You still can. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nineteen-E...1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473951397&sr=8-1&keywords=1984
I'm not going to be purchasing one for the recently stated reasons.
Amazon Echo - anyone have one?
- Thread starter Kemik
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You still can. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nineteen-E...1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473951397&sr=8-1&keywords=1984
I'm not going to be purchasing one for the recently stated reasons.
Thats almost the first thing I thought. Why would anyone pay Amazon to give them the ability to listen to everything you say?
My first thought was, I don't really get it.
It's not amusing; it's really quite worrying.
It's the current generation of putting everything social media, and people not understanding just how important privacy is, that leads to situations we're in now; with legislation that the Stasi would have been proud of being pushed through the commons, and a token reading in the Lords. Privacy is no longer guaranteed, nor a right. We're under the thumb of one of the most draconian and authoritarian governments in history, but people don't care because they can say "Siri, play Justin Biebers greatest hits" and tweet it to their 798 facebook friends whilst on the loo.
Maybe i'm stupid but I don't see why letting amazon hear what I say is an issue.
Odd how this is a 'tech' forum and yet people are worried about the effect of their life being monitored when lets face it, there are cameras, satellites, phones, cookies etc which all do the same thing.
Odd how this is a 'tech' forum and yet people are worried about the effect of their life being monitored when lets face it, there are cameras, satellites, phones, cookies etc which all do the same thing.
It isn't in isolation, per say. It's just a sad indictment of the trend towards not giving a stuff about privacy, and the fact that it affects everyone, not just the people who thinks its ok because they subscribe to the naive nonsense of that horrible platitude "I have nothing to hide".
The proliferation of cctv and satellites I can do nothing about.
Paying Amazon £150 to invite them into my house to listen to everything I say is something I can definitely do something about: not buy it!
I don't have anything to hide
Whether amazon listens to me 24/7 and analyses every word I say doesn't bother me, i'll be honest.
Being able to search for things, order stuff, control other devices such as my lights, music, etc all by speaking is IMO pretty darn cool. Even more so for people that have disabilities etc.
Whats to say every single mobile phone isn't constantly recording everything we say anyway?
I don't believe in that mumbo jumbo myself otherwise if people were that worried they would live in a cave down the local park.
I think that's the point - people don't care. I don't know what the Stasi got up to, but I imagine the victims were more unhappy about it than the Beliebers.
I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who are happier living in blissful ignorance than worrying about privacy all the time. In other words, they prefer a happy and exposed life, to a stressed and private one.
Associate
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Healthy paranoia is needed, and its everyones right to choose what device to purchase or not as the case may be.
However I do find it amusing that people bang on about listening in, when they have a mobile phone, and a plethora of smart devices, use the Internet, make purchases online and have loyalty cards etc.
People should be aware of the issues and make informed purchasing decisions, but unless you live in a cave there is plenty of information about you flying about already, so getting knickers in a twist about an Amazon Echo seems kinda pointless.
Its a simple question of risk vs benefit in the connected world in my opinion, but I don't argue that many people are unaware and ill informed on the risks. Many people fail to realise they are the product of many organisation (FaceBook, LinkedIn, Google, etc)
However I do find it amusing that people bang on about listening in, when they have a mobile phone, and a plethora of smart devices, use the Internet, make purchases online and have loyalty cards etc.
People should be aware of the issues and make informed purchasing decisions, but unless you live in a cave there is plenty of information about you flying about already, so getting knickers in a twist about an Amazon Echo seems kinda pointless.
Its a simple question of risk vs benefit in the connected world in my opinion, but I don't argue that many people are unaware and ill informed on the risks. Many people fail to realise they are the product of many organisation (FaceBook, LinkedIn, Google, etc)
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The trouble being that peoples oblivious attitudes towards privacy affects those who do care about it, and it is infinitely more difficult to recoup and regain privacy once lost, than it is to just have a healthy concern and watch what you share online.
And speaking of a happier and exposed life, is there any evidence to show that this is actually the case? Because the news would seem to suggest quite the opposite..
Soldato
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I live alone so not much chance of it overhearing me chatting to anyone.
It will hear you fapping though.
and then he'll wonder why his amazon recommendations include items such as a multi pack of Kleenex
Soldato
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I don't have anything to hide
Yes, we are technical people and most of us don't have anything to hide, but it's the principle of it.
I have built and stripped down computers (laptops as well as desktops), know some Linux, know a tiny bit of assembly for the Motorola 68000 board etc etc etc. But at the same time, I choose privacy. So VPN it is, Ghostery, modified HOSTs file, NoScript and end-to-end encryption.
If, however, GCHQ did make their way into my main laptop, then they'll find the following:
- a Steam account
- a Spotify friends and family account
- my old uni thesis
- 3 gigs of clubbing photos
- 12 gigs of holiday photos
- 12 gigs of my compositions (music)
- 2.5 gigs of portable apps
- 3 gigs of portable games
- 32 gigs of Disney collections (... because I can!)
- 3 gigs of installation files / scripts / reg hacks etc
- 1 gig of funny cats videos
- 1 gig of funny cats videos
And whilst GCHQ are busy sharing your cat videos around the office and spending far too much time watching and laughing, terrorists will get through unnoticed and destroy a large target.
Thanks Pawnless
.SO many things alredy do this.
Whatsapp for example will read all your messages and then give you adverts on facebook based on what you have been talking about. (You can turn it off though, and I have)
This thread has really gone off topic to what I wanted to ask about...
Interested to hear how people plan to use them, which model they are going for and why, not if they think Theresa May is going to be sat listening to them play with their sausage.
Interested to hear how people plan to use them, which model they are going for and why, not if they think Theresa May is going to be sat listening to them play with their sausage.
That's just wrong. Whatsapp can't read any of your messages.
https://whispersystems.org/blog/whatsapp-complete/
I've ordered one, I have Spotify, Nest thermostat and Hue lights so I will be able to have some fun controlling them.
The wife will definitely use the shopping list feature when checking cupboards before she does her online shop.
We don't have a clock in the kitchen where it will be sat so that's handy.
It's definitely a gadget and not required, but it will definitely be used in my house, even if mostly just to listen to music in the kitchen when clearing away the dinner and doing the washing up.
The wife will definitely use the shopping list feature when checking cupboards before she does her online shop.
We don't have a clock in the kitchen where it will be sat so that's handy.
It's definitely a gadget and not required, but it will definitely be used in my house, even if mostly just to listen to music in the kitchen when clearing away the dinner and doing the washing up.