Alexa, you're too smart

[Rick Potter]

I am probably late to the party again, but.....

This morning I told Alexa to add shredded wheat to the shopping list. She answered back the usual 'shredded wheat is added to the shopping list', then asked 'is this Cynthia?'.

To shut it up, I just said yes.

Then it came back with 'I didn't recognize your voice, Cynthia, It didn't sound like you'.

To which I answered 'cancel' to shut it up.

So....when did voice recognition come to every household? Big Sister is watching.

[Steve Wurster]

Voice recognition has been a feature of Alexa devices for at least a year. I think ours recently asked me if I wanted to turn it on, but I said no. It's possible Cynthia turned it on in your house at one point.

[Jim Becker]

These low level AIs can provide a personalized experience when they recognize individual residents and it can make interaction more efficient. It's not necessary to use it, but for some, it's an attractive feature.

[Jim Koepke]

Now the shredded wheat may have been taken off your grocery list.

You should have told it you have a little nasal congestion at the moment.

All this AI stuff in people's homes has me worried enough to not have it.

Got an email the other day about kids watching porn on the refrigerator:

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A recent trip to California took me away from my daily internet indulgences. The most missed thing was the daily comics.

jtk

[Stan Calow]

I had accidentally turned Siri on my phone in my pocket. Loading some stuff in the garage and hurt my finger. I let loose a string of expletives. Suddenly Siri says "Stan! Your language!"

[John K Jordan]

... The most missed thing was the daily comics.

Which comics are your favorites? Do you subscribe to an online newspaper or use a comics web site?

I used to get a daily digital newspaper but canceled when they tripled the price.

JKJ

[Paul F Franklin]

I had accidentally turned Siri on my phone in my pocket. Loading some stuff in the garage and hurt my finger. I let loose a string of expletives. Suddenly Siri says "Stan! Your language!"

Lol, I was working within earshot of Echo (Alexa is in another room), and my buddy called. I answered, "Hey Cary, what's up?". I have no idea what echo thought I said, but she announced: "I'm in a Friday kind of mood, Whoo-Hoo!"

[Richard Hart]

I won't bring any of these into the house. Anything that spies on you and snitches to the government - don't think so!
There was a flap a couple years ago where Amazon employees got caught listening in on Alexas. No thanks. I have enough to worry about with the phone maybe doing this.

[Curt Harms]

I won't bring any of these into the house. Anything that spies on you and snitches to the government [Anybody]- don't think so!
There was a flap a couple years ago where Amazon employees got caught listening in on Alexas. No thanks. I have enough to worry about with the phone maybe doing this.

I just don't see where benefit outweighs risk when it comes to these devices. A law enforcement agency would have to get a court order to place a bugging device in my home. If I can be convinced to place a bugging device in my home voluntarily no court order needed.

[Matt Day]

You guys must have a lot of stuff to hide if you’re worried about anyone (or anything) hearing it!

[Curt Harms]

You guys must have a lot of stuff to hide if you’re worried about anyone (or anything) hearing it!
I don't post my bank account information on utility poles either. Once it's "out there" you have no control over who uses what information for what purposes. I prefer to limit "what's out there".

[Jim Koepke]

Which comics are your favorites? Do you subscribe to an online newspaper or use a comics web site?

I used to get a daily digital newspaper but canceled when they tripled the price.

JKJ

These are my regular reads:

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Holding the control key while clicking the folder on the menu bar opens them all in tabs. That makes it easy to read one, close and move to the next.

jtk

[Rich Engelhardt]

You guys must have a lot of stuff to hide if you’re worried about anyone (or anything) hearing it!I Have zero to hide - but - volumes of stuff that are my business alone & I like to choose the people I share it with.

[Brian Elfert]

I don't post my bank account information on utility poles either. Once it's "out there" you have no control over who uses what information for what purposes. I prefer to limit "what's out there".

If you ever write a check your account number and everything else required to access your bank account is accessible to anyone that handles that check.

[Richard Hart]

You guys must have a lot of stuff to hide if you’re worried about anyone (or anything) hearing it!

That's not the point. The point is, it's invasive even if you're squeaky clean. Why open that portal?

[Curt Harms]

If you ever write a check your account number and everything else required to access your bank account is accessible to anyone that handles that check.

That's true. It wasn't so much of an issue until laser printers, the correct paper and MICR (I think that's right) toner became available. I think I could take someone's check, copy the routing and account number and print blank checks with their account info on them. That's why I rarely mail checks these days. It's actually surprising that there's not more fraud than what we hear about.

[Jim Becker]

That's true. It wasn't so much of an issue until laser printers, the correct paper and MICR (I think that's right) toner became available. I think I could take someone's check, copy the routing and account number and print blank checks with their account info on them. That's why I rarely mail checks these days. It's actually surprising that there's not more fraud than what we hear about.

'Don't even need to print a check...just having the name on the account, routing number and account number offers possibilities. And I agree with your last statement, but check fraud is harder these days because of systems that were put in place to help combat it combined with many businesses being loathed to even accept personal checks.