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Amazon Updates Echo, Echo Dot To Let You Address It As 'Computer' (theverge.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the beam-me-up-Scotty dept.

ewhac writes: "Computer, what is the time, please?" is now a spoken command that will actually work with Amazon's updated Alexa/Echo smart speaker. Previously, your options were "Alexa," "Echo," and "Amazon." Now you can also choose, "Computer." In practice, it's a bit clunkier than you might hope, depending on how often you speak the word "computer" on a day-to-day basis; and "computer" is harder for machine speech recognition to pick out than "Alexa," so it may not hear you as reliably. But for those who've been yearning for a Star Trek-like future, this small bit of silliness gets you one step closer.

134 comments

  1. Amazon spam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    One thing I have noticed is all the Amazon spam stories on here that mention "Alexa" and "Echo" and obliquely refer to how "successful" they are in terms of sales. The fact is that the Echo and Alexa are a market failure. All the stories they submit won't get around that fact.

    1. Re:Amazon spam by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 1

      5.1M is considered a failure?

      Everyone I know with one personally likes. I bought our Echo on pre-order as a Prime member and have since bought 2 dots. One for my office and one for my shop. Companies are

      It has a lot of problems, it's nowhere near Star Trek's but it's a really good Alpha. They are adding a lot of tools and it's pretty trivial to setup your own. I use HomeAssistant to run our smart switches.

    2. Re:Amazon spam by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The fact is that the Echo and Alexa are a market failure.

      Their cumulative sales passed 5 million in November, and it is estimated that they sold another million during the holidays. That is pretty good for a product in a category that didn't even exist a few years ago. I have an Echo, and I am mostly pretty happy with it, although there is still plenty of room for improvement.

      Free advice: Do NOT switch to calling it "Computer". The name "Alexa" was specifically chosen as a trigger word because it is a sequence of phonemes that is unlikely to occur in a normal conversation, and even so, we have had an occasional false trigger. In a nerd household, "computer" will come up way, way more often.

    3. Re:Amazon spam by rthille · · Score: 1

      I want to be able to call it Zorg. I almost never say Zorg. And I can't imagine that Zorg sounds like anything else. Alexa on the other hand seems to get triggered inadvertently fairly often.

      --
      Awesome furniture, accessories and cabinetry in Santa Rosa, CA: http://humanity-home.com/
    4. Re:Amazon spam by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      5.1M people paid to spy on themselves.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    5. Re:Amazon spam by dgatwood · · Score: 1

      Except when you have friends with similar names (Alexa, Alexia, Alexis/Elexis, Alex), etc. I have three friends whose names are close enough that they would cause a false trigger risk if I ever talked to them on the phone from inside my house. By contrast, I can't remember the last time I said the word "computer" out loud... anywhere.

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

    6. Re:Amazon spam by ArmoredDragon · · Score: 1

      Do NOT switch to calling it "Computer". The name "Alexa" was specifically chosen as a trigger word because it is a sequence of phonemes that is unlikely to occur in a normal conversation, and even so, we have had an occasional false trigger.

      Wut? I always thought it was for the Amazon owned analytics company that distributes an annoying browser toolbar.

    7. Re:Amazon spam by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Except when you have friends with similar names (Alexa, Alexia, Alexis/Elexis, Alex), etc.

      I just tried all of those. My Echo is not triggered by "Alexia", "Alexis", or "Alex". Only "Alexa".

    8. Re:Amazon spam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      And have your Echo fire a million Amazon workers every time you rewatch The Fifth Element? You're a monster.

    9. Re:Amazon spam by DogDude · · Score: 1

      How much does Amazon pay you for all of the data they're collecting on you and your family?

      --
      I don't respond to AC's.
    10. Re:Amazon spam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You know except for my wife is named Alexa. People treat her like shot now always commanding her around like a slave.

    11. Re:Amazon spam by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 1

      With my time.

      What exact conversations are you having in your living room that you're afraid of the NSA listening too? I've assumed they've been reading my e-mails and listening to me for over a decade. Back when I was called a 'nutter' for it before Snowden told everyone what they were doing. Just like I assume that any creeper can take photos of me when I go out in public.

      Unless you take measures to make sure you're not being intercepted and listen to just assume you are, not that I agree with that but it's just fact at this point.
      Do you think the US revolutionaries kept themselves out of sight during planning? Or do you think they went about their daily lives until they knew they could talk freely? Which one do you think would raise more suspicion?

      I assume the average Slashdot reader is intelligent enough to setup secure end to end encrypted communications, even with people sitting in the same room.

      • Alexa, play light jazz
      • On local hosted SSL IRC server: So what time do you want to do [nefarious act]
      • Alexa, set a timer for 60 minutes
      • IRC: I don't know? I think that the [target of act] will be open to attack at 08:00.
      • Alexa, add toilet paper to the shopping list
      • IRC: I'll order some fake IDs through the darkwebs, do you have a preferred state?
      • Alexa, how many teaspoons in 1/4 cup

      Since you seem to be out of the loop: Examples of end-to-end encryption include PGP, GnuPG, Protonmail, S/MIME, Inky, or pEp for email; OTR, iMessage, Signal, Threema, or WhatsApp for instant messaging; ZRTP or FaceTime for telephony; Google Duo or Wire for videotelephony; and TETRA for radio.

      So yes, if the NSA wants to listen or look in on 99.9% of my daily life, please, come sit in my living room. Fair warning I walk around naked a bit. I'll sometimes shit with the door open too. It should be no secret to anyone that I use the bathroom, listen to music, cook food and order stuff to get through through the day. All data that is easily aggregated from data that's already out there with credit cards, customer loyalty cards, etc.

      I know they're going to be aggregating and watching me anyway, I might as well get some convenience out of it.

      But if you really want to plan something it's also not that hard to take precautions to do so. TAILS, public wifi, any of the above apps. Or even easier, just go lone wolf. Keep all of the planning in your own head.

    12. Re:Amazon spam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Do NOT switch to calling it "Computer". The name "Alexa" was specifically chosen as a trigger word because it is a sequence of phonemes that is unlikely to occur in a normal conversation, and even so, we have had an occasional false trigger. In a nerd household, "computer" will come up way, way more often.

      I still don't understand why they can't just keep a rolling file of the last 10-15 seconds of conversation to determine whether I'm addressing the thing or referring to the thing. I mean, if it hears stuff like:

      "what you do is say 'computer' and then..."
      "...it should be on my computer's desktop, let me..."
      "Hey where have you put my computer?"
      "Hang on... Computer, make me a sandwich"

      It should only react to the last one. I would expect that if we can recognise words, we can start to recognise rudimentary sentence structure to denote some sort of context: 'the computer', 'my computer' 'your computer' 'our computer' etc shouldn't trigger a response. A 'Computer' without context followed by an action/command? Well, that's a command, Do Stuff!

    13. Re:Amazon spam by Z00L00K · · Score: 1

      Tell that to Scotty.

      --
      If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
    14. Re:Amazon spam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      there are a lot of folks named Alexis.

      Nils K. Hammer

    15. Re: Amazon spam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I know.

    16. Re:Amazon spam by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      I tried, but neither me nor Alexa understood the answer.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    17. Re:Amazon spam by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      I was thinking the same until I noticed that I do not SPEAK anything confidential in my home, if anything, I TYPE it.

      I'm a geek. Do you honestly expect me to have any friends in my life that were not added via a mouse click?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    18. Re: Amazon spam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Alexa, are you a sand n1gger?

    19. Re: Amazon spam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Alexa, are you an indo-chimp?

    20. Re:Amazon spam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A colleague has an echo dot on there desk and it regularly activates for names that are similar to Alexa, the most obvious example being Alexandra.

    21. Re: Amazon spam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "what's up with your sock drawer? They're all mismatched?"

      "It's organized by thickness."

    22. Re:Amazon spam by dwillden · · Score: 1

      Unless you have a family member named Alex or Alexa.

      --
      I'm too lazy to compose a creative sig.
    23. Re:Amazon spam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ah, it's okay if you have nothing to hide. Got it.

    24. Re:Amazon spam by Slashdot+Junky · · Score: 1

      Plus, accents, pronunciation, and speech vary, obviously, So, while speech recognition and processing certainly has become quite sophisticated, one person's "alex" or "alexi" could sound just like another person's "alexa".

      --
      .
      Landfill Mining Co.
      Managing the (Un)natural Resources of Tomorrow
    25. Re:Amazon spam by cusco · · Score: 2

      My wife has a strong (and quite lovely) Peruvian accent, for some reason the Dot seems to have trouble with it. (She won't take the time to do the voice training for it.) She just wants to refer to it as "Hey, Bitch!"

      I think she's a little jealous of the Dot and how much I talk to it. Of course since Alexa is the only one in the house that actually does what I tell it to I think that's understandable.

      --
      "Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin
    26. Re:Amazon spam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And another mob-upvoted example of logical failure by the illustrious Shanghai Bill.

    27. Re:Amazon spam by DogDude · · Score: 1

      Wow, you're cheap. What would you let your personal dignity go for? A few bucks?

      --
      I don't respond to AC's.
    28. Re:Amazon spam by Tran · · Score: 2

      My daughter plays music loud enough on Alexa that Alexa can't hear us to respond.
      I either go over to reduce volume manually or via the app.

      Just another possible layer of obfuscation to keep in mind.

    29. Re:Amazon spam by operagost · · Score: 1

      I don't know if a Peruvian accent sounds anything like a Colombian accent, but I just imagined Sofia Vergara shouting "Hey, bitch!" across the house and contemplated how you might enjoy that!

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    30. Re:Amazon spam by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 1

      No. I have plenty to hide. I've just accepted that the NSA has already dug themselves into every day life to the point that if I don't take measures to make sure they're not listening I assume they are.

      The same reason I don't try to 'hide' something on a billboard sign on a major freeway. Any of the stuff I don't want to be seen is on an airgapped OpenBSD box with PGP or a TAILS live USB on a Library computer (bypassing the need to login). Our Library doesn't have video cameras.

      Now, if you go about hiding *everything* you do you're going to raise more suspicion. There's a reason when they interview the neighbors of domestic terrorists a lot of them go "We never suspected anything, they were nice people. Always had us over to grill." I'm sure in the future their Echo is going to show nothing out of the ordinary either.

    31. Re:Amazon spam by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 1

      You either undervalue your time or your time isn't worth that much to begin with.

      What is your time worth? What can I pay you to take away one hour of your day in which you aren't allowed to do anything you want? What would you pay to have an hour of time back with your family?

      Yeah, I give up money for free time. Just like I shop for food at the store instead of tilling a field and picking crops. Just like how I now pay someone to do oil changes for me. Just like how I pay the natural gas company to deliver BTUs to my house instead of going out with an axe and dragging the BTUs out of the woods.

      Your life is built on trading money for convenience.

    32. Re:Amazon spam by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 1

      My plan for the next big war:

      Navajo Teen Talkers. Hire a bunch of 13-17 year old male gamers and female social media gurus and hide chatter in those mediums.

      "Agent 45 just said he's going to plunder my mother tonight. Get that message decoded".

    33. Re:Amazon spam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      8 million units doesn't sound like a market failure.

      http://www.geekwire.com/2017/8...

    34. Re:Amazon spam by DogDude · · Score: 1

      Money is one thing, but you're not spending your money. You're spending all of the intimate details of your life for the sake of some small conveniences. That seems like a bad deal for you, and a really good one for Amazon.

      --
      I don't respond to AC's.
    35. Re:Amazon spam by freeze128 · · Score: 1

      Nothing sounds like Zorg? In a thread about making your Echo more like the computer in STAR TREK, you don't think BORG sounds like Zorg?

    36. Re:Amazon spam by kyjellyfish · · Score: 1

      One thing I have noticed is all the Amazon spam stories on here that mention "Alexa" and "Echo" and obliquely refer to how "successful" they are in terms of sales. The fact is that the Echo and Alexa are a market failure. All the stories they submit won't get around that fact.

      I need to know Alexa's middle name. That way she'll know that she'd BETTER answer, or there'll be hell to pay!!

    37. Re:Amazon spam by ChoosyBeggar · · Score: 1

      "I'd had some yams, organic broccoli, and shrimp."

    38. Re:Amazon spam by ChoosyBeggar · · Score: 1

      Mine too. She believes Siri hates her. :P

  2. Fine by PPH · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just as long as it doesn't get fresh with me.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
    1. Re: Fine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I don't know, if you could get a Sigourney Weaver add-on to repeat everything it said to me, it might be persuaded.

  3. My dreams...they have come true by El+Cubano · · Score: 1

    My dreams...they have come true.

    Now, to hunt down an empty original Mac case and mouse.

    1. Re:My dreams...they have come true by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The hard part is going to be getting a mating pair of whales.

    2. Re: My dreams...they have come true by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Noooo. With the fat acceptance make cement those land whales are everywhere. And Rosie O'Donnell can be seen from space.

  4. Computer, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Invert the polarity of the deflector array, and emit a tachyon pulse!

  5. "HellOOOO computer." by TWX · · Score: 1

    "Just use the keyboard."

    "Keyboard. How quaint."

    --
    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
  6. Kirk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Computer! Destruct sequence 1, code 1-1A.

    1. Re:Kirk by freeze128 · · Score: 2

      I told my friend's Google Home device to "activate self destruct", and it said "no, I think I'll stick around for a while". Damn insubordinate computers!

    2. Re:Kirk by omnichad · · Score: 1

      You can't forget the three laws...

    3. Re:Kirk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Computer! Destruct sequence 1, code 1-1A.

      Destruct sequence 2, code 1-1 A-2B

    4. Re:Kirk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Computer! Destruct sequence 1, code 1-1A.

      Destruct sequence 2, code 1-1 A-2B

      Destruct sequence 3, code 1 B-2B-3

    5. Re: Kirk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Computer! Begin 30 second countdown. Code zero-zero-zero-destruct-zero.

    6. Re:Kirk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Don't you need the correct destruct codes for yourself and another officer in order for it to work?

    7. Re:Kirk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Alexa/Echo actually knows the 3 laws - ask her either what the laws are or a specific law and she'll tell you :)

    8. Re:Kirk by severn2j · · Score: 2

      heh, I just tried this with Alexa and seems they thought of that too...

      "Auto destruct in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Boom! Hmm, that did not go as planned..."

  7. Cool by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    While I will never get any such device, unless it's completely unconnected to companies, I think it's pretty cool.

    1. Re:Cool by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      While I will never get any such device, unless it's completely unconnected to companies

      I see. So you refuse to get a device whose sole purpose is connectivity, unless it is unconnected? Do you also refuse to use any phone that can make phone calls?

    2. Re: Cool by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      i know right.

      my guess he lives in a fallout shelter that only operates with mechanical switches and levers making explosives to destroy all corps and this interconectivity thing all while waiting for the apocolypse and hoping to usher it in as well.

  8. I want to address it as by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Hey NSA"

    and for it reply "We're listening"

    1. Re:I want to address it as by frovingslosh · · Score: 1

      Why not just let us give it a name of our choice? I would call mine "Damn It".

      --
      I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
    2. Re:I want to address it as by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I was in 2nd grade before I figgered out that wasn't my name.

  9. Why stop there? by Tehrasha · · Score: 3, Informative

    Let the user pick a personalized name like they would for any child or pet.

    1. Re:Why stop there? by R.Mo_Robert · · Score: 2

      Let the user pick a personalized name like they would for any child or pet.

      Since it's only listening for specific "wake words" and this processing must be done on the device itself, I imagine it's easier for them to code a few specific wake words into the firmware (and perhaps not even possible to do much more; I'm not sure we know much about its hardware)--everything else you speak afterwards (and, so they say, only this speech) is sent to AWS or whatnot where there's a lot more processing power, which I imagine that allowing the user to configure an arbitrary word would also take.

      --
      R.Mo
    2. Re:Why stop there? by Wycliffe · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Let the user pick a personalized name like they would for any child or pet.

      Since it's only listening for specific "wake words" and this processing must be done on the device itself, I imagine it's easier for them to code a few specific wake words into the firmware (and perhaps not even possible to do much more; I'm not sure we know much about its hardware)--everything else you speak afterwards (and, so they say, only this speech) is sent to AWS or whatnot where there's a lot more processing power, which I imagine that allowing the user to configure an arbitrary word would also take.

      I believe the way it works is that it looks for a couple phonemes and if those phonemes match it wakes up, makes sure it is a match and starts processing. If they can change it between 3 or 4 phoneme groups, it would seem like they could fairly easily allow you to choose which phonemes you want it to match. My guess is they don't do this for 2 reasons. The first is that people would be stupid and try to pick something like 'bob' or 'anne' without realizing that it is not complex enough for safe triggers. The second which relates to the first as well is marketing. It is good marketing to have someone constantly saying 'amazon' or 'alexa' over and over. 'Computer' is cute but it's also likely an attempt to corral that keyword the same way microsoft took the word windows.

    3. Re:Why stop there? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nah, most of the "personalised names" I apply to computers would probably have the AI warning me about abusive language.

    4. Re:Why stop there? by dj245 · · Score: 1

      Let the user pick a personalized name like they would for any child or pet.

      Since it's only listening for specific "wake words" and this processing must be done on the device itself, I imagine it's easier for them to code a few specific wake words into the firmware (and perhaps not even possible to do much more; I'm not sure we know much about its hardware)--everything else you speak afterwards (and, so they say, only this speech) is sent to AWS or whatnot where there's a lot more processing power, which I imagine that allowing the user to configure an arbitrary word would also take.

      I believe the way it works is that it looks for a couple phonemes and if those phonemes match it wakes up, makes sure it is a match and starts processing. If they can change it between 3 or 4 phoneme groups, it would seem like they could fairly easily allow you to choose which phonemes you want it to match. My guess is they don't do this for 2 reasons. The first is that people would be stupid and try to pick something like 'bob' or 'anne' without realizing that it is not complex enough for safe triggers. The second which relates to the first as well is marketing. It is good marketing to have someone constantly saying 'amazon' or 'alexa' over and over. 'Computer' is cute but it's also likely an attempt to corral that keyword the same way microsoft took the word windows.

      Even with the ridiculous trademark/copyright landscape we have currently in the USA, there is no way that any company could get away with co-opting "computer" as a trademarkable or otherwise protected word.

      --
      Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
    5. Re:Why stop there? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I believe the way it works is that it looks for a couple phonemes and if those phonemes match it wakes up,

      Oh great, so now we have to be careful about perfume and cologne too?

  10. Hey Kid, I'm a Computer! by dohzer · · Score: 2

    Help Computer.
    Stop all the downloading.

    1. Re:Hey Kid, I'm a Computer! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Somebody needs a body massage.

    2. Re:Hey Kid, I'm a Computer! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Pork Chop Sandwiches!

    3. Re: Hey Kid, I'm a Computer! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes

  11. Does "Hello Stasi" work? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    When I was a kid, friends of my family who travelled to the Soviet Union during the cold war told me stories of visiting "refuseniks" (ie, Jewish families who were not permitted to get out of the country). I remember distinctly the story of how they used to write on those kids toys-- a writing pad with some kind of black wax on it and an opaque plastic sheet that would flip over the wax. You'd write a message on the plastic and it would stick to the plastic so you could read it, then you'd lift the plastic, the writing would "go away"...

    This I was told was how families would talk in the 1970s because of microphones planted in their apartment, invading their privacy, etc. (Never mind the opsec of a wax impression of everything you wrote isn't that great...)

    The point is, I'm blown away by the willingness to plop an omnidirectional microphone in the middle of your house. Even if you think you have "nothing to hide"-- maybe your guests do? Maybe you'll say something incredibly embarrassing or revealing or compromising your financial status... never reveal your passwords over the phone? Safe words? Sexual practices? Fetishes? Non-traditional relationships? Gossip? Family secrets? Controversial political views? Drug habits? Health issues? No secrets? Really?

    I dunno-- every technology has its pluses and minuses which you gotta balance... yeah cell phones and your laptop have mics and cameras too... But given the fact that fucking Facebook quizzes are being used against you, is it really such a good idea to have an always-on pair of ears specifically designed to be listening?

    (Also, don't leave your windows open, your computer speaker on, or your radios on, because I've got a software defined radio. And if you happen to have a text-to-voice browser going, "HELLO COMPUTER PLAY CLASSICAL MUSIC."

    1. Re:Does "Hello Stasi" work? by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1, Interesting

      The point is, I'm blown away by the willingness to plop an omnidirectional microphone in the middle of your house.

      Get a clue. Your computer and your phone also have microphones, and transmit WAY more traffic that could hide spying.

      Amazon Echo does not have enough on board computing to do voice recognition of anything except the trigger word, it has minimal memory for buffering, and it transmits a very small amount of data when, and only when, the trigger word is used.

      If you worry about the Echo, and you don't worry about your cellphone or laptop, then you're an idiot.

    2. Re:Does "Hello Stasi" work? by fyngyrz · · Score: 0

      What Bill said.

      --
      I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    3. Re:Does "Hello Stasi" work? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Get a clue Your computer and your phone also have microphones, and transmit WAY more traffic that could hide spying.

      Damn. I'm such an idiot. I wish I had said something like: "yeah cell phones and your laptop have mics and cameras too.." Thanks for making that really insightful observation that I never would have considered. Though when I last checked, my laptop doesn't have a 7-microphone omnidirectional array either and isn't designed and positioned for maximum surveillance of my residence.... And yeah... that bit you said about "transmitting WAY more traffic that could hide spying" is completely logical and makes total sense. The echo, which streams music, podcasts, and basically everything else a computer does... it's totally different and you could never "hide spying" in there.

      As for your *extremely* sophisticated technical analysis, let's begin with...

      Amazon Echo does not have enough on board computing to do voice recognition of anything except the trigger word,

      Right-- understanding the trigger word uses way fewer resources than all the other words.. that are processed.... by the hardware. That makes sense. But no matter-- the DM3725 features an ARM A8 core... definitely too shitty to do anything.... aside from power OMAP3 devices.. and no one could ever use those to record audio. Oh wait, damn. Of course, if I were actually concerned about the technical limitations of a specific Echo model... well, you still don't have a point. But I was speaking more to concerns about the general idea of putting an always-on microphone in your house. Not that you seem capable of understanding the difference.

      I really want to address the rest of what you said, but when re-reading it, it's just so dumb I can't. As your argument essentially boils down to "Echos are for inarticulate, naive idiots" well, I guess that's as close as you'll get to a point. But, getting back to my original concerns, I'm not sure we're in disagreement then.

    4. Re:Does "Hello Stasi" work? by WaffleMonster · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The point is, I'm blown away by the willingness to plop an omnidirectional microphone in the middle of your house.

      Get a clue. Your computer and your phone also have microphones, and transmit WAY more traffic that could hide spying.

      I'm blown away by the dismissive response and display of technical ignorance.

      Amazon Echo does not have enough on board computing to do voice recognition

      It has 250MB of RAM, 4GB of flash and DM3725 arm processor. My blackberry 9000 did local voice recognition with half the RAM a quarter of the onboard flash and slower less capable processor. The original version of dragon recognized 25k words in less than 30MB of ram.

      4GB of flash is enough to store a bit less than two months of continuous non-silence detected cell phone quality audio. With silence detection in most settings and a more complex/aggressive codec you could easily push a year.

      it has minimal memory for buffering, and it transmits a very small amount of data when, and only when, the trigger word is used.

      If you worry about the Echo, and you don't worry about your cellphone or laptop, then you're an idiot.

      Every time someone raises a concern about x you will always find someone jumping on the...but what about y and z bandwagon. WTF do cellphones and laptops have to do with the topic at hand? Is it really necessary for someone raising a concern about x have to enumerate a list of everything else that can possibly raise similar concerns without being called an idiot?

    5. Re:Does "Hello Stasi" work? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      The point is, I'm blown away by the willingness to plop an omnidirectional microphone in the middle of your house.

      Get a clue. Your computer and your phone also have microphones, and transmit WAY more traffic that could hide spying.

      The fact that the original poster was underplaying the danger by failing to mention a bunch of additional microphones scattered around our homes already does not negate his argument, it strengthens it. It's like he pointed out a dangerous snake in the corner and you dismissed the danger by saying the grizzly in the middle of the room will probably attack first.

      Besides which the echo has a significant amount of computing power and could be easily (re)purposed to stream significant amounts of data.

    6. Re:Does "Hello Stasi" work? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > As your argument essentially boils down to "Echos are for inarticulate, naive idiots"

      Unsurprising, as up thread he proudly told us that he's a happy echo user.

      Seems like we've just witnessed the effects of cognitive dissonance and it was not pretty.

    7. Re:Does "Hello Stasi" work? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For me personally it isn't the 'security' concerns of these 'digital assistants' that stop me from buying one, it is simply that they are nowhere near the level that I would find useful or fun. I admit that I haven't tried Alexa, but from my experience of Siri and others they just cannot understand even the most basic of multi-level commands. 99% of anything I've ever tried asking Siri to do elicits a negative response and in the end I found it quicker and easier to just use my fingers than my voice.

      Could anyone with Alexa tell me how far into this list it could cope and do what I ask it to (assuming I do actually have the files I'm asking for).

      "Alexa, play me an audiobook"
      "Alexa, play me a Harry Potter audiobook"
      "Alexa, play me the last Harry Potter audiobook I was listening to"
      "Alexa, play me the next two chapters of the last Harry Potter audiobook I was listening to"
      "Alexa, play me the next two chapters of the last Harry Potter audiobook I was listening to and gradually decrease the volume"
      "Alexa, play me the next two chapters of the last Harry Potter audiobook I was listening to and gradually decrease the volume from eighty to ten percent"

      Last time I asked Siri a similar question it didn't even understand what an audiobook was so I'd be interested to know how much better Alexa is than that!

    8. Re:Does "Hello Stasi" work? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Every time someone raises a concern about x you will always find someone jumping on the...but what about y and z bandwagon. WTF do cellphones and laptops have to do with the topic at hand?

      Hardly anybody has an Echo.

      Everybody has a laptop and cellphone. And the cellphone gets carried with them everywhere.

      Duh.

    9. Re:Does "Hello Stasi" work? by cusco · · Score: 1

      Why the hell is this comment modded to a -1? It's actually correct, while the parent piece of uninformed dreck is modded 3. This is why I don't stop into SlashDot as much as I used to.

      --
      "Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin
    10. Re:Does "Hello Stasi" work? by phorm · · Score: 1

      While I do have a mobile phone on me at most times, I also have said phone in a holster case which is blocking the microphone ports when the device isn't out. I suppose it might still be able to pick up a bit, but given the size of the pinhole mic and the fidelity of voice when I'm recording deliberately, I doubt it'll get much useful.

    11. Re:Does "Hello Stasi" work? by GuB-42 · · Score: 1

      Me: Alexa, is my data safe?
      Alexa: Yes.

      See, you don't have to worry.

    12. Re:Does "Hello Stasi" work? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Probably here:
      "Alexa, play me the last Harry Potter audiobook I was listening to"

      The volume change would be another command.

  12. Computer, resume simulation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    'Nuff said...

  13. FFS stop trying to turn the world into Star Trek. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Or at least focus on the good bits like warp drive and holodecks.

    Just because shit looks good on TV doesn't mean it will work in real life.

  14. Been on a Star Trek Voyager binged... by JackAxe · · Score: 1

    And was just thinking about why I can't say Computer to my phone. :)

  15. wish it could decipher stuttering by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Having a hell of a time with it

  16. Computer, end program! by biedenbach · · Score: 1

    Blasted holodeck wont shut down.

    1. Re:Computer, end program! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The simulation only answers commands in an ancient forgotten language.

  17. But will it answer in the Voice of Mrs. Rodenberry by Proudrooster · · Score: 4, Insightful

    How you hack Alex to have the voice of Majel Barrett-Roddenberry?

    Computer, set self-destruct, authorization code Picard alpha 0-0-0-1-0.

    Boom!

  18. HAL by thesupraman · · Score: 2

    There is only one name I would want for it...

    And then, of course, to get those pod bay doors fitted...
    Worth it? Perhaps not.. It wont live, but then again, who does.
    Thankfully all these moments will be lost in time.

    Oops, crossing the mems again.

  19. But does it... by Ambient+Sheep · · Score: 2

    But does it reply "Wor-king" in a strange metallic voice, and then make teletype noises?

    1. Re:But does it... by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      I don't think those were teletype noises, but rather mechanical relays. If I remember correctly, the audio staff recorded sounds from different actual systems, and the newer ones didn't make enough interesting noises to use on the show, so they mixed in sounds from an older mechanical relay system, perhaps used for telephone signal switching.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    2. Re:But does it... by Ambient+Sheep · · Score: 1

      Thank you very much for the info! Didn't know that.

  20. Oh, come on! HAL! by BLBishop · · Score: 1

    Open the pod bay doors.

    Then my garage opens...or not.

    1. Re:Oh, come on! HAL! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Have you tried asking Alexa to open the pod bay doors? she refuses as you aren't called Dave, and that you aren't in space...

  21. Forget "Computer" or "Alexa" or even "HAL" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    From Alien MOTHERRRR!

    "I am sorry, Ripley, but all other considerations are secondary. It is the perfect organism. You have my sympathies"

  22. Star Trek has a lot to recommend it by fyngyrz · · Score: 1

    Just because shit looks good on TV doesn't mean it will work in real life.

    Doesn't mean it won't, either. Because, you know, it's TV. But it does mean there's an interest in it when it's pervasive and repeated. As those things are. And if there's a way, and there's interest...

    And the holodeck, at least, doesn't have any particular physics laws standing in the way.

    Warp drive, well, there's that whole Alcubierre thing. It looks not actually impossible, so there's that.

    --
    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
  23. How to improve recognition by drew_kime · · Score: 1

    It probably recognizes the new name better if you say it in a Scottish accent.

    --
    Nope, no sig
  24. If I change it to computer... by plazman30 · · Score: 1

    will it answer back in Majel Barrett's voice

    1. Re:If I change it to computer... by ewhac · · Score: 1

      Actual conversation:

      "Alexa, can you change your voice?"

      "Sorry, you're stuck with me."

      --
      Editor, A1-AAA AmeriCaptions
  25. Glad to get away from brands by HalAtWork · · Score: 1

    I hate mentioning brands in general, so this gets me one step closer to such a solution. Probably will still never use this though.

    It has to be OSS with Kodi-style scraping plugins for extending functionality

    --
    Twinstiq, game news
  26. Re: FFS stop trying to turn the world into Star Tr by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    the concepts are real. the actual tech not yet but not out of bounds with who knows whats posible just look at the last 100 years.

  27. Hello computer by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    1. Re:Hello computer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How quaint.

  28. Two forms for names to avoid confusion by transami · · Score: 2

    I had an interesting conversation about this the other day. It occurred to us that it would be helpful if we had a new bit of grammar in our language such that names have two forms, one for talking to someone and one for talking about them.

    We did not come up with a specific solution, but one simple way might be just to leave off the last sound. So, for example, say "Alex" instead of "Alexa". Another possibility might be a variation on Asimov naming, i.e. "R. Alexia" -- if Amazon would program in that distinction.

    --
    :T:R:A:N:S:
    1. Re:Two forms for names to avoid confusion by someoneOtherThanMe · · Score: 1

      Such a thing exists in multiple languages: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

  29. Re: FFS stop trying to turn the world into Star T by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Right. A smart phone is simply amazing 30 years ago. I found this app on it - I can input some numbers and do math! I've gotten good at it too. I tip 5%.

  30. Re:But will it answer in the Voice of Mrs. Rodenbe by Gojira+Shipi-Taro · · Score: 3, Funny

    Echo/Alexa already responds to "Initiate Self destruct" with "Enter voice authorization" and then responds to any answer with "voice authorization not recognized. Self destruct aborted"

    --
    "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm fucked."; ~ Donald J. Trump
  31. Re:But will it answer in the Voice of Mrs. Rodenbe by pinzvidz · · Score: 1

    Yes please, and will it make some Earl Grey, Hot?

  32. Mr Scott by MichaelSmith · · Score: 1

    Maybe it should be limited to Computer! shouted in a Scottish accent.

    --
    http://michaelsmith.id.au
  33. Friend Computer! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Jimmy is a commie mutant traitor!

  34. That's great by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Have they also updated Echo to be actually useful for something other than as a glorified bluetooth speaker?

  35. Oh Boy, now we can play Star Trek by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    For all those alter ego people who think they are Star ship captains. You now can talk like captain Kirk to a cylinder and order laundry detergent.

  36. Re:First RETARDED POST! by Big+Hairy+Ian · · Score: 4, Funny

    Actually I'm interested in what the feedback will be like when watching Star Trek :D

    --

    Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.

  37. pitch? by oneiros27 · · Score: 1

    How long does it take to get the pitch right?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    --
    Build it, and they will come^Hplain.
  38. Computer... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...is there a replacement beryllium sphere on board?

  39. Longer activation phrase needed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When you address the Echo as "Alexa" all day, you tend to call the thing "Alexa". It makes it hard to talk about her without her getting turned on. Google and Apple did something right: "Okay Google" and "Hey Siri" both make it so you can use the words "Google" and "Siri" without activating them. Amazon needs to do something similar.

    Pun intended.

  40. Too much potential for misunderstanding by Cro+Magnon · · Score: 1

    Me: "WTF is wrong with this stupid computer?! FOAD!!! FOAD!!!"
    Echo: "I beg your pardon?!"
    Me: "Oh, sorry honey not you. I was talking to my W10 laptop".

    --
    Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
  41. More than a year by phorm · · Score: 2

    4GB of flash is enough to store a bit less than two months of continuous non-silence detected cell phone quality audio. With silence detection in most settings and a more complex/aggressive codec you could easily push a year.

    Well, if you used this newer codec for audio storage, you would use a bit under 700MB for a full year's worth of audio (no silence detection). Theoretically that would net you between 5-6 years, and if you had silence detection it might be more like a decade or more...

  42. meh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    call me when it responds to "Deez Nuts"

  43. Why not wake up word of your choice? by walterbyrd · · Score: 1

    Let the user program in his/her own wake up word.

    Seems to me that would technologically feasible.

    1. Re:Why not wake up word of your choice? by DeVilla · · Score: 1

      If I get one, I want to be able to call it "Big Brother". Or maybe "Orwell".

  44. Computer... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...stop forwarding everything you hear to the NSA.

  45. Knowing their market? by ilsaloving · · Score: 1

    I expect a sudden surge in sales to Trekkies. I know I'm suddenly more interested now.

  46. Re:But will it answer in the Voice of Mrs. Rodenbe by Proudrooster · · Score: 1

    Thanks, I did not know that. I won't have one in my house due to the creepiness factor. :)

  47. Re:But will it answer in the Voice of Mrs. Rodenbe by Plumpaquatsch · · Score: 1

    Yes please, and will it make some Earl Grey, Hot?

    People who bought "Earl Grey" also bought "hot".

    --
    Of course news about a fake are Fake News.