topic Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa? in Community Chat

Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

Georgiagrama — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:01:32 GMT

We've had an Amazon Alexa for almost two years. I haven't used it for anything but an occasional question or to hear my notifications when my packages are delivered. My youngest daughter has one and they use it for everything. In fact, we can be out of town and she can have Alexa turn on her lights, or music for her cats.

Seems innocent enough right?

My son in law, on the other hand, would not have one in his house. He feels that it's too easy to be listened in on. He swears that he and my daughter could be discussing something and an advertisement would pop up on his phone right after the discussion.

However, I have now permanently unplugged ours. We were watching Andy Griffith the other day. The TV was down really low as my husband was outside and I had decided to lay down for a few minutes. Suddenly, I hear this awful rap music blasting through my house. Really loud. I mean blasting! My husband was still outside when I ran into the den to see what was happening. It was Alexa! I actually had to scream into Alexa to stop. Now, I'm sure that Andy Griffith didn't ask Alexa to play rap music as loudly as possible. It gave me a creepy feeling to say the least.

I'm going to have to agree with my son in law. I'm no longer a fan of Alexa. I think technology has far surpassed me.

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

QVCkitty1 — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:08:24 GMT

I have an echo in the bedroom and I only use it to listen to podcasts, some radio stations, music and watch some shows on Amazon. I keep the camera off, and don't do any ordering.

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

NickNack — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:08:27 GMT

@Georgiagrama I have two Amazon Echos and really like them. A few times, though, Alexa has popped up and said something when I didn't ask her a question.

The other day, for instance, I was talking to my dog, Ava. I said, "Ava, Ava, Ava."

Alexa said, "Eve had three sons--Cain, Abel and Seth." I thought, how in the world did she get that from what I said?

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

Kachina624 — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:13:57 GMT

The instrument is not an "Alexa"; it's an Echo, Dot or one of several other tools. I was in the first group to ever receive one, about 4 years ago as I recall. If mine quit working, I'd immediately order another. I don't nearly use it to capacity, but what I do use is indispensable to me. Yes, it occasionally blurts out something strange but that's just its personality, as far as I'm concerned. I'm not the least bit concerned about it evesdropping. If someone is so bored they'd listen to conversations between me and my dogs, they're welcome to them.

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

Georgiagrama — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:13:59 GMT

@NickNack Now see, that's what I find so creepy. I thought that you had to begin any quire with "Alexa".

At any rate, Alexa is no more at my house. I feel like I'm being watched 👀.

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

Twoaces — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:17:22 GMT

I unplugged mine months ago. Too many odd, unasked for remarks. I enjoyed having her at my fingertips, but it isn’t worth the possible security and privacy trade offs.

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

Georgiagrama — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:17:27 GMT

@Kachina624 We never used ours enough to consider it useful. My youngest daughter has hers programmed to do just about everything that it was designed for.

I would be happy to give you mine. I don't care for sudden outbursts. 😊

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

VaBelle35 — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:19:04 GMT

Mine has periodically started playing the ESPN Sports Center theme. I think I have the skill enabled. Not sure what was setting it off, but it hasn't done it in a very long time.

Always scared the begebegies out of me.

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

Georgiagrama — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 21:31:49 GMT

@Twoaces wrote:
I unplugged mine months ago. Too many odd, unasked for remarks. I enjoyed having her at my fingertips, but it isn’t worth the possible security and privacy trade offs.

@Twoaces I agree. This was a first and last for me. I haven't checked with anyone who would know for sure, but my friend feels like someone tapped into it somehow accidentally. Who knows?? It's unplugged permanently now.

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

Porcelain — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:20:28 GMT

I have several and enjoy them. Any voice info the Echo collects right before and after the word "Alexa" goes straight to Amazon, not international spies. It's similar to Siri.

Amazon already has so much detailed info on everything about me based on my purchases. They also have my credit card info, my address, phone number, and the addresses of many of my friends and relatives. I am quite sure based on purchases they can easily pinpoint how old I am, how I vote, what my insecurities are, and what would persuade me. That cow is long gone from the barn when it comes to privacy from Amazon.

Your credit card company and bank also have this sort of information about you.

Facebook has just as much info about you as Amazon and they provide it to any advertiser that pays them, which includes influence groups, and allows them to try to manipulate you without constraint. That's why I avoid Facebook like the devil, because to me it is.

All that happens with Amazon's info cache is they let me know it might be time to buy more coffee pods and recommend ebooks I've put in my wish lists. They don't use outside advertisers. It's all the giant Amazon store.

If you think someone hacked your Echo, you should check your wifi security. The weakest point is your internet connection.

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

Sooner — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:21:40 GMT

I was in the first wave of Echo users--because I'd been an Amazon user since the beginning. So I got one of the initial batch.

We loved it, used it for a few years, boght some dots to go with it, then it started asking things on its own, making random comments, etc.

It now resides in a dusty box with all the dots in the attic. Hubby worked in IT too many years and understands all too well what it does.

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

Zhills — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:25:37 GMT

When your electrical current changes, it can send signals to your electronic devices.

You don't see the changes but the electrical current in your home fluctuates.

I have an Echo and a dot in every room. Love it!

Did you know it can bark?

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

sunshine45 — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:24:59 GMT

love our echos......currently have 3 in the home, 1 at our second home, and 1 in the car. ours our connected to my daughters also (i think they have two).....all are on one account. the other day i sent her a "hug" via echo. she said it made her day. i have two with the camera feature, but have the cameras turned off/blocked.

we find them very useful for music, games, trivia, timers, and of course, questions.

if andy griffith said anything close to the word "alexa" it might have picked up on that and then began whatever it heard after that.

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

Porcelain — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:26:48 GMT

I'd also add that if your relative set up your Echo for you, it could be connected to her account.

And if someone in her household tried playing rap music to all the Echoes in her whole house (which can be done when you have multiple Echoes) your machine could have been included in the group of Echoes that were told to play the music.

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

Georgiagrama — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:27:04 GMT

@VaBelle35 wrote:
Mine has periodically started playing the ESPN Sports Center theme. I think I have the skill enabled. Not sure what was setting it off, but it hasn't done it in a very long time.

Always scared the begebegies out of me.

@VaBelle35 I totally understand. I wasn't sure what was happening. 😜😜

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

patbz — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:28:14 GMT

I was also in the first group to get Echo; me and my extended family own more than 10 (echo, dot, tap). We love them and use them for many things (timers, alarms, questions, recipes, games for grands, music etc). If they all went poof, we'd immediately replace them; they are as indispensable as wi fi, GPS, internet and cruise control.

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

icezeus — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:32:07 GMT

I have the Amazon Echo in my living room and the Dot in my bedroom. I was of the school of thought that I would never ever use these devices, for the reasons that you mentioned.

I have completely changed my mind on the value. I use them both for everything. Alarm clock, play music or news, grocery list, Target shopping list, turn my lights on and off in the home, timers when I am cooking, track the shipping of my Amazon packages. Random questions that I come up with and the list just goes on.

I honestly can't imagine my life without them.

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

Georgiagrama — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:33:47 GMT

@Zhills wrote:
When your electrical current changes, it can send signals to your electronic devices.

You don't see the changes but the electrical current in your home fluctuates.

I have an Echo and a dot in every room. Love it!
Did you know it can bark?

@Zhills I didn't know it could bark, but my granddaughter told Alexa she farted and it clapped and cheered. 😂🤣😂🤣🤣

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

NickNack — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:35:28 GMT

@Georgiagrama wrote:
@NickNack Now see, that's what I find so creepy. I thought that you had to begin any quire with "Alexa".

At any rate, Alexa is no more at my house. I feel like I'm being watched 👀.

@Georgiagrama When I said "Ava" it must have sounded like "Alexa." I don't see how she got that I wanted to know how many sons Eve had though.

Re: Anyone have an Amazon Alexa?

icezeus — Sat, 03 Oct 2020 18:49:58 GMT

I forgot to add that I am constantly learning new things that it can do. Amazon sends an e-mail out periodically to tell you about new functions, but I normally just delete the e-mail.

The other day I was looking for my phone, because of the calculator feature, I looked at my Echo and gave it a try and yes it can add figures for you.

I normally look at my phone to see what Alexa has saved for me on various lists, on Thursday I said Alexa, read my Target Shopping list and once again it complied.

It's as if I have a personal assistant.