Alexa isn’t the future of AI–it’s a glorified radio clock, and stupid otherwise • Hacker News Board

Re: Alexa isn’t the future of AI–it’s a glorified radio clock, and stupid otherwise

#81

Post by notyourwork » Sat, Feb 04, 2017, 5:36 PM UTC

daveguy wrote: post #68

notyourwork wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You give a really vanilla use case and than suggest Google Home is superior. Can you give me a use case where it actually demonstrates it is far ahead. The Chromecast example isn't supporting your claim in my opinion.

A really vanilla use case that Alexa can't do yet .

Keyword being yet. Recently Plex announced integration with Alexa. Nvidia Shield recently saw Amazon Video app. It is really just a matter of time before skills to play video on devices like the audio is available.

Re: Alexa isn’t the future of AI–it’s a glorified radio clock, and stupid otherwise

#82

Post by Eridrus » Sun, Feb 05, 2017, 12:24 AM UTC

tluyben2 wrote: post #67

Eridrus wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Entertainment is the biggest use care for these devices IMO; Music and TV. I haven't used an Echo in a while, but it had nothing for TV and wasn't that great at music at the time. Does it have good support for both now?

I always try all these things as I am a junky like that but these things seem to have such limited use cases. Looking up and playing things on chromecast, for me, is faster using my phone than speech will ever be. So is controlling things in the house and with a phone I can open the catflap without waking my wife talking to Alexa. Switching on and off things is okish (phone or even a normal lightswitch are still fast…

I don't think it's fully there yet, but I really disagree that it's more convenient to use a phone app than a Google Home. Alexa is worse here since skills are clunky, and while I agree that voice isn't the best setup in bedrooms with multiple people, it's definitely easier to say "Hey Google, open catflap" than futzing with a phone.

For me, simply being able to turn my TV + soundbar on/off with Google Home + IFTTT + Harmony Hub, while being a stupid amount of duct tape, has made me no longer need to hunt for where the TV or sound bar remote are any more. Being able to pause/resume shows on my Roku with the same setup avoids me having to get my phone out, unlock it, open the Roku app and press the pause button. It's pretty convenient. Is it life changing? No. Could I just stop losing the remotes? No :p

I have also found myself listening to a lot more music with the google home since I can just turn it on with my voice when I crawl out of bed. Not sure if that's a good fit for metal of any kind though.

I don't think it's truly life changing, few things are, but well executed voice control is truly convenient.

Re: Alexa isn’t the future of AI–it’s a glorified radio clock, and stupid otherwise

#83

Post by stuart78 » Sun, Feb 05, 2017, 5:49 AM UTC

daveguy wrote: post #70

stuart78 wrote: post #14

While mine has never 'accidentally' ordered anything or yelled about internet disconnect, I do agree with the conclusion that it ends up being a very specific device. For me, that is a connected speaker with good sound that I can gently manage from across the room. Good enough for me. On another note, my 2 year old son has always had a complicated relationship with 'her'. At one point, she red-ringed and would issue…

This is fascinating. It hadn't dawned on me that very small children growing up with these in their homes will have a very human response to them. A relationship regardless of the actual intelligence of the device.

Yeah, it is definitely a weird time we're moving into.

Re: Alexa isn’t the future of AI–it’s a glorified radio clock, and stupid otherwise

#84

Post by takeda » Sun, Feb 05, 2017, 8:43 PM UTC

blubb-fish wrote: post #56

52 comments and nobody mentions the NSA. Are you people aware that this is essentially a glorified bug?

I noticed that Alexa was talking a lot to Amazon servers even when no one was at home (i.e. no one was even using it), which made me suspicious and I just unplugged it. Anyway I wasn't using it lately for anything else than an alarm clock, the novelty worn out after a week or so.

Re: Alexa isn’t the future of AI–it’s a glorified radio clock, and stupid otherwise

#85

Post by takeda » Sun, Feb 05, 2017, 8:52 PM UTC

ryanlol wrote: post #66

blubb-fish wrote: post #56

52 comments and nobody mentions the NSA. Are you people aware that this is essentially a glorified bug?

How is it more of a bug than any phone or laptop you own? Sometimes it's even relatively easy to turn speakers into microphones! Maybe nobody has brought this up because it's complete nonsense.

With phone, the way it currently works (Apple, Google essentially have full control over it, the modem cpu also is closed source and has full control over application cpu) it's not hard and people are concerned about it.

With laptop (at least non mac) is a bit harder, different hardware, different OSes. Some laptops have privacy switches. Regarding turning speakers into a microphone this is possible, but turning D/A to A/D converter is much harder.