The new Amazon Echo Show 5 - aka Alexa

[RickyR]

Can either of these be used as an interior camera while away? Wonder if they can tie into Rosie?

[Recalculatin]

Originally Posted by SteveUpp

There's an interesting book out called "The Age of Surveillance Capitalism". It is no surprise, but all the stuff we use for free on the Internet is free...because we all voluntarily give up information about ourselves to those bearing technology 'gifts'. The real customers who pay for access to that information is marketers, governments, and foreign interests who use it to manipulate it.


Just this week, I read an article that a political strategist had used location tracking data to target political adds to anyone who had been inside of a Catholic church. We all voluntarily carry surveillance devices with us wherever we go. The data is a gold mine (hence the stock price for Google, Facebook, etc).


One day - I fear, we're all going to greatly regret these types of devices. Your insurance company wants to know how healthy you eat, how fast you drive. All of this is accessible to those with $.


And don't think that politicians will do anything to stop it. They are prime users of this information in targeting you and your key voting issue(s).



I probably sound paranoid. But it doesn't have to be this way - we don't owe Google and Facebook our entire personal data so that we can use their services. Why should a few people become billionaires by selling our personal information? It isn't the American way - its 1984.

Of course we are all free to stop using them at any time.

[Recalculatin]

Originally Posted by NealC

Some people turn location off on their phone, I don't. I like having my pictures tagged with location as it tells a story when you look at them later and can see where they were taken, a map view, etc. Some are paranoid and that's their choice. I'm the opposite with the tech, I don't worry about it and enjoy the features for the reason they are there. To each their own...

I agree whole heartedly.

[rlott2k]

Originally Posted by NealC

And back to the topic, for those that enjoy Amazon Echo devices, check out the new Echo Show 5.

I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.

[mce99]

I think my microwave is watching what I eat. I know my TV watched me watching it. It’s been this way for awhile, now I just cover my head with Reynolds Wrap and know my mind is secure.

[dck22]

I've got an echo plus on my dash and an echo show 5 on the valence of my driver side slide. Does anyone know of a way to give the Plus preference for Alexa commands for music?

[pilotmike]

Originally Posted by NealC

You can turn the camera off. At some point you have to just stop worrying about the tech and enjoy/embrace it. I'm not liable for what anyone might see, that trauma is theirs to deal with

The camera off SWITCH on the Echo 5 actually covers the camera

I bought 2 Echo 5s. One died and Amazon has none to replace it. ARGH!

I bought 2 of the new Echo Show with the 9 inch screen. I liked the first one enough to get another. Those have Zigbee like the Echo Plus so they will control Phillips Hue stuff.

BUT I got the invite to buy the Echo Auto! I bought an additional car vent mount so I can move it from the car to the RV. It gets online through the Alexa app on the phone. You can those your favorite navigation app so I can tell Alexa to navigate me and it brings up Waze. It works well as a Echo and will do road stuff like making and answering phone calls.

[Warlock]

Big brother has us brainwashed.

[StageCoachDr]

Not ever in my home or RV or mobile phone or tablet or PC.


It is said these devices only listen when you call their name, but they must listen 100% of the time to hear their name. There are some really sly hackers who use what sounds like random noise to actually activate these units and do some real damage.


I do have some knowledge of this - I spent my adult life life as a software designer and the last 5 years in a very large web shop working with Java for one of the biggest banks in the world.

[NanaW]

Love My Echo show I used to work for Amazon so I have one at home and one in the RV. They are great to have if worried about privacy make sure there are no phones or tablets or smart TVs in your bedroom either lol. Just saying you have more privacy than you think I used to work in that dept. I know what they do and don't do and I say no worries

[dck22]

Originally Posted by pilotmike

BUT I got the invite to buy the Echo Auto! I bought an additional car vent mount so I can move it from the car to the RV. It gets online through the Alexa app on the phone. You can those your favorite navigation app so I can tell Alexa to navigate me and it brings up Waze. It works well as a Echo and will do road stuff like making and answering phone calls.

How do you get an invite?

[pilotmike]

Originally Posted by dck22

How do you get an invite?

Sign up on the Amazon Echo Auto product page:

Echo Auto - Add Alexa to your car https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0753K4CWG..._3RjqDb5BKCAB4

I found out that I have a sliver of clout for dropping so much cash with Amazon. When the Amazon rep was saying his Echo would be repaired, my "son" mentioned my name and suddenly they said they'd replace it.

[tqqest]

Originally Posted by dck22

I've got an echo plus on my dash and an echo show 5 on the valence of my driver side slide. Does anyone know of a way to give the Plus preference for Alexa commands for music?

I have multiple Alexa devices in some areas of my home. I simply change the wake word for each one. Using the Alexa app, you can have the wake word for one be Alexa, one Echo, and one Computer. Works great for me.

[dck22]

Originally Posted by tqqest

I have multiple Alexa devices in some areas of my home. I simply change the wake word for each one. Using the Alexa app, you can have the wake word for one be Alexa, one Echo, and one Computer. Works great for me.

Thanks!