Invited Alexa to Hitch a Ride

[TeCKis300]

Alexa has frankly invaded my home. Resistance is futile. I've upgraded my LX to smart car status this past road-trip with the addition of an Echo Auto.

Here's where she sits:

Other than some quirkiness when cellular connection is spotty, she's been great to have in car. Voice commands are very welcoming as it requires less physical interaction allowing me to focus on driving. Things like queuing up music, asking for nearest Starbucks, weather and forecast reports as we deal with the heavy storms causing road-blocks. She's location aware which is great. She also interacts seamlessly with google maps on my Android phone, and will add navigation points as I ask for them like where is the nearest Starbucks.

Almost as smart as my Tesla (not quite), but it's a welcome upgrade!

 

[PDoyle]

Cool. I have one of those. You can hide it for example under the seat and it will still work. There isn't much room on the console for anything IMO.

 

[cboyd]

Do you have to connect the audio line or will it do audio over the USB?

 

[slipkid13]

You seem very concerned with the nearest Starbucks.........

 

[gaijin]

You have officially gone over to the Dark Side

 

[TeCKis300]

Yes, dark side. Of the mountain in snow country. Where hot Starbucks is a matter of living it or just living. Gotta have the cell booster too to keep Alexa's tether to the cloud always pumping.

Do you have to connect the audio line or will it do audio over the USB?

I don't believe it can do audio over USB. Only via BT or 3.5mm aux cable.

 

[Reckless]

I am very behind on tech, what is the advantage of a voice assistant? If it can read and write emails/txt messages for me I might be interested. I still prefer reading over hearing.

Are they recording my personal conversations? Is there a way to stop that? Do they make a video camera like ring for the car?

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Are they recording my personal conversations? Is there a way to stop that? Do they make a video camera like ring for the car?

With regards to devices like Alexa, Google Home, etc., there's a privacy-related news article seemingly every week. Recorded conversations, recorded intimate bedroom moments (which are then viewed by other people), etc., etc., etc.. If you have the least interest in your privacy, you should not have anything like this in your home. (There are also a million other things you should/not do, but that's a larger topic).

 

[TeCKis300]

It's a trade and a balance. Invite more technology into ones fold for convenience. At the risk that it could be exploited and taken advantage of.

I'm savvy with tech and perhaps knows a bit too much about exploitations. I absolutely do draw boundaries around where and how I use technology.

Don't forget whether you use these devices or not, that they are subsets of what capability you're already carrying around in your pocket everyday.

 

[Reckless]

That's the biggest reason why I don't get into these things. Also, I don't like talking to someone who isn't really there. The concept of AI doesn't sit well with me. I grew up watching matrix and so many other horror AI movies.

 

[slipkid13]

I am very behind on tech, what is the advantage of a voice assistant? If it can read and write emails/txt messages for me I might be interested. I still prefer reading over hearing.

Are they recording my personal conversations? Is there a way to stop that? Do they make a video camera like ring for the car?

It is tracking and listening (and probably watching) you 24/7. Some people are ok with that, I don't know why.

Not sure that knowing the location of the nearest Starbucks is worth giving up your privacy and allowing Amazon/Google to track every single thing you do/say and every place you have been. But I am in the minority as most folks couldn't care less.

 

[Reckless]

How do we sue amazon and google? I want to break up big tech! Why are our congressmen not doing anything?