re: Amazon sent over 1,000 private Alexa recordings to random person

quote:

---

It does thr same things without having to pull out your phone, just as a smart phone does the same thing your computer does without having to sit down at the computer.

---

So Alexa is more convenient than the 2 seconds it takes you to pull your phone out your pocket? I still don't understand the appeal, but whatevs.

quote:

---

Why in the frick would you want something that literally records every noise 24/7? That’s just asking for our ubiquitous government to be storing that somewhere.

---

Once again, anything with a microphone can be used to record you. It's highly likely Alexa is the least of your worries.

quote:

---

It’s the exact same thing. Who cares what “setting” you have enabled on your phone

---

That's the point of legislation. Honestly, my biggest concern is the ability for foreign governments to hack the electronic devices of high ranking government officials or military members.

quote:

---

So Alexa is more convenient than the 2 seconds it takes you to pull your phone out your pocket? I still don't understand the appeal, but whatevs.

---

Yes. Ask Alexa what the weather is supposed to be like this weekend and she'll tell you 10 seconds quicker than your phone can get it. You also don't need to carry your phone around. Want to change the radio in the middle of a roux? Just tell it what you want.

I can understand people not thinking anything of it, but if you have one, you'll find plenty of ways to use it.

quote:

---

Just like indoor plumbing

---

Sure... because electronic eavesdropping devices are just as important as indoor plumbing

quote:

---

Ask Alexa what the weather is supposed to be like this weekend and she'll tell you

---

We're done for once we start personifying these things.

I've used it before at my parents. I still have no idea how it's helpful.

Can you tell us?

Wife wanted to get our 5 year old daughter one for Christmas so she could "play music and ask it questions".
Nope, not happening

quote:

---

I've used it before at my parents. I still have no idea how it's helpful.

Can you tell us?

---

If you have multiple devices in different rooms, they can work as an intercom system. That’s a useful feature if you have kids who don’t have phones.

Mostly they’re just an extension of your smartphone/computer. Are they necessary? No, but they make using technology more convenient.

Having said that, we got rid of ours. We didn’t really use them much and I didn’t like the way it would sometimes light up and jump into conversations because it thought it hears someone say “Alexa”.

EDIT: There was also the issue of how our toddler would request a song in her sometimes hard-to-understand toddler voice, and the dot would serve up a song that we felt was....inappropriate. So to the guy above who shut down the “let’s give one to the 5 yo” idea...good call.