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

701–710 of 746 posts

Re: Amazon Echo

#701

Post by bryanlarsen »

Tyrannosaurs wrote: post #698
bryanlarsen wrote: post #478

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are two basic ways for the NSA to snoop on you using this device. 1. Listen to the internet traffic 2. Install malware to listen to everything For #1, the Echo only sends conversations preceded by it's keyword. But since the alternatives to the commands you're telling Echo involve the internet anyways, what's the difference? IOW, asking echo for the weather sends the same basic information to the NSA that pulli…

Doing 2 on a smartphone feels like it would be something which would start draining battery really quick which would be a giveaway. With this it's running on mains, it could upload in the middle of the night when it would probably be undetected Plus, why do one or the other? Sure you want to get someone's phone but why not another device too?

Modern smartphones are always listening for "siri" or "ok google", and are regularly sending keep-alive packets, so I doubt that the battery drain for spying would be significantly noticeable, if done properly.

> why do one or the other?

Because resources are limited, even at government agencies. Effort spent hacking a device that will probably sell in the tens of thousands when they could be targeting devices that sell in the hundreds of millions just seems silly.

Re: Amazon Echo

#703

Post by crocowhile »

WesleyJohnson wrote: post #623
lectrick wrote: post #559

Every single example used in their advertising, verbatim, works on Siri (and presumably google phones) which is already in my pocket.

Verbatim? I just tried two off the top of my head. "Hey Siri, how do you spell cantaloupe?" and "Hey Siri, how tall is mount everest?" The replies were "The answer is cantaloupe" with an on-screen definition and "I've found an article on Wikipedia about that. Shall I read it?" In neither case were the answers succinct and on point as in the Echo ad. Of course, that assume it will actually work as advertise. Also, unl…

Both those questions work on ok google btw

Re: Amazon Echo

#704

Post by spacefight »

Shivetya wrote: post #415
IgorPartola wrote: post #377

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

well that or Interstellar's TARS - sarcastic robots might be what mankind needs so as not to go bat shit crazy or running scared from them

Only at 90% ;)

Re: Amazon Echo

#705

Post by warfangle »

peterclary wrote: post #683
teddyh wrote: post #511

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See also: Sales Pitch By Philip K. Dick, 1954: http://www.american-buddha.com/dick.phildickreader.14.htm

Warning: Your company's proxy may flag this up for adult content and nudity. There isn't any, on that page at least. Maybe there's some elsewhere on the site, or maybe it's just overreacting to the URL.

Probably because the substring "dick" in the URL.

Re: Amazon Echo

#706

Post by pbhjpbhj »

calebm wrote: post #571
Igglyboo wrote: post #19

Please have an open API, I can think of a ton of things I would love to use this for.

Yes, it MUST have an open API! "Alexa, dim the lights."

I'd imagine you could hack it in if it's not present - "Alexa open webpage dim.lights.kitchen.home" and have your home server use the request hit to tell the lights to go off. Of course an open API would be far nicer.

Re: Amazon Echo

#707

Post by lsseckman »

anigbrowl wrote: post #446
lsseckman wrote: post #411

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is cool - I didn't see any detail of the mic array on the site, where did you find it? Also, do you think it's feasible for Amazon to keep a voice profile on the speakers? I'm thinking if they are going to tout perfect voice recognition they'll have to make it person-specific at some point.

Well, it says: Tucked under Echo's light ring is an array of seven microphones. These sensors use beam-forming technology to hear you from any direction. With enhanced noise cancellation, Echo can hear you ask a question even while it's playing music. I've been working professionally with digital audio for nearly 20 years now so I know a fair amount about DSP, acoustics and so on. Very basically, you can measure the…

I certainly hope it's hackable as well. Doesn't look like they're offering any options for developers to get in on it though.

Re: Amazon Echo

#708

Post by samelawrence »

JonnieCache wrote: post #688
dorfe wrote: post #506

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yup. Exactly. Echo's promo video has this strange feeling to it. It's almost as if it's a satire (or horror) disguised as your boilerplate technology product marketing video put out by one of the well-monied firms. I think it's because the acting and dialogue are so unbelievable, but perhaps there really are greater forces at play...

It's a pretty standard tactic of ad agencies for years now to deliberately make TV adverts slightly hallucinatory and weird, to make the viewer jerk out of their coma and lay down some memories. These people are not stupid.

TIL there's a very logical reason that ads have gone for the "random awkward humor" vibe in recent years. Cool.

Re: Amazon Echo

#709

Post by josephmc5 »

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 made my day.

Re: Amazon Echo

#710

Post by mfichman »

lectrick wrote: post #556
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…

You like the author Ray Bradbury, don't you ;) (And if you don't, I think you would!)

I had the same reaction! The Veldt!
Post reply on HN