Posted on 05/07/2019 6:13:49 AM PDT by C19fan
Would you let a stranger eavesdrop in your home and keep the recordings? For most people, the answer is, "Are you crazy?"
Yet that's essentially what Amazon has been doing to millions of us with its assistant Alexa in microphone-equipped Echo speakers. And it's hardly alone: Bugging our homes is Silicon Valley's next frontier.
Many smart-speaker owners don't realize it, but Amazon keeps a copy of everything Alexa records after it hears its name. Apple's Siri, and until recently Google's Assistant, by default also keep recordings to help train their artificial intelligences.
(Excerpt) Read more at ctpost.com ...
We just bought an nVidia Shield TV box last year and it has Android and has a microphone in the remote so you can ask questions. Have no idea if it’s Alexa or what but we turn the nVidia all the way off when not watching tv. It takes effort to turn it off. Have to go to settings and click OFF three friggin times. They really want people to leave it turned on which tells me they want the microphone to remain on. After we go through the shutdown procedure, we kill the power to the strip plug that runs the tv box, tv, soundbar etc.
Hopefully that’s enough. To charge the remote, I only plug the remote into a usb outlet that’s not connected to the wifi in any way.
Google Assistant
There are work arounds for this issue. See link. All voice records to date can be deleted and the recording function shut down. Amazon doesn’t advertise this for $ obvious reasons. Oh yes..duh..there is a button on the devices to shut off the microphone.
https://www.techlicious.com/blog/amazon-alexa-recordings-how-to-delete/
“Sirius XM offered us a free Amazon Echo for the home but I was refused to accept it. They really pushed hard too. I told them I didnt want such a device in my home”
I got in on that deal as well. The Dot is still in the box, I just cared about extending my Cars Sirius XM three month new car trial. We already have an Echo + one Dot in the house. Recordings have been deleted and recording function turned off.
1970s: In Russia Television Watches You
2019: In America Television Watches You
For me that’s it, no practical use for it. My daughter has had 1 or 2 since they came out and I noticed she doesn’t use them anymore. They were novelties at first and then I guess it was over.
You bet it does. Ive had conversations with friends about all kinds of things while the iPhone sits on the table, later that day - ads on FB for everything we were talking about earlier
Heard a story about a landscaping company owner who had an Alexa in his office. He is white, and the only person to ever give it instructions. His workers are hispanic, and would come and go from his office throughout the day.
After about 2 weeks of use, he starting seeing ads in spanish on his amazon homepage.
When you say the startup word, these things start listening. It’s just like your phone. Don’t have a heart attack. They are handy and nobody cares that I’ve told a computer to remind me about the laundry in 45 minutes. There aren’t enough people or machines in the world to listen to what everyone in the world is saying.
If you don’t want the Internet hearing what you say or reading what you type, you will have to disconnect your computers and phones. Personally, I’m keeping my Internet connection and choose to use a VPN when I do something I wouldn’t be proud of.
If you plan to have a private conversation or an illegal one, don’t start any sentences with “Alexa.”
My smart washer and dryer have a skill that let’s me know when the cycle is done. It is absolutely wonderful!
I can also download from a choice of about 30 different kinds of washing cycles for my washing machine.
And I can set up a time for the washing machine to start washing at a specific time when I’m out and finishing when I get home just in time to put the load in the dryer.
I’ve still got a top loader without a computer. They last and don’t get killed by lightning.
I decided after spending more dollars fixing my last washer and dryer than it would cost to buy new, it was time.
My washer is high efficiency which helps with my water softener and water bill. And I use less laundry soap too.
I’ve never had an appliance get killed by lightning.
I’ve got one of the new front loaders at one of my properties. I had to replace it when the computer died. It was expensive. We get a whole lot of lightning in southwest Florida. I have the whole house on a spike filter, but that is only moderately effective.
I’m a big believer in home warranty plans. My plan has saved me a bundle.
But at $75 a call to fix my 20 year old washer and dryer with multiple calls for each, it was time.
Love my front end loader. My water bill is already too high.
And with a seriously ill husband I kinda need a washer and dryer that works. He goes through a lot of linens.
The old wired phones were used for listening while you thought the phone was on the hook.
I leave my radio on next to my Alexa device. AM590 daily line up:
Hugh Hewitt
Rush Limbaugh
Dennis Prager
Larry Elder
Jay Sekulow
Sebastian Gorka
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