Smart speakers being tested in Disney rooms

[TXAKDisneyFan]

I don't know... I'm with you and I'll stay there, thank you. Every time I see commercials and hear about how much people can do without leaving their couch just by talking to this thing, I think to myself: Is that REALLY what we need in this country? Something to make people MORE sedentary? I'm mostly joking... ...

^this. I’m picturing scenes from Wall-E. I can’t imagine being so lazy that I couldn’t get up and flip a light switch, change a thermostat, or look out a window to see whether it’s raining. (I’m sure there are those with physical limitations for whom smart features are very helpful.)

I’m fairly young and have never once even used Siri! I’d rather type things myself than rely on dictation (DH uses dictation all the time and it’s far from reliably accurate), google things and see pictures (instead of assuming Alexa, et al, would find the perfect recipe for me or the right version of a song I want to listen to), open my weather app and see the radar,...

 

[Roxyfire]

^this. I’m picturing scenes from Wall-E. I can’t imagine being so lazy that I couldn’t get up and flip a light switch, change a thermostat, or look out a window to see whether it’s raining. (I’m sure there are those with physical limitations for whom smart features are very helpful.)

I’m fairly young and have never once even used Siri! I’d rather type things myself than rely on dictation (DH uses dictation all the time and it’s far from reliably accurate), google things and see pictures (instead of assuming Alexa, et al, would find the perfect recipe for me or the right version of a song I want to listen to), open my weather app and see the radar,...

I'm sure people have said the same thing about automatic dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, cars, etc and so on. Fact is, not everyone needs the same things so if you dont' need it, awesome. Money saved. For those of us with strange lighting setups and hatred of bright lighting while watching TV, I'll use my echo to dim the lights as needed. And tell her to turn everything off when I'm leaving the house. I like that kind of "lazy".

 

[Nancyg56]

^this. I’m picturing scenes from Wall-E. I can’t imagine being so lazy that I couldn’t get up and flip a light switch, change a thermostat, or look out a window to see whether it’s raining. (I’m sure there are those with physical limitations for whom smart features are very helpful.)

I’m fairly young and have never once even used Siri! I’d rather type things myself than rely on dictation (DH uses dictation all the time and it’s far from reliably accurate), google things and see pictures (instead of assuming Alexa, et al, would find the perfect recipe for me or the right version of a song I want to listen to), open my weather app and see the radar,...

This is the same reasoning my DH uses when he disparages any kind of "assistance" from smart technology, but he insists on singing "In the Year 2525" and that caterwauling alone gets on my last nerve.

I find it amusing that people find the need to call someone lazy for using technology, and they do so on some sort of device that others ridiculed years earlier. DH told me that my Nook was a lazy device until I showed him how I carry all of my books on one little tablet, while all of his big honkin books are takign up more space than his truck. He then bought me an ipad so I did not need to cart my books back and forth to school.

I don't use the technology featured on this thread, but I know my DD does, and it has been a helpful tool for her family. SHe can turn on her lights from her vehicle and then she and DGD walk into a home that is lit. She can unlock her door for a friend who stopped by unexpectedly to drop something off. She and her DH also have fun with their technology, using it to turn lights on, adjust the TV, etc, fund music.

I am not a spring chicken, so while I was not here to see teh light bulb invented, I have grown up enjoying a single party phone line finally!!!, Placing a brand new microwave on my countertop after the cost went down from $800 to $400, moved on to a wireless phone, to a huge flip phone to YAY!!!! An iPhone, and I have embraced many of the changes. I have made a snippy face to those who laughed at my lazy self when I used a remote clicker to change the TV channel, and when I made the move to GPS from googling directions on Mapquest.

I always think that rather than ridiculing those who are using technology we choose to avoid, we might do better to just watc and see where it goes. If we all tried to avoid "lazy" I would still be tramping out intot he snow to start my car rather than clicking my button twice and watcing that magic take the chore away from me.

 

[middlechild]

These are all valid points in favor of technology. I do not believe anyone is lazy for taking advantage of these things. I am truly blessed that my parents, both in their early 90s, have adopted and use many technological marvels, to stay sharp, independent, and in constant communication with their extended family.
Please recognize the concerns about privacy invasion, that adopting new marvels by a few drives many of us more reticent to adopt technology to learn how to turn them off. I have an inherent distrust of databases of information, because they have been hacked too often for blind acceptance. To illustrate, you (collectively) may have nothing to hide, but are you soo sure of your closest associates? Your name may appear, and then you are included in things you never dreamed. I value my privacy. Recent reports of social media selling location data, despite assurances they do not, proves my point.

But all this is moot. I am priced out of a stay for some time to come, so I hope those that do take advantage of these "benefits" find them pleasantly helpful.

 

[disneygirlsng]

This is the same reasoning my DH uses when he disparages any kind of "assistance" from smart technology, but he insists on singing "In the Year 2525" and that caterwauling alone gets on my last nerve.

I find it amusing that people find the need to call someone lazy for using technology, and they do so on some sort of device that others ridiculed years earlier. DH told me that my Nook was a lazy device until I showed him how I carry all of my books on one little tablet, while all of his big honkin books are takign up more space than his truck. He then bought me an ipad so I did not need to cart my books back and forth to school.

I don't use the technology featured on this thread, but I know my DD does, and it has been a helpful tool for her family. SHe can turn on her lights from her vehicle and then she and DGD walk into a home that is lit. She can unlock her door for a friend who stopped by unexpectedly to drop something off. She and her DH also have fun with their technology, using it to turn lights on, adjust the TV, etc, fund music.

I am not a spring chicken, so while I was not here to see teh light bulb invented, I have grown up enjoying a single party phone line finally!!!, Placing a brand new microwave on my countertop after the cost went down from $800 to $400, moved on to a wireless phone, to a huge flip phone to YAY!!!! An iPhone, and I have embraced many of the changes. I have made a snippy face to those who laughed at my lazy self when I used a remote clicker to change the TV channel, and when I made the move to GPS from googling directions on Mapquest.

I always think that rather than ridiculing those who are using technology we choose to avoid, we might do better to just watc and see where it goes. If we all tried to avoid "lazy" I would still be tramping out intot he snow to start my car rather than clicking my button twice and watcing that magic take the chore away from me.

Perfect post, couldn't have said it better myself. I too find it funny to see people scoffing at technology, especially when they say they've never used it themselves. Just imagine where we'd be in the world of technology if nobody used things because it seems lazy.

Alexa saved my sanity this morning when I couldn't find my phone. Spent 10 minutes searching my house. Had her call my phone and found it instantly, it had fallen behind my couch. Nobody else home to call it, and too early to bother anybody I know to try and call it. But maybe I'm just lazy and didn't want to spend hours looking for it, because I definitely never would have looked there.

 

[Nancyg56]

Perfect post, couldn't have said it better myself. I too find it funny to see people scoffing at technology, especially when they say they've never used it themselves. Just imagine where we'd be in the world of technology if nobody used things because it seems lazy.

Alexa saved my sanity this morning when I couldn't find my phone. Spent 10 minutes searching my house. Had her call my phone and found it instantly, it had fallen behind my couch. Nobody else home to call it, and too early to bother anybody I know to try and call it. But maybe I'm just lazy and didn't want to spend hours looking for it, because I definitely never would have looked there.

People use "new" technology evey day but we all pick and choose what we want to use, and what we even realize we are using. I am not at all sure if I would use the speakers in the room, however I dont even watch the TV. I spend my lazy moments playing Free Fall on my ipad with a glass of wine.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Saw this and just had to post here... happy Wednesday, all!

 

[Chumpieboy]

I'm curious about how they might limit the device responses to voices in that room *only*.

I'm in room 2414
"Alexa turn on the lights"
The devices in 2412, 2416, across the hall etc. turn on the lights in those rooms because those devices heard the command...

 

[PerfessorZ]

I'm curious about how they might limit the device responses to voices in that room *only*.

I'm in room 2414
"Alexa turn on the lights"
The devices in 2412, 2416, across the hall etc. turn on the lights in those rooms because those devices heard the command...

These devices have technology built in to keep multiple units from responding to the same command.

 

[Catvondita]

Nah I'm good. They can keep that shiz out of my room lol

 

[Catvondita]

My husband would be thrilled. I'd prefer Metallica or NIN.

Throw in some Slayer or Pantera while you're at it

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Huh...


Amazon Workers Are Listening to What You Tell Alexa
A global team reviews audio clips in an effort to help the voice-activated assistant respond to commands.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...g-to-you-on-alexa-a-global-team-reviews-audio

We're trusting these companies AN AWFUL LOT to voluntarily do the right thing and tell us the truth... have they earned that?

• "Occasionally the listeners pick up things Echo owners likely would rather stay private"...
• "recordings sent to the Alexa auditors don’t provide a user’s full name and address but are associated with an account number, as well as the user’s first name and the device’s serial number"...
• "Whether that’s a privacy concern or not depends on how cautious Amazon and other companies are in what type of information they have manually annotated, and how they present that information to someone"...
• "Alexa software is designed to continuously record snatches of audio, listening for a wake word."...
• "At Google, some reviewers can access some audio snippets from its Assistant to help train and improve the product, but it’s not associated with any personally identifiable information and the audio is distorted, the company says."...
• "Sometimes listeners hear users discussing private details such as names or bank details; in such cases, they’re supposed to tick a dialog box denoting “critical data.” They then move on to the next audio file."...
• "One of the people said the auditors each transcribe as many as 100 recordings a day when Alexa receives no wake command or is triggered by accident. "

 

[mom2rtk]

Huh...


Amazon Workers Are Listening to What You Tell Alexa
A global team reviews audio clips in an effort to help the voice-activated assistant respond to commands.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...g-to-you-on-alexa-a-global-team-reviews-audio

We're trusting these companies AN AWFUL LOT to voluntarily do the right thing and tell us the truth... have they earned that?

• "Occasionally the listeners pick up things Echo owners likely would rather stay private"...
• "recordings sent to the Alexa auditors don’t provide a user’s full name and address but are associated with an account number, as well as the user’s first name and the device’s serial number"...
• "Whether that’s a privacy concern or not depends on how cautious Amazon and other companies are in what type of information they have manually annotated, and how they present that information to someone"...
• "Alexa software is designed to continuously record snatches of audio, listening for a wake word."...
• "At Google, some reviewers can access some audio snippets from its Assistant to help train and improve the product, but it’s not associated with any personally identifiable information and the audio is distorted, the company says."...
• "Sometimes listeners hear users discussing private details such as names or bank details; in such cases, they’re supposed to tick a dialog box denoting “critical data.” They then move on to the next audio file."...
• "One of the people said the auditors each transcribe as many as 100 recordings a day when Alexa receives no wake command or is triggered by accident. "

You silly girl. Take off your tin foil hat and stop spreading nonsense.

 

[extreme8]

I mentioned this earlier in the thread, these devices record a lot more than you know.
Others have said that they only activate when you say the wake word and I realize that's how they are supposed to work but no technology is perfect.
If you have one of these devices and want to hear what they're recording take a look at the instructions posted below. You'll find that many snippets of conversation are stored even when you don't say the wake word. Be prepared, it can be startling when you discover how much they hear.
These instructions are for accessing the files on your computer but you can do it from the app on your phone as well.
Full disclosure; I have one of each in my house so I'm certainly not biased against them, just know what your're dealing with.

Google Assistant

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201602040


Amazon Echo

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201602040

 

[extreme8]

I always found this meme funny

 

[FastPasser.]

Our new home under construction will be an entirely smart or connected home. I have a smart speaker now and am aware of all the privacy concerns and am willing to accept them. At our ages safety and convenience overrides a company hearing me tell a smart speaker to turn off the bathroom light. But for those with privacy concerns don't get one.

 

[PerfessorZ]

Why do people freak out that they are in a space with an Alexa or Google assistant when they walk around all day long with a smartphone with the same listening technology and exploitable security weaknesses? Or if they don’t themselves, spend time with other people who do?

 

[middlechild]

The point here, to my understanding, is that guests to the upgraded resort rooms won't have that choice. Meaning the speaker "listening" will be installed in the room during the update process. When I (or others, as I am priced out) check in to that room, the speaker is there whether enabled or not.

An alternative distribution model is if Disney plans on handing out these speakers on request by the visitor, we do not have anything to complain about.

 

[middlechild]

Why do people freak out that they are in a space with an Alexa or Google assistant when they walk around all day long with a smartphone with the same listening technology and exploitable security weaknesses? Or if they don’t themselves, spend time with other people who do?

Why do you assume we all have smart phones? Some of us who are against listening devices do not.

 

[PerfessorZ]

Why do you assume we all have smart phones? Some of us who are against listening devices do not.

You’ve never been around someone with a smartphone?