[rajivr1612]

Originally Posted by shajufx

Someone please tell me it is not real ! Rajiv, could you repeat a similar situation and reconfirm ? Me and wife discuss about bank robberies, mass murders etc before going to sleep, both of us have 'Siri' on our phones always listening. But we never saw any "potential banks" suggested nor "potential murder venues" highlighted

Hi shajufx, I am not joking. And my experience is only with suggestions shown in Amazon.
I have no experience with Apple products so can't comment on the recommendations by Siri.
Thanks.

[spindoc]

Originally Posted by rajivr1612

Hi shajufx, I am not joking. And my experience is only with suggestions shown in Amazon.
I have no experience with Apple products so can't comment on the recommendations by Siri.
Thanks.

I have not seen anything to suggest Amazon's app constantly listens to conversations. However, if you have your doubts, you could go to App permissions in Settings and turn off microphone access for the Amazon app if enabled.


You can also check if you are browsing for the items / topics you are discussing (such as mosquito nets) on other sites or apps. Amazon's ad network is pretty big so they could be picking up signals from those sources.

There is also location-aware advertising so if others in your area are searching for those items or topics, you might see those suggestions.

[itwasntme]

Facebook claims they don't: https://www.theverge.com/platform/am...rophone-denial

However, location and context-specific advertising can be eerily feel like being stalked by an omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent entity!!

[SchumiFan]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

I have ordered the Echo but now have second thoughts.
What is the point of an Echo?

Thank you for the post. I have been asking these questions myself but some one had to say it loud for me to act. Just cancelled it and saved 3K. Prime membership coming with it was a bonus but still a lot can be done for 2K than talking to an assistant.

Now I see it, I didn't know what I was going to do with that device. Will wait for Amazon Music to launch and for the early adopters to give more skills to Alexa.

[Sawyer]

Lol. The more the people that cancel, the quicker I expect to get an invite for a second device - a Dot to complement the ordered Echo.

[SchumiFan]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Lol. The more the people that cancel, the quicker I expect to get an invite for a second device - a Dot to complement the ordered Echo.

At this rate, they are going to abolish the invite method. All this before the product is delivered. Once people realize the folly after it comes home, expect more returns.

[Sawyer]

They haven't yet, I look forward to that. I ordered the Echo on Oct 5 right away after the first invite, and went into the queue for the Dot that day and am still to get the invitation. I can see lots of uses for a Dot or two to add around the home.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by SchumiFan

Thank you for the post. I have been asking these questions myself but some one had to say it loud for me to act. Just cancelled it and saved 3K.

I've been thinking of an Echo-like device since end of last year; it was Google Home then. Put off my purchase because I knew there was no real use for it.

Prime membership coming with it was a bonus but still a lot can be done for 2K than talking to an assistant.

Prime is at 499/year until Oct 30th so you might want to take it up.

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I would say wait it out. IoT security is pretty bad. The last thing you want is someone taking over your home. Let the security bugs get ironed out and protocols standardized. I expect pricing to come down after that.

True!
While evaluating such always listening devices, I wonder if the device could be secretly configured, to listen to our regular conversations in the house, which can unnecessarily parsed for advertising purpose.

[SchumiFan]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

I've been thinking of an Echo-like device since end of last year; it was Google Home then. Put off my purchase because I knew there was no real use for it.

Prime is at 499/year until Oct 30th so you might want to take it up.

I think Google Home would be a better product simply because it will be able to cater to Google ecosystem.

I am on Prime already, so not sure if this offer will be valid for me.

But frankly after seeing demos of Echo, there is a lot that can be done which is not available right now in India.

But Echo gets Bluetooth and 3.5 mm Jack which kind of makes up for less content.

[itwasntme]

Finally reordered the Echo Dot today (after having cancelled my earlier order). Effective price comes to 3149 - 999 = 2150.

Researched extensively to note that the bigger Echo & E+ don't have the requisite sound quality to even come near my Bose triplets. Plus the Dot also has the same seven mikes as the others. Was eyeing the E+ for it's connected home hub but felt it is too expensive.

Current plan is to connect the Dot to my Bose ST30, and further bridge to the smaller ST10s. Will update with a mini review later.

On a humourous note, a garrulous retired uncle of mine has bought an Echo. Now my aunt is insisting that either she stays or the Echo stays. I understand that the Echo has quadrupled the quantity (mind you not quality) of the conversation in their small flat (ROTFL)

[agambhandari]

I bought an Echo Dot purely for 2 reasons

Its available in India with a warranty
It has bluetooth and 3.5mm output, important as the main reason I bought it was to replace my old bluetooth reciever
It was very affordable. Loaded amazon pay balance got cashback, got a free extension to prime. Basically ended up paying about 1800 bucks.

And I have been using it since 3rd november and the experience is great.
It has no problem understanding indian acccent, even over the blaring music over the external speakers I have attached. And the best part i find is that it can play music on command, without you finding it, just say the name and it plays through prime music/Saavn.

The free music playing and the 3.5mm out is what killed the Google Home Mini in my opinion. Google knows better than to play a cashgrab move like this.

For those with a privacy concern, you can turn off the listening of the echo by pressing a button on top.

Originally Posted by SchumiFan

I think Google Home would be a better product simply because it will be able to cater to Google ecosystem.

I am on Prime already, so not sure if this offer will be valid for me.

But frankly after seeing demos of Echo, there is a lot that can be done which is not available right now in India.

But Echo gets Bluetooth and 3.5 mm Jack which kind of makes up for less content.

If you have prime already, one year gets added automatically to it. My subscription was to end in next april, now its showing 2019 april.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Finally reordered the Echo Dot today (after having cancelled my earlier order). Effective price comes to 3149 - 999 = 2150.

Researched extensively to note that the bigger Echo & E+ don't have the requisite sound quality to even come near my Bose triplets. Plus the Dot also has the same seven mikes as the others. Was eyeing the E+ for it's connected home hub but felt it is too expensive.

Current plan is to connect the Dot to my Bose ST30, and further bridge to the smaller ST10s. Will update with a mini review later.

Exactly what I found, ST 10 is by far a better speaker than any of the Echos and ST30 is not even in the same league. The larger echos still lack bass and thus, I agree that echo dot is the best value of the bunch. They even have cashbacks on using amazon pay, comes to a great value.

On a humourous note, a garrulous retired uncle of mine has bought an Echo. Now my aunt is insisting that either she stays or the Echo stays. I understand that the Echo has quadrupled the quantity (mind you not quality) of the conversation in their small flat (ROTFL)

LOL

[itwasntme]

Thank you agambhandari, you've addressed all my doubts! Maybe Admins or we can create a separate Amazon Alexa thread?

[earthian]

Well, here is my two bits:
I got the Echo on the 2nd Nov and enjoy it . It understands our 'english' and i enjoy listening to music every day. Best of all, my wife is also quite happy since adding to shopping list is quite easy and useful. It plays Venkateswara Suprabhatham without any "eh"? My friends too freak out with Alexa.

It is a good buy at Rs 6999/- and i believe that one has to move along with the times and technology.

[pickdj]

My kids are freaking out with Alexa. Every morning I wake up to it playing "Happy" by Farell because that's the go-to song for my kids to dance like crazy.
I have kept it in the kitchen and linked it via bluetooth to my Bose Mini. Works like a charm.
However, there are problems. Since I have linked it to my amazon account and the Alexa app is on my phone, my wife doesn't get some notifications which come up on the app. She also can't track what Alexa actually heard. I wish there was a way for two people with different amazon IDs to share the same alexa.
Also, we have seen some random music being played even when nobody is saying anything. Creepy! After watching a horror short movie on youtube about Alexa saying things like "I am sorry I didn't hear you. Did you say- I am watching you?" , I switch it off at night without fail
I am also facing some challenges with Alexa not hearing you over loud music. Plenty of times you will find the whole family clustered around Alexa shouting "Alexa STOP!" at the top of its collective lungs. Good family bonding but not a good technology experience. Especially since I made the decision to buy it and the wife won't ever let me forget it