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The Amazon Echo....that lttle slut Alexa, WOW







Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,464
Hove
Remember to use the affiliated link to buy your next one please.

What happens if you do an easyfundraising.co.uk link too? Does only one work? The wife is on the PTA and always makes me click the school link when making a purchase...
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
53,173
Goldstone
Of course, you can change your privacy settings should you wish. As long as you're happy for Amazon to mine data that's fine.
I don't know if you're just joking or if you actually think that happens.

The device constantly listens for the 'wake' signal (Alexa). Once it hears that, the light switches on, and it processes what you say next, probably doing an internet search. You can see on the app what data it's sending.
That's it.

Now yes, the device is capable of listening for other things, or sending other data, but geeks would easily be able to test for that (the data is sent over your own wifi and internet), and if they did that they would be in so much shit it's unbelievable. It's no different than the fact that our phones are capable of recording everything we say, even when they're in our pocket.
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
53,173
Goldstone
music , news , uber and ordering food look very interesting.

Not sure would justify the lack of sound quality.
What sound quality are you after - ie, what do you currently have etc?

If you have a speaker then sound quality isn't an issue. Just bluetooth away.
It depends what quality you're after. Bluetooth to an external speaker will give you some music in your room, but it won't be high quality. You'll get better from the 3.5mm jack output, and although that's still not hi fi, it's good enough for me where I use it.
 


Igzilla

Well-known member
Sep 27, 2012
1,708
Worthing
I participated in a testing session for a recipe app on Alexa at work a few months back (for a £10 voucher - I don't volunteer for this sort of stuff for nothing, you know). I went along the lines of:

Recipe person: Ask it for a a recipe you like for instance...
Me: Err...ok. Alexa, give me a recipe for chickpea curry
Alexa: I'm sorry, I don't understand
Me (very slowly): Alexa, give me a recipe for chickpea curry
Alexa: For a tasty roast chicken, take two....
Me: Alexa! Stop! Alexa, give me a recipe for a vegetarian curry
Alexa: I'm sorry, I don't understand
Me: (very, very slowly and loudly): Alexa, give me a recipe for a vegetarian curry
Alexa: Take 300g of lamb...
Me: :facepalm:
 






Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,464
Hove
What the difference between that and the DOT version thats £50 ?

Quality of the speaker. The dot has a tiny speaker and not really a device for say enjoying music, where as the Echo is a bit bigger and designed to play a decent enough sound for music playback. Other than the inbuilt speaker, they do the same job.

The Dot for example can connect to some existing speaker systems, so people will use the Dot connected to existing speakers and not worry about an Echo. Sonos has been promising integration with Alexa for this, but hasn't released it just yet.
 


Napper

Well-known member
Jul 9, 2003
24,452
Sussex
What sound quality are you after - ie, what do you currently have etc?

QUOTE]

TV sound bar for this sort of thing. Quality prob similar although nice chunky sub behind the sofa helps out.

From reviews it does sound good enough fo rmy needs in a kitchen / bedroom
 




Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
53,173
Goldstone
TV sound bar for this sort of thing. Quality prob similar although nice chunky sub behind the sofa helps out.

From reviews it does sound good enough fo rmy needs in a kitchen / bedroom
It's plenty good enough for a sound bar. I've set one up with a sound bar (connected via 3.5mm to RCA left/right) in my mum's kitchen, and the Echo Dot is not (even nearly) the week link.

Now if you have a stereo amp and speakers worth over a thousand, and good speaker positioning in a decent room (acoustically), then yes, the Echo Dot will be the weak point. But I've got them set up to decent systems and they're much better than can be expected for the price, and wifi connectivity.
 


Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,419
Location Location
*Minces into the lounge following a few beers in the local*

"Alexa. Play the album from TOP GUN"

'Playing, Top Gun'

*crashes onto sofa....total bliss*
 


Iggle Piggle

Well-known member
Sep 3, 2010
5,958
*Minces into the lounge following a few beers in the local*

"Alexa. Play the album from TOP GUN"

'Playing, Top Gun'

*crashes onto sofa....total bliss*

But if you screw up Alexa just this much, you will be flying plane loads of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong for the rest of your life.
 




Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,419
Location Location
But if you screw up Alexa just this much, you will be flying plane loads of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong for the rest of your life.

Alexa loves me. We have an amazing relation based on a love, trust, a need for sports and weather, and a vast medley of 80s music.
 


phoenix

Well-known member
May 18, 2009
2,871
The situation you describe has never occurred.

I tend to find that if I'm doing something and I fancy listening to music I have the foresight to put the music on before I begin.

I do have computers in several rooms, but only one has my music on it and is connected to the Hi-fi, but living in a bungalow where all rooms lead off a central passage it is no hardship whatsoever to go into my room and fire something up.

I do not have a poor imagination - far from it. :thumbsup:

you dont even have to turn Alexa on! my pc cost about 3p an hour to run and When I leave for work i say whats the weather today Akexa? and within 3 seconds i have the answer.Alexa play hits from 80's or any other music. Phone rings Alexa pause,play, stop,turn up turn down,news headlines. Lazy, Yes count me in! It doesn't have a clue about Football and Cricket scores or any other sport though.How about Alexa set timer for 2o mins for Potatoes, 10 mins for rice, tell me when its 3pm.Remind to ring Triggaaar at 4.30; Easy 10 at 6pm.Brighton are playing tonight remind me to put Seagulls t'v on.
 
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phoenix

Well-known member
May 18, 2009
2,871
It's plenty good enough for a sound bar. I've set one up with a sound bar (connected via 3.5mm to RCA left/right) in my mum's kitchen, and the Echo Dot is not (even nearly) the week link.

Now if you have a stereo amp and speakers worth over a thousand, and good speaker positioning in a decent room (acoustically), then yes, the Echo Dot will be the weak point. But I've got them set up to decent systems and they're much better than can be expected for the price, and wifi connectivity.



On the recent Amazon prime day the Echo was £79 and the Dot £39 both very good value!

Also you can connect to your phone via bluetooth play music make phone calls etc.
 




LlcoolJ

Mama said knock you out.
Oct 14, 2009
12,982
Sheffield
I don't know if you're just joking or if you actually think that happens.

The device constantly listens for the 'wake' signal (Alexa). Once it hears that, the light switches on, and it processes what you say next, probably doing an internet search. You can see on the app what data it's sending.
That's it.

Now yes, the device is capable of listening for other things, or sending other data, but geeks would easily be able to test for that (the data is sent over your own wifi and internet), and if they did that they would be in so much shit it's unbelievable. It's no different than the fact that our phones are capable of recording everything we say, even when they're in our pocket.
On the other thread someone mentioned that Amazon knew the number of marriage proposals that Alexa had received so far. If that's the case then they are clearly logging everything people say to "her" are they not?
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
53,173
Goldstone
On the other thread someone mentioned that Amazon knew the number of marriage proposals that Alexa had received so far. If that's the case then they are clearly logging everything people say to "her" are they not?
Yes, they can log things that are said to the device. So yes, if you say 'Alexa, play some rock', that can be logged (not against your name, but as an occurrence). Just as it is logged when you do a search on google. That is extremely different to the device recording your private conversations.
 


Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
53,173
Goldstone
On the recent Amazon prime day the Echo was £79 and the Dot £39 both very good value!
The Dot was £35. Don't know about the larger one.
 








Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
53,173
Goldstone
Echo was @79. If you were thinking of getting one, you would be kicking yourself for missing out...
I bought another Dot and posted about the offer here. I wasn't after the Echo, I prefer the Dot.

Everything that you ask Alexa is recorded against your account.
Which is quite different to Alexa recording private conversations.
 


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