Hey Alexa...
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (118546)
Gainesville, Florida
November 29, 2017 5:55pm CST
I'm curious to know how many of you out there have an intelligent personal assistant, or smart speaker as they're often called? You know, Alexa, Echo, Dot, Cortana? I see 8000 commercials for them on TV, yet I don't know anyone who actually has one in their home. I'm curious to know if they are really as popular and widespread as the commercials make them out to be.
And if you do have one, how hard was it to set up, and how easy is it to really use? I'm not naive enough to think that the simplicity of the product that is demonstrated in the commercials is what actually takes place in real life. I imagine there must be a lot of work involved in setting up the system to do all the things the commercials make look simple.
What are your thoughts on them? Are they the wave of the future?
18 people like this
18 responses
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Nov 17
It's Siri, and yes, it's like the home version of Siri.
4 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29257)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Nov 17
It is a separate item that stands alone. She responds when you say her name. Then you can ask her to set a timer or reminder of an appt or anything like that.
6 people like this
@JudyEv (326093)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Nov 17
@JamesHxstatic Sort of like a wife that doesn't answer back? 
5 people like this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Nov 17
They are not very expensive at all. You can get one for about $50. I saw one on sale during Black Friday for $29.
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
19 Dec 17
Walmart sells two basic models for $29 right now.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
19 Dec 17
@DaddyEvil I was just checking out a couple of sites last night, and $29 seems to be the going price for them right now. Hmmm...I wonder if this is something I need and just haven't realized it yet? lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Nov 17
Other than my smart TV, I do not think I have any other internet ready appliances, gadgets or electronics in my house that could communicate with Alexa, so I'm not sure it would be worth my while.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (111249)
• El Paso, Texas
1 Dec 17
Well, I have Cortana, it came with Win10 but since I don't watch commercials ..... ok ok, I don't watch cable, I choose shows on the streaming tv sites ..... so I haven't a clue what the claims are for these so called personal assistants. Sometimes I key in a search word for cortana to look up but otherwise I ignore that thing.
2 people like this
@rebelann (111249)
• El Paso, Texas
1 Dec 17
Ohhh those @moffittjc nah, I don't have one of those and honestly I wouldn't want one. In my opinion only, anything that is geared to work from a wireless theme is far too easy for a smart hacker to invade and conquer, I like my personal assistant Ally and her kitties, at least they cannot be hacked ... well, almost, I haven't a clue if they'd fall for a slice of steak and let anyone in though.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Dec 17
@rebelann I certainly am skeptic about the security features on those things. Like you said, a smart hacker can gain access to them fairly simply and quickly, and then the next thing you know your entire house has been hijacked.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Dec 17
The one on your computer is a little different than the one that is freestanding in your home. The one in your home connects to your smart appliances and other smart gadgets you may have in your house. I have a part-time job at Home Depot, and you wouldn't believe how many smart products they are making these days that you can control from your personal assistant or even your phone. It's crazy! Door locks, door bells, lightbulbs, kitchen appliances, toilets, etc. You name it, they've probably got a smart version of it, or are at least trying to develop it! lol
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29257)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Nov 17
I got Anne one several months ago and we use it a lot. It was very simple to set up really. Use is you just say her name and she replies. We use it for appt reminders, checking weather, and now there is a chat app I tried just for kicks this morning. We like it quite well.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Nov 17
Do you have any of your electronics or appliances hooked up to it? Can you say "Alexa, turn on the tv" and it will? I'd be all for getting one if I knew it was simple to set up, and that it could do most of the things I tell it to do.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Nov 17
@JamesHxstatic So what exactly can you do with it? It is obviously connected to the internet, right? Can you ask it to do internet searches for you, or can you tell it to order you a product from Amazon, or something?
@JamesHxstatic (29257)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Nov 17
@moffittjc We don't have a smart house, so we did not do that.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (66918)
• United States
4 Dec 17
Not me and i don't know anyone who does either
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Dec 17
@Courtlynn But laptops and phones have security measures in place. I don't know what kind of security they have on the digital assistants. I'm sure there's something basic in place, but I don't know for sure.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (66918)
• United States
4 Dec 17
@moffittjc i mean, they can do that already with laptops and phones.. but yeah that would probably make it easier
1 person likes this
@youless (112123)
• Guangzhou, China
30 Nov 17
I have an Echo Dot 2 and I love it a lot! It is a cool gadget. It is very useful and entertaining if you install more skills for it. It is easy to set up, especially you are from USA. You can have the full service. In Black Friday and Cyber Monday an Echo Dot 2 just costs USD29.99 and this is quite a nice price
1 person likes this
@youless (112123)
• Guangzhou, China
30 Nov 17
@moffittjc Echo Dot is a smart speaker. Echo is one of the names that you can choose to wake up this smart speaker. The names are Alexa, Echo and computer.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Nov 17
What's the difference between an Echo and an Echo Dot? Do they do different functions?
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
30 Nov 17
i feel the same as you do about these. i hope someone can tell you. i bet they are really expensive since i also don't know anyone with one
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Nov 17
They are actually very affordable. You can get them for about $50-$100. Home Depot had an Echo Dot for $29 on Black Friday.
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
30 Nov 17
No Alexa for me. When it comes to technology, I know just enough to do the basics. I still use an old fashioned Diary to remind me of birthdays and appointments, @moffittjc, otherwise I have my phone.
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
2 Dec 17
@moffittjc such a busy bee. 
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Dec 17
@bluesa I am a busy bee, but I do know how to relax when the need arises! Plus, when I keep busy, it keeps me out of trouble! haha
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Nov 17
I would never be good at keeping a diary, because I would always be losing it somewhere! haha
1 person likes this
@jillybean1222 (6408)
•
26 Jan 18
I do not, but I know a few people who do have alexa. I noticed our laptop has Cortana on it.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Dec 17
"Hey Alexa, order Jeff and I some more drinks. We're getting low!" haha
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247191)
• United States
19 Dec 17
@moffittjc I just set one up in Florida. It was so easy! Drinks are on the way! lol
1 person likes this
@cintol (11261)
• United States
19 Feb 18
I don't have any desire to have one of these but for Christmas my daughters step sister bought each of the family one so they could all talk to each other at one time. I guess you can interact with others if you all have the same one. I think she bought them all the Echo. Last time I asked, she hadn't really used it, said it was a little tricky to get used too
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
19 Feb 18
I'm never one to rush out and buy the latest technology when it comes out. I tend to wait a little while so that all the bugs and kinks are worked out and everybody is comfortable using the technology. So I'll just wait until this technology becomes more and more common in households.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
23 Dec 17
That's the thing with all this new technology...we don't really need it, but it does make things more convenient for us. Basically, makes us even lazier than we already are! haha
@thislittlepennyearns (58186)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
10 Dec 17
Cortana is a part of most windows devices now.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Dec 17
I'm not a Windows fan at all, so I suppose Cortana and I will never become friends.
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Dec 17
@thislittlepennyearns Siri creeps me out in the sense that she knows me too well, and isn't afraid to put me in my place when I act up too much. She and I have the craziest conversations some times! lol
@thislittlepennyearns (58186)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
10 Dec 17
@moffittjc I can imagine. I'm sure they are the equivalent to some of our conversations.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
13 Dec 17
lol I will tell you that I do have a name for Siri on my iPhone, I call her dumb bimbo!!~ If that is any help.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Nov 17
I just use Siri on my iPhone. She's gotten to know me pretty well. And she puts me in my place when I try to get too sassy with her!
1 person likes this
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
1 Dec 17
We don't have one. Husband would like one, but wants them to be a little better first. I don't know anyone who has one. To me they seem a tad creepy, always just sitting there, soaking up everything you say!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118546)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Dec 17
I've heard rumors that our government actually spies on people through those things, by listening in to conversations. I can totally believe that they would do something like that! And what happens when hackers get access, and can control just about anything in your home that is hooked up to it? I don't always think advances in technology are a good thing.
