Alexa or Not?

elanorbreton

Hey peeps, just curious to know if you have an Alexa device or not.

SimplyJen

Yes, I have multiple devices

I have an Echo Show in the kitchen that I use for when I cook, Pandora Radio, grocery list, timers, and news. My in-laws got an Echo Show from us so we can video chat. Second device is an Echo Dot in the office that is used for Pandora Radio, alarms, and timers. If I'm busy with something near by, it's useful to ask for the time. "Alexa is for lazy people." So be it.

I still haven't used the Sims app and I probably never will.

annaliese39

Yes, I have an Echo Dot/Echo or Echo Plus

Alexa 'lives' downstairs in my lounge. Technically she was a gift for my parents, so she isn't mine but we all use her. Honestly she mainly functions as an oversized timer in our household. She can barely understand a word my dad says and he forgets her name half the time! Sometime she lights up for no apparent reason, which is kind of creepy if you ask me. She's always listening...

nerdfashion

I only have Alexa on my phone or PC/tablet/laptop

I have a Kindle Fire.

Brandontaylor

I only have Alexa on my phone or PC/tablet/laptop

I've got it on my Kindle Fire, but it is shut off for now.

Dreamie209

Yes, I have multiple devices

I have 3 technically. The Globe one in our (my husband and I) room since she's a really good alarm clock and timer. There's the echo dot kid's edition in my son's room for reading any kindle books or any hard questions that he might have. The third one is the Echo show and that one is in the kitchen, I mostly use it to video chat with my mom or sister while exchanging recipes or even learning new ones.

dreamerz13

No. Just no.

Literally stumbled upon this as they're mentioning their upcoming news reports, about how these things (and google homes, etc...) are *always* listening in.

While I'm not paranoid about that, it's not exactly comforting either. I did have a google home mini for a while (I got it suuuppper cheap and figured why not), these devices can always be unplugged when you do want your privacy. But I found I didn't use it for much but telling it to play something on Netflix. Eventually, I just gave up on it. I'd rather just never use it and not sacrifice my privacy for a bit of convenience. I mean really, is it actually that hard to look up the weather on your phone, make a phone call on your phone, open and control an app on your phone. So much of what people use these things for they can do on a phone or computer. But we sacrifice even more privacy and more money to be able to just tell a robot voice to do it for us. I dunno... tried it not something I see the point of ever doing again.

And the news report came through while I was typing. Specifically, it was about how Amazon and the like hire thousands of people to literally eavesdrop on these devices. In the name of helping it understand us better and blablabla. But there's people that are hired to listen to you when your device is on. And yes, even when you haven't commanded it to listen to you. Whatever you're doing that you don't want other people to hear... somebody's being paid to listen to it. Yeah, I might be bordering on paranoid now. That's pretty dang creepy.

I'll stick to completing these truly daunting tasks like flicking a light switch or unlocking my phone, myself. Thanks. I mean whoever listens in on me would probably just regret it. But that's creepy. I'll just be that little bit less lazy.

Chazzzy

Alexa is evil and probably listens to everything we say but I would still use it. I have nothing to hide

MMX

No. Just no.

No, I find the concept to be a bit gimmicky. The thing about it possibly eavesdropping everything you say makes it sound rather shady.

elanorbreton

Yes, I have multiple devices

Interesting responses

I hope the staff at Amazon enjoy hearing about what I'm cooking for tea and what we're going to be watching on tv later, if they are actually listening

Simpkin

No. Just no.

I have a brain and a body. I can do things myself.

Cupid

Yes, I have multiple devices

I have a dot which I received as a gift and it's also on my tablet, but I almost never use it. I think the paranoia is ridiculous though; most people's lives aren't interesting to anyone but themselves. Nobody wants to spy on you.