THE NEW Amazon "Echo" - "Everyone can hear you anyway"

originally posted by: signalfire
Anyone want to place odds on how long before the first 'Death by Echo' domestic violence attack happens, caused by a disagreement over what kind of music to play or how many knock-knock jokes are absolutely necessary on rainy days?

Or even creepier, the first murderer caught by Echo...the victim was using an Echo, caught the whole murder and led to the murderer.

Of course, after that kind of propaganda on steroids, they will be rolled out to everyone and sold first as a personal security device, then become compulsory as it will be touted as such a magnificent aid in the detection of opportunistic crime.

Sounds like Jeff Bezos has been listening to episodes of that old radio show - Dimension X.

Here's a link to the relevant episode - "A Logic Named Joe":

www.youtube.com...

This episode was done 64 years ago, by the way.

Hey, as long as Echo doesn't suggest mixing green shoe polish into pea soup to kill off blonde women we'll be okay.

originally posted by: PhoenixOD
Sooo its got the same functionality as a smart phone? But unlike a smart phone you have to be in a particular room to use it.

yes. I am building an app just like this. Mine is going to be much more annoying.

Is it any different than this?

a reply to: PhoenixOD

Mine has wheels and air soft gun.

well that is pretty neat...

now all the tinfoil hats are jumping BAD BAD BAD, of course..

it just makes me chuckle

Linky BAD BAD BAD

should be just as bad right?

Echo when was the last time I contradicted myself?

(robotic woman voice) that was yesterday two thirty pm.

a reply to: Dumbass

Ha! Yes, I am going to document every thought I ever had and archive it forever on a public forum. Its like totally anonymous!

and people are worried about some dumb gadget that plays music?

a reply to: ZetaRediculian

it is more like this:



in a few years when every thing is implemented and everyone is used to it, it is not that big of deal and the people who truly want to hide things know how to hide them. Or at least know how to withhold important information from the regular controlled/spied on/public information.

How many people use a mobile phone that were opposed to it in the 80s...

I'm not saying we should embrace everything that is thrown against us. But personally I would love a semi A.I. that makes my life more simple.. I don't need a machine to make my grocery list unless it would order it online and have it delivered (on Monday please) just for the sake of withholding me from interacting with other peepz to get me frikking daily needs.

Conspiracy/Underground on a public board well... Top secret is just just not top secret anymore when it is public.

I love gadgets but I don't really see how this thing is useful. It's basically Siri or whatever Android uses.

I certainly don't think it's something to freak out about. If need be your phone already broadcasts everything you're saying.

The really creepy part is that this is just the beginning.

Corporate America is keen on the idea of the “Internet of Everything”. The idea being that before long most home appliances will include a network interface. Eventually your appliances will automatically monitor your buying habits/preferences, make assumptions about your lifestyle, determine your favorite activities, listen to your conversations, etc., etc... All while silently reporting to headquarters and storing your vitals on corporate, and maybe government, database servers. From the living room to the kitchen to the bedroom and the bathroom, you will be under the watchful eye of institutions everywhere.

And let’s not forget about clothing labels. Eventually wearables will interface to the net, as well. Even your Fruit of the Loom’s will have a story to tell. :-)

Privacy is a thing of the past, whether in the home or on the street. You can run, but you can’t hide. It’s not just the NSA keeping an eye on you; Amazon, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, WalMart, Sears, Target and Joe’s Crab Shack want a piece of you, as well.

Well, they can spy all they want to, but I refuse to stop sleeping in the nude...

a reply to: netbound

One step at a time

Your health insurance knows you have been buying clothes one size bigger at a time, you have been smoking and drinking a lot and your eating/snack habbits... well as your cupboard and fridge ordered online to get delivered so obviously your monthly payment has to increase.

It access the internet. The internet could/might access it. Hackers are finding all the internet connected items to screw around with. How many would be worried about their baby monitor?

I'd love to say something witty about this thing.
But it just fills me with loathing.
WHo thinks up this crap?

Aside from the obvious misuse as a spy tool, what annoys me about this is how it contributes to the further dumbing down of society. Why bother looking up information in an encyclopedia when you can just shout it into the air and let some machine do your thinking for you.

I'm not really concerned about it though, I think this has huge flop written all over it, it looks about as useful as a singing fish hanging on a wall or other kitschy crap.

I wonder if this is Amazon's play to finally make a profit.

Must be nice being big and connected so that despite not making money, people still pay other people money to run a company. 240/share stock in a company that loses money. lol.

a reply to: Blackmarketeer

what is the difference between CTRL-C CTRL-V on a search engine or just shouting it into your room?


Both methods are way closer to eachother then skipping trough handwritten paper cards to get the code of a book in a library and actually find that book in the library as I remembered it..?

a reply to: Asktheanimals

just got ask although I can imagen it.. what exactly loaths you?

originally posted by: ZetaRediculian
a reply to: Dumbass

Ha! Yes, I am going to document every thought I ever had and archive it forever on a public forum. Its like totally anonymous!

and people are worried about some dumb gadget that plays music?

A lot of people don't contribute enough info on bbs or fb. I guess this is going to help tptb create algorithms for those tough to crack nuts? I wonder if their algorithm program has an echo output?

NSA fire team six captain: Computer, find out what Fred thinks about IS.

Computer: invalid syntax (think)

a reply to: Dumbass
"Your health insurance knows you have been buying clothes one size bigger at a time, you have been smoking and drinking a lot and your eating/snack habbits... well as your cupboard and fridge ordered online to get delivered so obviously your monthly payment has to increase. "

You're right on the money. That's exactly how business would like to use the data collected on you. That and for directed marketing based on your lifestyle and preferences.

A lot of folks will not like this violation of privacy, including myself, but I don't see how it can be stopped. I think the cat's outta the bag. I love technology, but not when it's used intrusively and then shared publicly without your consent. I hate those sites that offer personal info (address, phone#, email address, work history, social networks visited, police record, etc) on anyone you choose to lookup. Some people don't want their personal life broadcast around the globe. Personally, I think that's stepping over the line. But then, nobody asked me and it's done anyway.

Oh well, let the good times roll...

I put myself on the waiting list. I think I want to leave some really random audio/tv sounds of people saying bizarre things all day to see if it influences anything. Perhaps Amazon will start to suggest really off the wall products, or my Facebook will start showing me crazy ads.

I'm thinking of having "I'm Batman!" on a loop for 8 hours during the day while I'm gone.