Google mini, Amazon echo, etc

[Superfly]

Anybody use these? I don't have one yet, because I have been concerned about the privacy issues.

So are there privacy issues?

Does anyone have one?

And which is the best? I heard Google mini is better than Amazon echo, but Google mini doesn't have an audio out port.

 

[cpwill]

Anybody use these? I don't have one yet, because I have been concerned about the privacy issues.

So are there privacy issues?

Does anyone have one?

And which is the best? I heard Google mini is better than Amazon echo, but Google mini doesn't have an audio out port.

1. Yes. There are privacy issues, not least of which is that they are never really "off".

2. Your phone is also collecting massive amounts of data on you, however.

 

[Cephus]

I'm sure there are massive privacy issues. They are always listening. You can't tell me that Amazon and Google aren't keeping track of what you say, after all, Google wants to target advertising toward your interests. I don't trust any of those companies farther than I can throw them, thus I will never have any of this crap in my house.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

The Echo has a mic mute button. So you can turn that off so it's not hearing every word your saying. Kind of defeats the purpose of the device though.

But setting it up with your main Amazon account should cause some angst on the privacy front.

 

[Superfly]

1. Yes. There are privacy issues, not least of which is that they are never really "off".

2. Your phone is also collecting massive amounts of data on you, however.

Good point.

 

[Superfly]

I'm sure there are massive privacy issues. They are always listening. You can't tell me that Amazon and Google aren't keeping track of what you say, after all, Google wants to target advertising toward your interests. I don't trust any of those companies farther than I can throw them, thus I will never have any of this crap in my house.

All places do this anyway. Ever noticed on Facebook that the things you've looked at online always show up on the right hand side of your feed? Makes it frustrating around Christmas, that's for sure.

 

[Superfly]

The Echo has a mic mute button. So you can turn that off so it's not hearing every word your saying. Kind of defeats the purpose of the device though.

But setting it up with your main Amazon account should cause some angst on the privacy front.

How so?

 

[Skeptic Bob]

I love my Amazon Echo. Pretty much everything electric in my house is voice operated. Plus, it is nice to be able to just ask questions without having to go get my smart phone and google it.

The security concerns aren't that bad. The Echo isn't streaming everything you say to the Amazon server. It is constantly "listening" for the activation word, like "Alexa". It has a buffer of like a few seconds always going but again, it isn't loading to their servers. Once it hears the activation word then it streams what you say to the server and you know when it is done because it makes a sound.

Now, that is how it is designed to work. It doesn't mean that, theoretically, it couldn't be hacked by someone to constantly listen in on you or that it couldn't malfunction and do that. Also, every once in a while it might think you said the activation word when you didn't and if that happens then whatever sentence you are saying will be streamed to the Amazon servers when you didn't intend for it to happen.

But you can also set it to only listen when you push the mic button. Just depends on your own comfort level.

 

[beerftw]

Anybody use these? I don't have one yet, because I have been concerned about the privacy issues.

So are there privacy issues?

Does anyone have one?

And which is the best? I heard Google mini is better than Amazon echo, but Google mini doesn't have an audio out port.

Well question is do you have secrets to hide? if you are a mafia kingpin maybe not a good idea. If you get something like the echo look, hopefully you ain't the type of person to walk around the house naked. If you are a drug dealer forget about it google mini has google in it's name, they will rat you out in a heartbeat.

If you are a normal person with nothing to hide they are great, however keep in mind atleast google rats out every single thing you do to the govt, and lord only knows if amazon employees are keeping your privacy private.

 

[Taylor]

There are of course privacy issues. What "smart" device doesn't have privacy issues?

We got the Echo dot last year (currently $29) and plugged it in to an existing sound system. At the time, they were saying the echo was a better device but expected google to overtake it at some point. Even if you forget everything else it can do, I love it because I can ask it to play any song, any album, even the most obscure stuff I haven't listened to in forever and it will. It's like owning every album made. Just amazing. (Though there is a monthly fee for unlimited music.)

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

How so?

Because of money and sensitive info connected to your main Amazon account. If you are the ONLY person who can get to your account, then maybe you are OK. But if others can, then they can order things via the Echo. Or get into your Amazon account via a computer, go to 'manage your devices' and see everything you've asked the Echo, searched for, etc.

 

[Carjosse]

I have a Google Home Mini because it was only $40 on Black Friday. I like it as it integrates with the Google assistant built into my Pixel.

 

[Chomsky]

Argh,

With all the data currently recorded on us, why add more?

We don't do anything particularly nefarious, but I do have an active and busy family, and we have many visitors, guests, parties and get-togethers. Why have our and our guest's privacy invaded? I just don't see it for us, at this time.

 

[MaggieD]

Anybody use these? I don't have one yet, because I have been concerned about the privacy issues.

So are there privacy issues?

Does anyone have one?

And which is the best? I heard Google mini is better than Amazon echo, but Google mini doesn't have an audio out port.

I love my Echo, have two extension Dots as well. But I think there probably are, or easily could he, privacy issues. I just don’t happen to care. Not sure how the Google One works, but Amazon’s has a “wake word.” I use Echo” for the one in for the other two scattered around the house. That means it’s always listening. Always. Is it storing what it hears? Don’t know. Don’t care.

It’s awesome. Great speakers for music. A library of thousands of songs. How old is... how tall is... when did whoever die... it’ll play trivia, ask it how to spell a word, the date, the time. It will automatically ring your phone until you find it. Even give you the address it was last noticed at. Ask it what day of the week any date fell on past and future. Accesses and reads from Wiki, News, weather anywhere in the world, outside temperature. Shopping list, to-do list, reminders, timers. And sooo many more things I can’t even think of. I use it all. Absolutely adore it.

 

[beefheart]

All places do this anyway. Ever noticed on Facebook that the things you've looked at online always show up on the right hand side of your feed? Makes it frustrating around Christmas, that's for sure.

Install FluffBuster to clean up your facebook, cuts all the ads out and lots more.

I've had an Echo for a very long time, I love it! I have the battery for it too, so I can take it out to the pool for music, etc.

 

[SmokeAndMirrors]

Anybody use these? I don't have one yet, because I have been concerned about the privacy issues.

So are there privacy issues?

Does anyone have one?

And which is the best? I heard Google mini is better than Amazon echo, but Google mini doesn't have an audio out port.

I do.

I don't think one is best; I think it depends what you want. Streaming music is my big thing, and for that I think the Echo is best, once you take into account Skills and other additions.

Yes, there's huge privacy issues. But quite frankly, not any bigger than the ones you already have from writing on the internet. People somehow think it's better to be physically putting down your words for eternity, rather than speaking them. It's not, it just feels that way because you're used to it.

Your exact location, credit card, and name are all available somewhere on the internet, along with everything you've ever said online (which, for most of us, includes some things that are spicier than anything Alexa would ever hear, because we'd never say those things to the majority of the people we know in RL).

But Alexa turns off her ears if I want her to... for which I would yank her plug. Trust nothing less than cutting the power, if that's what you want.

 

[NeverTrump]

Anybody use these? I don't have one yet, because I have been concerned about the privacy issues.

So are there privacy issues?

Does anyone have one?

And which is the best? I heard Google mini is better than Amazon echo, but Google mini doesn't have an audio out port.

I use the echo to control my A/C in the summer and my music. It's quite handy. I don't care about the privacy concerns.

 

[Superfly]

I love my Amazon Echo. Pretty much everything electric in my house is voice operated. Plus, it is nice to be able to just ask questions without having to go get my smart phone and google it.

The security concerns aren't that bad. The Echo isn't streaming everything you say to the Amazon server. It is constantly "listening" for the activation word, like "Alexa". It has a buffer of like a few seconds always going but again, it isn't loading to their servers. Once it hears the activation word then it streams what you say to the server and you know when it is done because it makes a sound.

Now, that is how it is designed to work. It doesn't mean that, theoretically, it couldn't be hacked by someone to constantly listen in on you or that it couldn't malfunction and do that. Also, every once in a while it might think you said the activation word when you didn't and if that happens then whatever sentence you are saying will be streamed to the Amazon servers when you didn't intend for it to happen.

But you can also set it to only listen when you push the mic button. Just depends on your own comfort level.

I swear, I'm not that interesting. I can't imagine that anybody would be interested in anything I have to say.

I just don't want to worry about stuff like them hearing midget porn in the background.

But either way -- I guess I'm stupid to worry about this. I have a satellite security system that has a two-way speaker, and real live people can listen in to my house constantly, and I wouldn't even know, so I guess the Echo or Mini would be less intrusive than that.

 

[Superfly]

Well question is do you have secrets to hide? if you are a mafia kingpin maybe not a good idea.

Well, hell. There goes that idea.

If you get something like the echo look, hopefully you ain't the type of person to walk around the house naked. If you are a drug dealer forget about it google mini has google in it's name, they will rat you out in a heartbeat.

:lol: Point taken.

If you are a normal person with nothing to hide they are great, however keep in mind atleast google rats out every single thing you do to the govt, and lord only knows if amazon employees are keeping your privacy private.

Seriously? About the google thing?

 

[Superfly]

There are of course privacy issues. What "smart" device doesn't have privacy issues?

We got the Echo dot last year (currently $29) and plugged it in to an existing sound system. At the time, they were saying the echo was a better device but expected google to overtake it at some point. Even if you forget everything else it can do, I love it because I can ask it to play any song, any album, even the most obscure stuff I haven't listened to in forever and it will. It's like owning every album made. Just amazing. (Though there is a monthly fee for unlimited music.)

That'd be nice, but I don't live alone and we all have different tastes in music. I'd come home and my husband's throat would be parched from requesting 5,000 different Elvis songs.

 

[Superfly]

Because of money and sensitive info connected to your main Amazon account. If you are the ONLY person who can get to your account, then maybe you are OK. But if others can, then they can order things via the Echo. Or get into your Amazon account via a computer, go to 'manage your devices' and see everything you've asked the Echo, searched for, etc.

I'm not too worried about that. I don't believe anybody in my house would buy anything without telling me. They know I'd kill them.

 

[Superfly]

I love my Echo, have two extension Dots as well. But I think there probably are, or easily could he, privacy issues. I just don’t happen to care. Not sure how the Google One works, but Amazon’s has a “wake word.” I use Echo” for the one in for the other two scattered around the house. That means it’s always listening. Always. Is it storing what it hears? Don’t know. Don’t care.

It’s awesome. Great speakers for music. A library of thousands of songs. How old is... how tall is... when did whoever die... it’ll play trivia, ask it how to spell a word, the date, the time. It will automatically ring your phone until you find it. Even give you the address it was last noticed at. Ask it what day of the week any date fell on past and future. Accesses and reads from Wiki, News, weather anywhere in the world, outside temperature. Shopping list, to-do list, reminders, timers. And sooo many more things I can’t even think of. I use it all. Absolutely adore it.

See, that's what I was thinking - how cool it would be to just randomly ask questions that pop into your head. Siri is too much of a pain in the ass. Half the time she doesn't even work correctly.

 

[Superfly]

Install FluffBuster to clean up your facebook, cuts all the ads out and lots more.

I've had an Echo for a very long time, I love it! I have the battery for it too, so I can take it out to the pool for music, etc.

Thanks for the tips on both! Will look at FluffBuster.

 

[Superfly]

I do.

I don't think one is best; I think it depends what you want. Streaming music is my big thing, and for that I think the Echo is best, once you take into account Skills and other additions.

Yes, there's huge privacy issues. But quite frankly, not any bigger than the ones you already have from writing on the internet. People somehow think it's better to be physically putting down your words for eternity, rather than speaking them. It's not, it just feels that way because you're used to it.

Your exact location, credit card, and name are all available somewhere on the internet, along with everything you've ever said online (which, for most of us, includes some things that are spicier than anything Alexa would ever hear, because we'd never say those things to the majority of the people we know in RL).

But Alexa turns off her ears if I want her to... for which I would yank her plug. Trust nothing less than cutting the power, if that's what you want.

OK. Wish I'd made a poll on this. :lol: Thanks!

 

[Superfly]

I use the echo to control my A/C in the summer and my music. It's quite handy. I don't care about the privacy concerns.

I keep thinking of adding the smart thermostat to my A/C, but it's usually hotter than the 9th circle of hell around here, so the A/C is rarely changed.