LabattBlue Posted November 28, 2019 Share Posted November 28, 2019 (edited) Someone enlighten me and tell me the wonderful life changing ways you personally use these products(smart hub or smart speaker)? I had an echo dot hooked up for a couple weeks last year, and then disconnected it with all the paranoia about big brother listening/recording. Edited November 28, 2019 by LabattBlue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 Can’t help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 18 hours ago, LabattBlue said: Someone enlighten me and tell me the wonderful life changing ways you personally use these products(smart hub or smart speaker)? I had an echo dot hooked up for a couple weeks last year, and then disconnected it with all the paranoia about big brother listening/recording. Never use ours. We have a really nice Bluetooth speaker we just carry from room to room if we want music. Was a big waste of money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Day 10 Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 Sonos is wonderful. Pricey, but top notch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 Our Alexa is an idiot. We asked it to play Christmas music yesterday, and it started talking about how May 4th is Star Wars day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewaycynic2013 Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 20 minutes ago, Just Jack said: Our Alexa is an idiot. We asked it to play Christmas music yesterday, and it started talking about how May 4th is Star Wars day. It must be remembering the Star Wars Christmas Special. The one Lucas wishes had never escaped the black hole singularity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 We have an Alexa echo and love it. I keep it in the kitchen and take it outside with me whilst grilling in the warmer months. The music selection with Amazon Prime is excellent. It's great to have a song pop into my head that I haven't heard in a while and just tell Alexa to play it. Does great with genres, too. Our cell phones were listening to us long before Alexa was. I honestly couldn't care less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 We have a bunch of the Google speakers and Chromecast on all tvs. It's great, especially with the Kids. They go up Nd ask going to play a song or play a movie/show and it's on. If your posting on an internet message board it means you have the internet and possibly a cell phone, your already being tracked or watched on those devices already, no one here is really that important that the government or big brother is actively listening and following you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaoulDuke79 Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 I dont want that stuff in my house. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 6 hours ago, Gugny said: We have an Alexa echo and love it. I keep it in the kitchen and take it outside with me whilst grilling in the warmer months. The music selection with Amazon Prime is excellent. It's great to have a song pop into my head that I haven't heard in a while and just tell Alexa to play it. Does great with genres, too. Our cell phones were listening to us long before Alexa was. I honestly couldn't care less. do you need to have it synced to a phone or anything? Or does it just connect to the WiFi-internet? thinking about getting an echo for my 8-year old daughter Mostly for music, but it won’t have access to a phone with iTunes or anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 6 minutes ago, JR in Pittsburgh said: do you need to have it synced to a phone or anything? Or does it just connect to the WiFi-internet? thinking about getting an echo for my 8-year old daughter Mostly for music, but it won’t have access to a phone with iTunes or anything. You just need wifi. But you'll need Amazon Prime to get music if it's not synched to a phone. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cripple Creek Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 7 hours ago, Gugny said: We have an Alexa echo and love it. I keep it in the kitchen and take it outside with me whilst grilling in the warmer months. The music selection with Amazon Prime is excellent. It's great to have a song pop into my head that I haven't heard in a while and just tell Alexa to play it. You have to broaden your horizons. There’s more to life than show tunes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 2 minutes ago, Cripple Creek said: You have to broaden your horizons. There’s more to life than show tunes. Give me The Sound of Music, or give me DEATH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasons1992 Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 35 minutes ago, Gugny said: Give me The Sound of Music, or give me DEATH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gray Beard Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 We have a google home device. For some reason it stopped working and I haven’t bothered figuring out why. We used it to turn lights on or off, and ask it about the weather forecast. My wife has no interest in using it to make shareable shopping lists or appointment reminders, but I know people who like it for those things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewaycynic2013 Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 12 hours ago, Seasons1992 said: I liked him better as a replicant. However, this does show his range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundancer Posted November 30, 2019 Share Posted November 30, 2019 They are a big pile of nothing, but got the **** promoted out of them. I don't know anyone who got one that uses it for more than music. And there are a million other speakers out there for music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted November 30, 2019 Author Share Posted November 30, 2019 The privacy issue was only one concern. Bigger concern, the value in having one, other than telling it to play some music(smart speaker). The smart hub, is what I was more interest in hearing opinions on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 On 11/28/2019 at 2:57 PM, LabattBlue said: Someone enlighten me and tell me the wonderful life changing ways you personally use these products(smart hub or smart speaker)? I had an echo dot hooked up for a couple weeks last year, and then disconnected it with all the paranoia about big brother listening/recording. I won one as a door prize. So far the only real use it had is telling it what to add to our grocery list and playing whatever reason stream during breakfast. For about $25 you can buy a pack of 8 plug in controllers that will turn stuff like lamps on and off by way of your smart speaker. Honestly can't figure why if get that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxx Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not at the table Karlos Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 Friend has an Alexa, his neighbor has one too. We had a fantasy draft party and his neighbor came over with a recording of us talking. He could hear us the entire time through his Alexa. Will never allow one in my house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 The privacy thing bugs me a bit but I’ve also come to terms that short of becoming the Unabomber (you know, minus the bombs) That my phone, car, tv, computer etc... all have the same capabilities for govt or other spying. i don’t like it but its happening so I may as well take the up side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 My wife got some 52” workout mirror for Christmas. It mounts on the wall in her office/den and she can workout at any time. (Her schedule doesn’t allow regular sessions.) It will have someone appear in the mirror and do any recorded workout you want: yoga, Pilates, kickboxing, etc. At certain times you can also do live one on one sessions with someone who can watch your every move by way of a camera up top. There is something you can slide over it to block the camera, but I think I will go in that room a little less frequently...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 38 minutes ago, Augie said: My wife got some 52” workout mirror for Christmas. It mounts on the wall in her office/den and she can workout at any time. (Her schedule doesn’t allow regular sessions.) It will have someone appear in the mirror and do any recorded workout you want: yoga, Pilates, kickboxing, etc. At certain times you can also do live one on one sessions with someone who can watch your every move by way of a camera up top. There is something you can slide over it to block the camera, but I think I will go in that room a little less frequently...... Or, strut around in the nude doing a few yoga poses and they will never want to tune in to your camera again...... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 Just now, apuszczalowski said: Or, strut around in the nude doing a few yoga poses and they will never want to tune in to your camera again...... I’m afraid that might break the mirror! All that bad luck..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 I’ve had one (alexa) for about a year. It’s mostly just a music thing for me, but right after the time change this year I caved and bought one smart plug. I have a light on a timer downstairs and the plug is behind a bulky piece of furniture. I got sick of having to move that thing and possibly scratch the floor a couple times a year and got the plug. I’m not going to use voice commands to turn it on, but being able to change the timer on my phone is a hell of a lot easier than dealing with the mystery time windows that come with those old crappy mechanics timers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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