Scary things Alexa and Siri say

[Spectral Morn]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfxA4NpwVBw&t=332s

Scary stuff. I don't want one of these things anywhere near me. How long till we have SkyNet :eek:

[struth]

its only as scary as folk make it.:)

[Pigmy Pony]

I'm surprised this kind of thing doesn't happen more. All of these devices are sort of connected, just like every town and city is connected by roads. I reckon one echo is responding to a question received by another echo due to some kind of glitch.

For example, the Chuck Norris thing may sound a bit sinister, but chances are someone elsewhere in the country asked Alexa for a Chuck Norris joke - a quick google will show dozens of chuck Norris jokes, each one sillier than the last. Eg. When the bogeyman goes to sleep at night he first checks under the bed for Chuck Norris.

[struth]

they can pick up things from tv or folk speaking that triggers them to listen. if you want to cover yourself you can switch the mic off; well you can on my 2. your windows pc is probably more invasive tbh as can your phone.
someone said to me, dont buy chinese phones, they are spying on you....i said goodness, they are easily pleased listening in on my conversations..:lol:

[Minstrel SE]

How far are we away from good voice technology...you know when you can have a real conversation with AI......know what I mean....Im a bit bored tonight (Insert name) lets have a chat while you select me some music...like you are speaking to a human that can have a laugh and knows how you tick......you can sense my mood so talk to me

We are a way off yet...at the moment I find the technology ridiculous in its infancy

[willbewill]

Don't have a problem with our Alexa...our daughter so named back in 1983!!

[Macca]

Just been at m brother's for xmas, he has an Alexa and it is the most useless piece of tat I have come across in a long while.

[struth]

Just been at m brother's for xmas, he has an Alexa and it is the most useless piece of tat I have come across in a long while.

much depends on your accent. also you need to install little ifttt apps so it can run and connect with devices etc

[Macca]

much depends on your accent. also you need to install little ifttt apps so it can run and connect with devices etc

I know some people love messing about with all that stuff just for the sake of it, which is fair enough, but I really don't see the point. I want telly I switch the telly on, I want music I switch the hi-fi on. We managed to get by perfectly well without all that stuff for years, I just don't see how it adds any value to anything. It's just a gimmick and not a very good one. 'Artificial Intelligence'? What a joke that is. Will never happen.

[struth]

I know some people love messing about with all that stuff just for the sake of it, which is fair enough, but I really don't see the point. I want telly I switch the telly on, I want music I switch the hi-fi on. We managed to get by perfectly well without all that stuff for years, I just don't see how it adds any value to anything. It's just a gimmick and not a very good one. 'Artificial Intelligence'? What a joke that is. Will never happen.

ive got 2, but dont use much. sometimes get them to read audiobooks, which they are good for. background local music maybe... alarms and timers etc. can read you the news etc but i dont use them for anything else and not often. I could do without

[Stratmangler]

much depends on your accent

You're safe in Scotland


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNuFcIRlwdc

[Macca]

That's brilliant. 'How can ye be racist tae a lift?' Cracked me up.

[struth]

lol, yes siri is a no no. alexa is better at scots. dunno about the google version

[stairpost]

I've just bought a cheap Echo dot partly based on reports of the strange things they say. I live on my own during the week so I very rarely speak out loud at home, and as I don't have a TV all it will hear is music. I'm actually going to mainly use it for improving my German.

I'm quite looking forward to getting it, but I shall be very disappointed if it doesn't terrify me.

[nonuffin]

If these things cannot even make a cuppa unaided, then they are a zillion miles away from being useful.

There, I've said it.

[Macca]

If these things cannot even make a cuppa unaided, then they are a zillion miles away from being useful.

There, I've said it.

The best they can do is switch the kettle on and for that you need a compatible kettle that costs about a million quid. And it can't fill it with water, you have to do that yourself.

So it is saving you from flicking the switch on a device you are standing next to already (having just filled it). You could fill the kettle in anticipation of wanting a cup of tea at some point in the future I suppose, but there's still no labour saving and now you're required to plan in advance. For a cup of tea.

[Audio Al]

Not the sort of product that would interest me in the slightest , But each to their own :christmas:

[dave2010]

There's more here - http://www.echotalk.org/index.php/topic,4673.0.html

For some people the benefits may exceed the downsides. For others concern about privacy issues may make these a complete no-no.
The only way to be sure that these gadgets don't pass on data/information to "somewhere else" - wherever that may be, is to unplug them.
"Turning the microphone off" should work, but if these devices really are bad, then they'll pretend the microphone is off yet leave it on. In theory Alexa is only supposed to turn on when the trigger word "Alexa" is said, but in order for that to happen it has to listen all the time.

However, how do you know that your computer or TV isn't spying on you? You probably don't.

[struth]

I dare say they could rig it so they are still listening but like any conspiricy, it would leak out sooner rather than later, especially nowadays as its medium, the internet is so good at shopping anyone.
As for unplugging, well i guess they could have a small spy device that has its own power too;) They are always listening when on, but only for a wake word; then and only then do they connect to servers.