Alexa
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I use both Google Home and Siri (Apple).
Main thing I use it for is lights. I have Hue bulbs throughout the house and being able to dim them or turn them on/off without getting out of bed, for example, is useful.
At this time of year I also use it for the Christmas lights using some smart plugs, as otherwise each set of those would be an individual socket I’d need to turn on/off, whereas I’ve grouped them all now and I can just switch them on or off with a tap on the app or by voice.
Main thing I use it for is lights. I have Hue bulbs throughout the house and being able to dim them or turn them on/off without getting out of bed, for example, is useful.
At this time of year I also use it for the Christmas lights using some smart plugs, as otherwise each set of those would be an individual socket I’d need to turn on/off, whereas I’ve grouped them all now and I can just switch them on or off with a tap on the app or by voice.
Question - and I'm just trying to understand how it ties in with other Apps or functions.
Q1 - If you were in the kitchen and realised you were out of 'x' ingredient could you say , "Alexa- add X to the shopping list" ?
To be honest I avoid...I was around a friend's home talking and Alexa was listening, repeated part of the conversation and stated for us to repeat the request....???
I am old fashioned, I'll get up to switch lights on or control the temperature of the room
I am old fashioned, I'll get up to switch lights on or control the temperature of the room
Likewise, i'll get up and physically turn something on or off, not exactly a great deal of effort.To be honest I avoid...I was around a friend's home talking and Alexa was listening, repeated part of the conversation and stated for us to repeat the request....???
I am old fashioned, I'll get up to switch lights on or control the temperature of the room
Re the thing listening, whilst not an Alexa but my phone, just the other day a spider walked over me so i said out loud "Incy, Wincy, Spider", two days later i get adverts and "suggested videos" on my phone and social media for stuff branded as "Incy, Wincy, Spider", bit of a coincidence - not, not the first time it has happened either.
I do get it - I'm as paranoid as the next man with a tin foil hat on and have always avoided the idea for that reason.
But I am interested in how one incorporates them into their modern lives?
Remember when everyone had Nokia Brick phones and smart phones weren't even a glint in a Nerdy tech guy ( or gals ) eye..
Now nearly everyone has a smart phone that acts in a myriad of ways and does make my daily life easier.
Lost? Bring up Maps and the GPS
Need to take a Photo - Camera up
etc etc
So I'm more wondering how people use them in a multitude of ways ? not just switching lights and hardware off.
I'd have loved to have been a fly on the wall when this was dreamt up. Literally being in people's homes, hearing exactly what they're interested in and not even just what they consciously think they're interested in, the ultimate in targeted advertising and data harvesting all in one juicy package. And then they get the gullible marks to actually buy it it from them. I should think they just about choked laughing.
My in-laws have one and after a few drinks I had a funny thought and quietly asked Alexa to put dil*o's on the shopping list. Luckily they have a very good sense of humor.
On iOS you can use Siri to open apps on your device and also activate ‘Shortcuts’. Shortcuts are a series of actions build up in the shortcut app and can be very simple for example as you leave the house you could say ‘Siri leaving for work’ and it would turn off various lights, plugs and then open Apple Maps with driving directions to work.
You can also build up short cuts to preform long multi layered tasks. Some people have them so all sorts of things - pretty much as relative task you can get a shortcut to do. Example would be you would get it to open onto app, you would select some images, it would open an app and resize, auto correct image, save as a reduced dimension and save to a specific folder and then open a another app to load them to your server.
A friend has his whole house automated and he has a shortcut that knows when he is heading home and turns the heating on, opens the garage door and all that jazz.
I didn't see the need for a mobile phone. I had a landline and had always got on very nicely with that.
Then I got a handmedown phone, 5 phones later I'm considering a 6th a pixel phone.
I am also on my 3rd smartwatch, two Alexa, two smart TVs with a third that got broken a year ago. My partner put her foot down over getting a smart thermostat on the radiators and a nest type controller, plus a smart connected dishwasher too.
You don't find a need with newer tech until you've got it. We all use things in a slightly different user set. If you can't see a need or use for alexa then simply don't get one, or do and find out how you would use it.
Our use is to stream music, check up on amazon deliveries, set timers, do question of the day (don't ask, our son and my partner took a looking to it) and a few other uses. I on the other hand had to pull the plug on it wren u worked in a room with one when WFH. My employer's security protocols actually instruct us to do so for security reasons.
So you're worried about tracking habits on an alexa but not about your smartphone, internet browser, gps chip in phone, no doubt loyalty cards too. Even that browser advertising as blocking tracking that chrome doesn't actually has signed up to a deal with a search engine / browser company such that they do get data from their search engine.
It's interesting how we're all very selective about what tracking is too much and forces us to get our tin hats out. Personally I accept the fact in our modern world we're the new commodity. So long as I get something out of the deal I think that's the best of a bad deal.
PS if you want to chat further then FB messenger me or send me a tweet on X. Lol!
It's interesting how we're all very selective about what tracking is too much and forces us to get our tin hats out. Personally I accept the fact in our modern world we're the new commodity. So long as I get something out of the deal I think that's the best of a bad deal.
PS if you want to chat further then FB messenger me or send me a tweet on X. Lol!
We were given a Google smart speaker for free. It's surprisingly good as a speaker and you can obviously change what's on without touching it so ideal when cooking or doing DIY etc. It also runs a timer for cooking etc.
We don't use it for much else, it's turned off when not in use. It also has the annoying habit of not understanding some words and phrases (I can't get it to play Zero 7 for example).
We don't use it for much else, it's turned off when not in use. It also has the annoying habit of not understanding some words and phrases (I can't get it to play Zero 7 for example).
I was pretty resistant to getting one, my wife wanted one. Obviously we now have one.
Mainly used for timers and reminders, timers are especially good with the nipper ie 5 minutes TV left etc. reminders, put the bins out and similar are quite helpful
Use it to play music, how do you say this word in Welsh etc.
It struggles answering some questions, it's not chatgpt but I have to say it is a useful addition to the house, a bit like the air fryer we couldn't do without now
Mainly used for timers and reminders, timers are especially good with the nipper ie 5 minutes TV left etc. reminders, put the bins out and similar are quite helpful
Use it to play music, how do you say this word in Welsh etc.
It struggles answering some questions, it's not chatgpt but I have to say it is a useful addition to the house, a bit like the air fryer we couldn't do without now
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