JimmyAustin wrote: post #55

Interesting choice going with an x86 chip. This could potentially be a hackers dream if you got Linux running on it.

It's probably running their fire os.

AFAIK FireOS is ARM only and a brief look on wiki says all the other devices (FireTV, Echo, Echo Dot, etc) are all ARM.

Either way, I'd imagine you would want to wipe it completely. Can't wait for the iFixit teardown.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#75

Post by noonespecial »

Why does it have to be a tiny self contained screen? Until I can say "Alexa, on the main view screen" (right after "Alexa, Earl Grey, hot" of course), we've got progress to make.

Which reminds me, I've got a Keurig to hack...

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#76

Post by [deleted] »

yalogin wrote: post #39

Great now the echo will record all video as well and "anonymize" it and use it to improve their systems. This class of devices are the most puzzling to me. People know their value proposition is to record everything but then keep buying them. I keep waiting for the day when the scales tip in favor of privacy but that never happens.

[deleted]

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#77

Post by ashark »

deong wrote: post #52
colemannugent wrote: post #19

I feel like this entire product could be a Chromecast-esque dongle that connects to a TV. Having a personal dashboard would actually be quite useful, but this seems like they want to sell appliances not experiences. Maybe they've gone with this form factor because of the 2x 2" speakers? But why would I want that when it could be plugged directly into my home audio setup? Or maybe it's so they can include a touchscree…

I think there are certainly reasons to have your "hands-free conversational interaction" device also be able to show you things. It seems like the big pitch they're making right now is on communications, but there are loads of reasons why I can imagine it being useful. Most mornings, I ask Alexa about the weather. Usually, the voice response is all I need, but occasionally, there are storms in the forecast, and there…

> Traffic is another good example. You want to know that there's a 30 minute delay on your route to work, but it's more important to know where so you can plan your route around it.

Back when I used Android, Google Now seemed to really do this right (if creepily): it figured out when/where you commuted and would give you a heads-up before you left, offering to plan a route around the trouble. More useful since you take your phone with you. Also you didn't have to ask.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#78

Post by danso »

mhermher wrote: post #59
tetrep wrote: post #27

I don't see the value in this over a tablet with a stand. The tablet is portable, can do more things, and already exists in many people's homes.

It has a much better microphone array. It's actually probably the one thing that stands out about the echo to me. The mic is really good.

Seconding this. I never used Siri because it required holding the phone up to my face for reliable results. The Echo Dot can hear me across the room even as its playing music and other people are talking. The Fire tablets have Alexa built in but I believe they not only require a button-push to activate, but rely on their limited mics.

Until Alexa, I hadn't tried Siri since its initial launch years ago. I was surprised to see that its AI/NLP was as good as Alexa's. So the killer feature really is the convenient and reliable interface provided by the Echo's mics.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#79

Post by eclipxe »

vineet wrote: post #65

The video calling capability seems especially neat - I wonder if they will interoperate with Facetime, Google Duo/Hangouts, and other video calling protocols. It will make our lives so much easier.

?

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#80

Post by Accacin »

Nullabillity wrote: post #64
iplaw wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There isn't a need; it's more of a want. I have a few Echos and use them to control my whole home audio system. "Alexa, play Kendrick Lamar on Spotify." Just like that, I have music throughout the house and in the front and back yards. You can also get more specific with commands in order to limit where the music plays, what music service is polled, etc. It is much easier than pulling out a device, navigating to the…

Presumably you only listen to chart-topping american pop and music made by people with common english names? Because so far I've never had any luck whatsoever with anything else.

Downvoted but a very valid observation. I listen to a lot of Black Metal and as most of it isn't in English, it's hard for Siri to understand what I'm asking for, or to even know if I'm pronouncing it correctly.
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