Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

Hey, Alexa, What Can You Hear? And What Will You Do With It?

posted by fyngyrz on Sunday April 01 2018, @06:11PM   Printer-friendly
from the IGNORE-ME dept.

MrPlow writes:

Submitted via IRC for fyngyrz

There is patent activity afoot to cover Alexa and Google Assistant mining for more than activation words:

Amazon and Google, the leading sellers of such devices, say the assistants record and process audio only after users trigger them by pushing a button or uttering a phrase like "Hey, Alexa" or "O.K., Google." But each company has filed patent applications, many of them still under consideration, that outline an array of possibilities for how devices like these could monitor more of what users say and do. That information could then be used to identify a person's desires or interests, which could be mined for ads and product recommendations.

For many, this could change the landscape as to whether these devices are acceptable. It may also open the door wider for open-source, less invasive devices such as Mycroft.

Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Hey, Alexa, What Can You Hear? And What Will You Do With It? | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 32 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 01 2018, @07:00PM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 01 2018, @07:00PM (#661203)

    These devices are totally useless for all but the most meaningless tasks.

    It's just gimmicky trash.

    Starting Score:    0  points
    Moderation   +2  
       Flamebait=1, Insightful=4, Overrated=1, Total=6
    Extra 'Insightful' Modifier   0  
    Total Score:   2  

  • (Score: 2) by FatPhil on Sunday April 01 2018, @07:24PM

    by FatPhil (863) <reversethis-{if.fdsa} {ta} {tnelyos-cp}> on Sunday April 01 2018, @07:24PM (#661206) Homepage
    Yeah, but Louder With Crouther gets the chance to make hilarious vids with them, so it's not all bad.
    --
    Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves

  • (Score: 5, Informative) by frojack on Sunday April 01 2018, @07:33PM

    by frojack (1554) on Sunday April 01 2018, @07:33PM (#661208) Journal

    These devices are totally useless to the owner for all but the most meaningless tasks.

    FIFY.

    They are very useful to the companies that make them.

    The problem I see is that reviewers of these services are enthusiasts who usually have no technical skills at all. and wouldn't know a wireshark if it bit them in the ass.

    Even those that attempt some technical reviews take it on blind faith that these devices only listen for key words, or only listen when touched or triggered. They never check for delayed data transfers, or un-explained packet exchanges.

    --
    No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.

  • (Score: 0, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 01 2018, @07:42PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 01 2018, @07:42PM (#661211)

    These devices are totally useless for all but the most meaningless tasks.

    It's just gimmicky trash.

    But, but, but, niggers love it! And that's all that matters!