Alexa

EricTheWeary

Paul7926 said:

EricTheWeary said:

Paul7926 said:

I'm really not convinced how useful they are.  Step daughter has one and it's used to set alarms for when she is cooking.  I know I'm old but I just look at a clock, add the required number of minutes and remember to check.  <shrugs>

I'm not a Luddite,  I've worked in IT as a programmer all my life but as yet I can't really see what use they are. 

They are certainly useful for some people with disabilities. I've known people with learning disabilities, visual impairments or conditions like arthritis be able to use them for stuff they otherwise struggle with. 

Yeah I probably should of said "I can't really see what use they are to me, at the moment."  I can appreciate that if it makes anyone's life easier then they have a purpose.

[ Bloody quotes again...]

I derive small pleasures from pointing out the obvious. I'm sure it's what the internet was devised for. 

I guess the large commercialisation of Alexa et al does mean these systems are affordable for those with a genuine need. But my Google mini hasn't really enhanced my life very much yet. 

EricTheWeary

ESBlonde said:

We seem to be going backwards, years ago Hi Fi was actually desirable and some people spent fortunes getting it. We got to CDs and ever since seem to be taking retrograde steps on both media and reproduction systems.

I'm capable of setting reminders and alarms on my cheap android, my life is not so complicated that I need or even desire that sort of help with daily tasks.

The security thing on networked devices concerns me greatly, many of the 'wonderful' hardware upgrades and software enhancements in recent years have been found wanting in the security stakes. In some cases just the database being compromised, but we have no REAL control over that content once we have ticked the box saying we have read 22 pages of small print legal terms and conditions.

I don't have any banking on my mobile devices either, that may be a pain, but being in control is how I want to be.

I think it's a really false idea that everyone went through some sort of linear process in listening to music on better and better systems and now in the digital age we've reversed that. Rock'n'roll has been listened to on portable record players, transistor radios, car stereos, tinny sounding Walkmen. People can still pursue hi fidelity if they want but I don't think it's ever been an option that most people have ever been interested in. 

stickyfiddle

EricTheWeary said:

ESBlonde said:

We seem to be going backwards, years ago Hi Fi was actually desirable and some people spent fortunes getting it. We got to CDs and ever since seem to be taking retrograde steps on both media and reproduction systems.

I'm capable of setting reminders and alarms on my cheap android, my life is not so complicated that I need or even desire that sort of help with daily tasks.

The security thing on networked devices concerns me greatly, many of the 'wonderful' hardware upgrades and software enhancements in recent years have been found wanting in the security stakes. In some cases just the database being compromised, but we have no REAL control over that content once we have ticked the box saying we have read 22 pages of small print legal terms and conditions.

I don't have any banking on my mobile devices either, that may be a pain, but being in control is how I want to be.

I think it's a really false idea that everyone went through some sort of linear process in listening to music on better and better systems and now in the digital age we've reversed that. Rock'n'roll has been listened to on portable record players, transistor radios, car stereos, tinny sounding Walkmen. People can still pursue hi fidelity if they want but I don't think it's ever been an option that most people have ever been interested in. 

Completely agree. 99% of people have always valued convenience over quality. We went from gramphones to electric turntables & amplifiers, then to cassette tapes that could fit the same amount of music in your back pocket, then to CDs carrying ~15 songs in higher quality and allow track skipping and never need rewinding, then to iPods which could carry 1000s of songs, then to smartphones that meant you didn't even need to carry a separate music device, and now to streaming where you can ask a device to play just about anything that's ever been recorded and it will play almost instantly. 

Your average listener has never given a shit about quality over price and convenience. This isn't inherently a good or bad thing, but it's definitely a thing.

Nitefly

Caffeine_Vampire said:

The intrusion issue is a concern if I continue to adopt the technology but really, have any secrets survived the internet?

Yep - nobody knows that I chopped my wife into little pieces and buried her under the patio...

Caffeine_Vampire

Nitefly said:

Caffeine_Vampire said:

The intrusion issue is a concern if I continue to adopt the technology but really, have any secrets survived the internet?

Yep - nobody knows that I chopped my wife into little pieces and buried her under the patio...

You have a patio? Posh git.

drofluf

Nitefly said:

Caffeine_Vampire said:

The intrusion issue is a concern if I continue to adopt the technology but really, have any secrets survived the internet?

Yep - nobody knows that I chopped my wife into little pieces and buried her under the patio...

I'd be worried about subsidence as the pieces start to decompose.

DiscoStu

I've got an Echo Dot in the kitchen. It sounds amazing for all the size of it but I do prefer having a screen and knowing what song is playing if I hear something new that I like.

But...

This inexpensive device is also a gateway to home automation. I sell and fit blinds and we do a lot of motorised blinds. Sometimes for big houses, sometimes for health/mobility issues, sometimes cos people just want to show off.
With the right kit we can do away with remotes and make the blinds voice activated, and with the apps the customer can create scenes rather than manually fiddle with differing heights and tilts throughout the day.

Then of course you can control your lighting and heating from one too, so it's possible to come home, say a single phrase and your blinds will open/close, your heating and lighting will set the right ambience and music will come on to create the mood.

It's the way the world seems to be going and it all starts with that little Alexa that doesn't seem to do much.

fretmeister

All of these devices are a stepping stone to being able to say...

"Earl Grey, hot"

And having it appear.  I'd like that to happen in my lifetime.

MrBump

I've got 4 Google Nests around the house, and we just got given an Amazon Dot as a freebie for taking out something-or-other with British Gas.

I prefer the Google stuff.  She definitely sounds more up for it than Alexa.  I think Alexa may just be with me for my data...

How useful are they...  Most of my use from Google comes with getting her to turn on and off my living room lamp, cos the switch is in a dead awkward place behind the sofa.  That's saving me back pain.  I also use her to anything more complex than Year 7 maths.

The wife predominantly uses her for questions like "Hey, Google - how old is Helena Bonham-Carter?" or "Hey, Google - is Helen Mirren dead?".

We're getting a Hive thermostat installed (ah - that's the British Gas thing) - the fun me and the Mrs will have with that one will most likely save our marriage.

thecolourbox

DiscoStu said:

It's the way the world seems to be going and it all starts with that little Alexa that doesn't seem to do much.

But hasn't Hive been around longer than the Alexa/Siri stuff?

ewal

MrBump said:

I've got 4 Google Nests around the house, and we just got given an Amazon Dot as a freebie for taking out something-or-other with British Gas.

I prefer the Google stuff.  She definitely sounds more up for it than Alexa.  I think Alexa may just be with me for my data...

How useful are they...  Most of my use from Google comes with getting her to turn on and off my living room lamp, cos the switch is in a dead awkward place behind the sofa.  That's saving me back pain.  I also use her to anything more complex than Year 7 maths.

The wife predominantly uses her for questions like "Hey, Google - how old is Helena Bonham-Carter?" or "Hey, Google - is Helen Mirren dead?".

We're getting a Hive thermostat installed (ah - that's the British Gas thing) - the fun me and the Mrs will have with that one will most likely save our marriage.

And therein lies one of my main issues with them - lack of interoperability. Why can't Amazon and Google devices comply to the same standard? Why can't I, as a potential provider of smart device based services, offer my services on all platforms without significant development and support overheads?

Kittyfrisk

MrBump said:

I've got 4 Google Nests around the house, and we just got given an Amazon Dot as a freebie for taking out something-or-other with British Gas.

I prefer the Google stuff.  She definitely sounds more up for it than Alexa.  I think Alexa may just be with me for my data...

How useful are they...  Most of my use from Google comes with getting her to turn on and off my living room lamp, cos the switch is in a dead awkward place behind the sofa.  That's saving me back pain.  I also use her to anything more complex than Year 7 maths.

The wife predominantly uses her for questions like "Hey, Google - how old is Helena Bonham-Carter?" or "Hey, Google - is Helen Mirren dead?".

We're getting a Hive thermostat installed (ah - that's the British Gas thing) - the fun me and the Mrs will have with that one will most likely save our marriage.

Don't count on it.
Unless you genuinely have a need to control the heating when you aren't in the house, then you are paying for zero increased functionality and will probably get increased grief when the wireless thermostatic sensors can't talk to the boiler controller.
Complication for it's own sake is seldom a wise choice.
From real world experience 

FX_Munkee

Paul7926 said:

FX_Munkee said:

Paul7926 said:

I'm really not convinced how useful they are.  Step daughter has one and it's used to set alarms for when she is cooking.  I know I'm old but I just look at a clock, add the required number of minutes and remember to check.  <shrugs>

I'm not a Luddite,  I've worked in IT as a programmer all my life but as yet I can't really see what use they are. 

This is what microwaves are for, aren't they?

You see I don't really 'get' microwaves either.  I prefer food cooked in an oven rather than nuked in a box.  It's probably better in terms of resource usage to nuke it as it's quicker but for actual cooking I can't figure out how to use one.  Perhaps I should retract my "I'm not a Luddite" comment after all. 

You misunderstand. That's what I use the microwave for, timing how long the food has been in the oven You think I use it for cooking stuff?! I feel slandered.

EricTheWeary

Kittyfrisk said:

MrBump said:

I've got 4 Google Nests around the house, and we just got given an Amazon Dot as a freebie for taking out something-or-other with British Gas.

I prefer the Google stuff.  She definitely sounds more up for it than Alexa.  I think Alexa may just be with me for my data...

How useful are they...  Most of my use from Google comes with getting her to turn on and off my living room lamp, cos the switch is in a dead awkward place behind the sofa.  That's saving me back pain.  I also use her to anything more complex than Year 7 maths.

The wife predominantly uses her for questions like "Hey, Google - how old is Helena Bonham-Carter?" or "Hey, Google - is Helen Mirren dead?".

We're getting a Hive thermostat installed (ah - that's the British Gas thing) - the fun me and the Mrs will have with that one will most likely save our marriage.

Don't count on it.
Unless you genuinely have a need to control the heating when you aren't in the house, then you are paying for zero increased functionality and will probably get increased grief when the wireless thermostatic sensors can't talk to the boiler controller.
Complication for it's own sake is seldom a wise choice.
From real world experience 

I like my Hive. It does mean you need the wi fi on to control the heating but it's always on anyway.

In an older draughty house it works better to have gentle heating curve across the day than having it heat up dramatically once someone gets in. It is much, much better than a basic thermostat for our needs. 
You can use it to control other stuff which I don't do but British gas did it for about £50 so it's been good value for money.  

octatonic

I have 5 Echodots in the house and a bunch smart lighting devices.
It works really well- I've scheduled some lights to come on at sunset and go off at 10:30pm.
I use Alexa as a cooking timer and the one in my bedroom is my alarm clock.

You do have to be quite specific in your phrasing.
For instance, we have two devices called "bedside light 1" and "bedside light 2" in the master bedroom.
I cannot say "Alexa turn off the bedside lights"- I have to say "Alexa, turn off the lights in the master bedroom".
You get used to the phrasing though.

We can't use Hive because we have a mixture of high and low voltage thermostats in the house, but also I'm not sure the whole idea of it makes sense.
Would it not cost more to have the house heating and cooling all the time, rather than having it stay at a fairly constant temperature?

Paul7926

FX_Munkee said:

Paul7926 said:

FX_Munkee said:

Paul7926 said:

I'm really not convinced how useful they are.  Step daughter has one and it's used to set alarms for when she is cooking.  I know I'm old but I just look at a clock, add the required number of minutes and remember to check.  <shrugs>

I'm not a Luddite,  I've worked in IT as a programmer all my life but as yet I can't really see what use they are. 

This is what microwaves are for, aren't they?

You see I don't really 'get' microwaves either.  I prefer food cooked in an oven rather than nuked in a box.  It's probably better in terms of resource usage to nuke it as it's quicker but for actual cooking I can't figure out how to use one.  Perhaps I should retract my "I'm not a Luddite" comment after all. 

You misunderstand. That's what I use the microwave for, timing how long the food has been in the oven You think I use it for cooking stuff?! I feel slandered.

I told you I didn't understand microwaves! 

axisus

I have an expensive device for constantly turning the heating up. It's called Wife 1. I may upgrade to Wife 2 but I hear that there are many long-term hidden costs and it will probably have the same problems.  

octatonic

axisus said:

I have an expensive device for constantly turning the heating up. It's called Wife 1. I may upgrade to Wife 2 but I hear that there are many long-term hidden costs and it will probably have the same problems.  

Yes, that is an expensive upgrade.

EricTheWeary

octatonic said:

We can't use Hive because we have a mixture of high and low voltage thermostats in the house, but also I'm not sure the whole idea of it makes sense.
Would it not cost more to have the house heating and cooling all the time, rather than having it stay at a fairly constant temperature?

I don't really want the house at a constant temperature, it's different at different times of the day or even days of the week. Not radically so but for us it will stop the house getting very cold if no one is home so no need to blast the heating when you get in. I think it depends on the house and how you like it but for us it's a more natural feeling of warmth. Not a massive deal but I think it works well.
If people have hot water off a tank rather than on demand then Hive is good for that, you can use the app on your phone to heat up a tank of water before you leave work for example. 
It also means I can see what the temperature is my lounge from anywhere in the world. Why I need to be able to do that I've no idea but I can.    

octatonic

EricTheWeary said:

octatonic said:

We can't use Hive because we have a mixture of high and low voltage thermostats in the house, but also I'm not sure the whole idea of it makes sense.
Would it not cost more to have the house heating and cooling all the time, rather than having it stay at a fairly constant temperature?

I don't really want the house at a constant temperature, it's different at different times of the day or even days of the week. Not radically so but for us it will stop the house getting very cold if no one is home so no need to blast the heating when you get in. I think it depends on the house and how you like it but for us it's a more natural feeling of warmth. Not a massive deal but I think it works well.
If people have hot water off a tank rather than on demand then Hive is good for that, you can use the app on your phone to heat up a tank of water before you leave work for example. 
It also means I can see what the temperature is my lounge from anywhere in the world. Why I need to be able to do that I've no idea but I can.    

You can do the highlighted with a regular Honeywell programmer, something like a CM907, which is what we have.
No app control but also no wifi so no dropouts or compatibility issues.