Does anyone have an "Alexa"?

[Mafesto]

I gotta say I'm not understanding the value of a "digital assistant".
Why would anyone willingly place a potential surveillance in their own home?
What value do these add to our lives?

 

[NorthMNSledder]

Do you own a modern cell phone? Say anything made in the last 5-6 years?

If you do you already have one on you at all times.

And if you don't believe me just start throwing out random things that you know you have not search or shopped for in the past. They will start showing up in those ad boxes on websites you visit or suggested apps and such.

Still don't believe me...... I might be able to put you in touch with someone who does that programming.

 

[05900]

"Alexa, I've fallen and I can't get up.......And I'll need another drink while you're at it"

Granny tossed it shortly thereafter!!

 

[89sandman]

People are lazy, anything not to have to get up and walk 20 feet! In motor homes people spend thousands of dollars to make the system monitor board wifi capable so they can look at it on their phone instead of getting up and walking maybe 10 feet to actually look at it Sure they will come up with an app soon that makes their phone talk to Alexa so they don't have to...

 

[Jaynelson]

My folks got us one for Christmas. It's kinda neat in the kitchen cause you can change the music hands free when you're cooking. That's about the only use I've found for it....wouldn't go out and buy one. It's voice commands/recognition seem notably better than Apple's Siri, FWIW. Unnecessary tech really...just gives people another toy to buy.

If you had your house totally set up with Bluetooth lights, HVAC controls, and that type of thing....I could see it being useful/slick to amalgamate the controls for those things, and have true handsfree operation. I thought about it spying on me, but as mentioned above, the phone can totally do that already, so you're screwed if that's what "they" are up to. Thankfully..."they" are much more likely to be marketing bots than anyone else.

 

[NorthMNSledder]

Friends have one and their favorite feature is actually the kitchen timer.

"Alexa, Set a timer for 10 minutes for the bread"

"Alexa, set a timer for 8 minutes for the pasta"

I think they said there is no limit to the amount of timers you can have set at one time.

That and music are the two things it gets used for at their house.

 

[NorthMNSledder]

I gotta say I'm not understanding the value of a "digital assistant".
What value do these add to our lives?

But to answer your "digital assistant" question. If you never have one you are not missing it. Once you have one and use it you don't ever want to go without one.

My cell phone sits on a stand on my office desk all day long. I interact with it tons of times a day without ever picking it up. Reminders for things, adding things to my calendar. Sending texts and emails. Answering and making phone calls and a ton of other items. I can keep right on working and never miss a beat. When I fly my "digital assistant" monitors my flights and lets me know when I need to be to the airport or it a flight is delayed. It tells me if there is an accident on my way home so I know to take another route. Lots of uses every day.

Its purpose is to save you time. Works for some people and not for others.

 

[Jaynelson]

Friends have one and their favorite feature is actually the kitchen timer.

"Alexa, Set a timer for 10 minutes for the bread"

"Alexa, set a timer for 8 minutes for the pasta"

I think they said there is no limit to the amount of timers you can have set at one time.

That and music are the two things it gets used for at their house.

Yes I forgot Kitchen timers. And reminders.

 

[LoudHandle]

Useless! and Irritating!

................I might be able to put you in touch with someone who does that programming.

Okay where are you? So We can share our pain with you for making our lives that much more convoluted than they are already.

I don't need a digital nanny.

I know have no problem sourcing the things I need. I don't need some annoying software that I don't want flashing crap in my face. That's why I opted out of the adds and other BS on SW. I don't do social media for the same reasons.

 

[NorthMNSledder]

Okay where are you? So We can share our pain with you for making our lives that much more convoluted than they are already.

lol, Don't shoot the messenger. That's not my line of work, way above my tech knowledge.

 

[rhino89523]

This and a couple forums for cr500's and one for wakeboarding are it for my social media. I like my phone for some things but it creeps me out when it throws up ads for things I have talked about. I try to be a tech holdout but I get paid to embrace tech at work. 7 more years, I retire, im throwing my Iphone in a creek and I am going to enjoy the rest of my life being impossible to get a hold of. My wifes car has all the tech and she loves it. My newest car is a 97 cummins 12 valve...no computer, no tech everything else is 1967 or older because I hate smog.

 

[Pro-8250]

If Alexa can bring me a beer and some peanuts when the hockey game is on, then yes, it does add value to our lives

 

[jerrydecoy]

My folks got us one for Christmas. It's kinda neat in the kitchen cause you can change the music hands free when you're cooking. That's about the only use I've found for it....wouldn't go out and buy one. It's voice commands/recognition seem notably better than Apple's Siri, FWIW. Unnecessary tech really...just gives people another toy to buy.

If you had your house totally set up with Bluetooth lights, HVAC controls, and that type of thing....I could see it being useful/slick to amalgamate the controls for those things, and have true handsfree operation. I thought about it spying on me, but as mentioned above, the phone can totally do that already, so you're screwed if that's what "they" are up to. Thankfully..."they" are much more likely to be marketing bots than anyone else.

We have one in the kitchen as well. Christmas present from the wife... I think it was really a present for her but whatever! It’s kind of handy for changing music around or obscene questions when drunk! The wife bought a few extra plugs to run some lights and the coffee pot. All in all it’s ok. Used it a lot more when it was new but that’s like most things we own!

 

[snowdog484]

A buddy has it in his shop. Its fun for pulling up old songs you have not heard in forever. When I put up my shop I'm doing the same thing, kinda fun.

 

[Pro-8250]

I gotta say I'm not understanding the value of a "digital assistant".
Why would anyone willingly place a potential surveillance in their own home?
What value do these add to our lives?

You do realize, that dogs are from outer space and the aliens use them for surveillance.

 

[black z]

Nope, not gonna buy one either. You need to turn off microphone permissions for your apps if you don't want them listening in on you, they still probably do anyway.

 

[BLITZKRIEG]

This is better.........Jim Beam made its own Alexa and all it does is pour whiskey.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/te...0432/jim-beam-whiskey-decanter-smart-speaker/

 

[BLITZKRIEG]

"Alexa, I've fallen and I can't get up.......And I'll need another drink while you're at it"

Just ask Jim!