Embarrassing Alexa

I have a friend who happily lives in a 1970’s time warp. Her refusal to move with the times can be a little irritating but also hilarious.

We were having a discussion and when we couldn’t remember a certain detail I asked Alexa.
When the reply came back, ‘I’m sorry, I don’t understand the question,’ that was enough to completely freak out my poor friend.

She now gives the echo dot a wide berth if she needs to walk past it to go to the loo. In fact she probably crosses her legs and waits until she gets home. 😂😂

Pittcity

You can turn these messages off and just have a text reminder instead.

My DGS likes to ask Alexa to fart!

Our lot do this as well - we try to remember to hide Alexa when they’re coming round. They’ve also sorted me out a long shopping list full of farts, big bums and other such niceties.

DH once complained that our Alexa hadn’t understood him. Much to my amusement, she snapped back with “Here’s a fart. Now would you like another?”.

I love my Alexa. I accept it may be capable of listening in but it couldn’t possibly listen in to every conversation but I assume can just pick up certain words,it would just get very bored with my daily life. I hope that it is capable of listening in and informing authorities if necessary and perhaps from somewhere someday it may uncover a terrorist plot and prevent my children or grandchildren being injured or worse. If I have nothing to hide I have nothing to fear.

Pittcity

You can turn these messages off and just have a text reminder instead.

My DGS likes to ask Alexa to fart!

A dd has one, but I don’t think Gds (8) has discovered this feature yet or their Alexa would be farting non stop!

Franbern, ditto!

Before I had my first heart attack, I had gone into the spare room, trying not distturb DH. He did not hear me calling for help. The second time I had Alexa to waken him up. A no brainer!!!

For a million pounds I’d let a foreign agent take up residence in the spare room.

HettyBetty

I wouldn't have one in the house if you paid me a million pounds. Humans have managed without them forever.

As we did without electricity for light, central heating for warmth, machines to do washing, cooking, etc. etc. So, this is a rather silly statement to make about one specific machine.

Alexa is wonderful for someone, like me, living independently, in my own flat. Anywhere in the flat I know I can call out to Alexa to call an ambulance (if necessary), or my local daughter - so no worries by her about me having a fall and not being able to get help.

Yes, it 'listens' to me if I give it a clear instruction (eg: |Turn on front Living Room lights'), although often enough gets things wrong - it is not very 'smart'!!!!! Would get rather bored with listening to me most of the time, where there is silence.

I am no more paranoid about this little machine listening to me than I was about the covid vaccines injecting me with a chip. Just very appreciative that I live in a time when domestic machinery has reached such good levels to make my everyday living so easy and comfortable.

We have four echo devices. We live in a dead area for digital radio signals and the two in kitchen and living room are used primarily for radio.
We sleep in separate rooms and each have an echo dot to use as an intercom in case we might need each other during the night. It's also nice to be able to ask for the time and not have to fumble about for my phone.

There is no person actively listening to your conversations- rather whenever the gadget is switched on it is in communication by satellite in order to respond the voice commands. How do people think these things work?
Yes, this also happens with your phone but these devices have different functions.
ie for Alexa to work on voice command it has to be switched on.
Phones do not have to be switched on all the time in the same way.
However, all these tech devices including laptops are constantly collecting data about each and every one of us pretty much most of the time.

LovesBach

'Sorry Maggiemaybe - I hadn't seen your post when I wrote the above; obviously two households where Alex would have alean time.

Great minds think alike, LovesBach.

A friend was discussing her upcoming hysterectomy with a friend.
Alexa suddenly started telling them the names of all the hospitals in the area.
They were stunned and felt they had to continue their conversation in whispers 🤫

We have them in most rooms but the one in the kitchen I call Alex as its a male voice I actually quite like!

keepingquiet

Those things are always listening which is why I don't have one.

They cannot listen if you disable the microphone . She reminds you if you have already ordered this item .

'A lean time'.

'Sorry Maggiemaybe - I hadn't seen your post when I wrote the above; obviously two households where Alex would have alean time.

If Alexa were listening in at this home, she would probably have a meltdown with boredom.

We have two Alexas who are quite amenable, and their little sister Echo who seems to delight in pretending she never understands what I’m asking her for.

I doubt very much that there’s anyone/thing listening in to what DH and I have to say - they’d have died of boredom long since.

Alexa - do you have notifications?

"We will be delivering your DH's Christmas present of Pringle's Mens' Warm Socks tomorrow"
😁

There seems be be quite a bit of paranoia about

Not necessarily paranoia. More and more it just pays to be careful with digital information.

From all the apps on phones, Alexa, PCs, tablets, etc a lot of information is collected. Especially social media. Perfect for identity theft. There have been a few occasions here and in the US where identity theft has led to people's houses being sold without their knowledge.

A bit like collecting all the scraps of shredded paper from bins 20 years ago to get people's bank details.

We have them throughout the house and use them to control lights, checking the weather, monitoring Amazon deliveries and also as intercoms.
I spend a lot of time unwell in bed, so I use them to summon my butler (DH), if need anything

Dh has Alexa in his home office, bedroom and one in the kitchen. I use the kitchen one as a radio but I’m not keen on them “listening”. I won’t have one in my bedroom/sewingroom.
When I was in my DH’s bed Alexa randomly came on, waking me up, she insisted on playing “ three hours of diurnal sound so I would sleep” then followed weird drumming.
I told her to “off”.
DH had switched off then on the router apparently.

Aveline

No Alexa for me

Not for me too

kittylester

I like to try to keep up with things.

Me too. I do love my gadgets. 😂

I like to try to keep up with things.

I use a CD player and radios.