Slashdot Mirror
Clever Hack Fakes A Sleep Timer For Google Home (vortex.com)
Slashdot reader Lauren Weinstein writes:
I've long been bitching about Google Home's lack of a basic function that clock radios have had since at least the middle of the last century -- the classic "sleep timer" for playing music until a specified time or until a specific interval has passed... Originally, sleep timer type commands weren't recognized at all by GH, but eventually it started admitting that the concept at least exists... Officially, GH still responds with "Sleep timer is not yet supported" when you give commands like "Stop playing in an hour"... A somewhat inconvenient but seemingly serviceable way to fake a sleep timer is now possible with Google Home. I plead guilty, it's a hack. But here we go.
The hack exploits the new "Night Mode" in the firmware, which lets you set a maximum volume for specific hours of the day, creating silent (but still-active) music streaming. "Yep, a hack, but it works," writes Lauren. "And it's the closest we've gotten to a real sleep timer on Google Home so far."
Any other Slashdot readers have their own favorite personal assistant tricks?
The hack exploits the new "Night Mode" in the firmware, which lets you set a maximum volume for specific hours of the day, creating silent (but still-active) music streaming. "Yep, a hack, but it works," writes Lauren. "And it's the closest we've gotten to a real sleep timer on Google Home so far."
Any other Slashdot readers have their own favorite personal assistant tricks?
"slashdot readers have their own favorite personal assistant" ./ reader, who uses a "personal assistant"he cannot hack as he wants, is a moron who fails to understand anything he reads
My favorite personal assistant trick is pouring hot grits down her back.
People who own Google Home are incapable of cleverness in any way, shape, or form. Like commenting on the dryness of water.
... is to leave such privacy-invading devices unpurchased at the store.
#DeleteChrome
I once turned a Whirlpool brand washing machine into an alarm clock. Had to do a bit more hacking than I planned to but it sort of worked. Next time, if I want an alarm clock I'll probably just buy one instead of buying a washing machine or media player or foisting useless stories to plug my blog.
My favorite personal assistant hack remains yelling "Alexa, add hot sweaty balls to my shopping list!" repeatedly on national TV.
I wish that the summary explained what Google Home actually is. Sure, I could Google it, but I'm not going to. The summary should be fixed to say what Google Home is.
personal assistant hacks you!
This is a classic example of how Slashdot has changed. They saw this submission and said: "This is perfect! No self respecting slashdotter will have one of these, and just think of the post count as they all post to say that this guy doesn't belong on Slashdot ... ka-ching"
Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
nuff said...
Not even sure how this made it to /. as news.
I got a free Alexa through work. I'd never played with any of these kinds of things before do I set it up, read the docs, etc.
My 9 year old would ask it the weather every morning so she could avoid actually looking out the window next to Alexa.
I used it once to set an alarm for her bedtime just for laughs (she screamed and cried because normally "5 minutes from now" becomes 20naround here.
All value having been fully extracted from Alexa, I de-provisioned and gave it away. End of story for useless privacy invading Amazon sales box.
Suppose Google were to make a product. And suppose they left it permanently unfinished. But I repeat myself.
... creating silent (but still-active) music streaming.
Dear My ISP,
Why is my reported usage so high? I swear I don't use that much data.
Sincerely,
Confused Customer
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
mplayer SOME_ALBUM/* & sleep $((30*60)) ; kill $!
Buy an actual f*cking alarm clock.
I don't read AC
1) Who sets a sleep timer on something like that?
2) Who falls asleep with any music they can hear still playing?
3) Who feels they need to have the thing turn-off if they can sleep through it?
4) Who thinks a timer plug on the power would be quicker and easier?
5) Who thinks it's "fun" to have to hack on basic functionality to a device that obviously already detects the command necessary to activate it and contains technology sufficient to perform it but the tech makers just don't care enough to bother.
This is like Pointless Central.
I had to double check my browser hadn't been redirected to lifehacker.
That's the sound of resounding indifference. Much like crickets chirping.
See subject. Far too many INTELLIGENT POSTS being modded down by ABUSIVE moderators
True. But to weigh up for that, they also mod down your posts, so it's a net win for the community as a whole.
This is the same retard who considers ad blockers unethical
"For the record, I don't run any ad blockers. Basically, I consider them unethical"
Hey shit-for-brains: -- Closing your eyes, changing rooms, muting the TV, or using an ad-blocker ALL have SAME effect.
Furthermore, I consider ads to be unethical.
Hot Grits go down Natalie Portman's pants.
Not down her back.
Truth isn't Truth - Guliani
See subject: Whoever the fool is attempting to "impersonate me" only proves that I've REALLY 'gotten to them' somehow (thanks)...
* I am with you on something though - there is a TON of bogus downmoderation but as the saying goes? "When all your opposition has is censorship you've obviously won" (& I am highly against the LOON(s) who shot all those folks up in Vegas - I think it's somekind of falseflag OR an attempt @ further dividing our nation up ala the KING of bogus evil in that capacity, George Soros paying off groups like BLM & Antifa to do so...) - but GUNS DON'T KILL PEOPLE - people do. NO reason to ban guns!
As far as "AssFux" Ash-Fox? That whimp's a weasel who ALWAYS starts w/ me (he's 'butthurt' I've busted him up on tech issues is all that is)...
APK
P.S.=> Provoking weasel reactions like yours is all the satisfaction anyone needs... apk