The Echo and similar devices are always listening for their wake up
phrase, such as "Alexa" or "Hey Google". It's only after they hear this
wake up phrase that they start recording what you're saying and sending
it off to their servers to see if you're asking them a question.
https://www.komando.com/columns/397201/how-to-listen-to-what-amazon-echo-has-ever-recorded-you-saying
On 12/31/18 4:02 PM, Sieghard Weitzel wrote:
No need to unplug them since at least all Echos have a button which mutes the
microphones.
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Mike
Arrigo
Sent: Monday, December 31, 2018 12:06 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Amazon Echo Definitely Better than Apple HomePod, in One Respect
The story of how I got interested in the Amazon Echo is kind of funny. I didn't
want any of those speakers either because I've heard that they are always
listening, which of course they are. My mom had gone for a visit to see my
cousin who had an Echo and was showing her how you can play music on it all
with voice commands. When my mom got back she decided to get one. She is not
tech minded at all and asked if I could help her learn to use it. I admited
that I knew nothing about them but said I would try. When she received it, she
brought it to my place and asked me to play with it for a few days and to bring
it over once I figured it out which was fine. She did not have an Amazon
account at this point but I did, so I tied the Echo to my account planning on
doing a hard reset on it and setting it up with a new account for my mom when
the time came. Then I started playing with it, and, well, I got hooked. Having
radio stations and just about any album or song at your command was awesome. I
called my mom and told her I wasn't sure I could give this up. So, what ended
up happening was, she gave me that for my birthday and she purchased another
one for herself which I helped her set up, she loves it. I then got a Google
Home as well which is also very nice. If you are concerned about the devices
listening when you don't want them to, just unplug them.
On Dec 30, 2018, at 4:51 PM, Sieghard Weitzel <[email protected]> wrote:
Hi Mary,
Do you use Google to search for stuff on the web? I also see you have a gmail
address, I bet Google is happily collecting information about all you do
online. You can choose Apple over Android or choose to buy an Echo over a
Google Home or not buy a smart speaker at all, but you absolutely cannot not
separate this stuff any more today and if you are online you may as well make
peace with the fact that you are giving up a good amount of information for the
convenience of it.
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of
Mary Otten
Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2018 9:48 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Amazon Echo Definitely Better than Apple HomePod, in One
Respect
Yes, I am not surprised that the Google assistant tops the list. However, I
don’t like their business model one little bit. I don’t want to be sold by
Google. So I don’t mess with it. But I understand the attraction.
Mary
Sent from my iPhone
On Dec 29, 2018, at 9:21 AM, Donald Roberts <[email protected]> wrote:
I agree Mary with everything you said in this message. However, I would add
that if you are looking for substantive information rather than silly games,
the Google home and mini is the best. My wife uses the Google products to get
gardening info, medical information, recipes, and all kinds of factual
information. The echo provides more choices in terms of music services.
Don Roberts
----- Original Message ----- From: "Mary Otten" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2018 1:55 PM
Subject: Re: Amazon Echo Definitely Better than Apple HomePod, in One
Respect
I agree with you, Ed. I own a couple of echoes. Generally, I find that the
Alexa system is horrible with respect to giving the information I actually need
or could use, outside of the weather and a little bit of news briefing. and
most of the skills are junk games and other Time wasters. That said, I do
appreciate the echo for the easy access to SiriusXM and to its ability for
reading kindle or audible books while I exercise. I’m not into the automated
so-called smart home, so I have no comment on HomePod or echo in that regard.
But as a music listening sores, the HomePods kill the echoes. They should, they
are more expensive. I have a pair of HomePods that I got when the price came
down to $500 for the pair. They sound almost as good as my wonderful
floorstanding stereo speakers it cost me over twice what I paid for the
HomePods. I would never consider any pair of echoes as any sort of real hi-fi
system even for moderately good audio quality listening.
Sent from my iPhone
On Dec 27, 2018, at 1:31 PM, Ed Worrell <[email protected]> wrote:
I have both an Apple HomePod and an Echo Dot connected to Bose speakers. I am
not sure why everyone thinks the HomePod is so far behind on “skills”. The
HomePod is a far better device, Now with Siri short cuts you can use third
party apps to do things from the HomePod. I find the Apple speaker much simpler
to use than the Amazon Echo. You have to remember very specific application
names and commands to use the Echo’s 3 million fart applications. The skills on
the Echo aren’t that impressive to me. It’s next to impossible to set up using
the app, you almost always have to use the internet browser on a computer for
full access to the settings.
JMO
Ed Worrell
On Dec 24, 2018, at 11:06 AM, Mike Arrigo <[email protected]> wrote:
The home pod is behind both the Echo and Google home in many respects. Even
with general features, the home pod is really lacking, and I think you can now
play Apple music on the echo so there is little reason to get a home pod.
Hopefully Apple will catch up but they have a ways to go.
On Dec 23, 2018, at 5:36 PM, M. Taylor <[email protected]> wrote:
Hello Everyone,
You know, one of the most popular request made to both Apple and
Amazon is that they provide independent sound equalizer support
for their music/speaker devices.
When I purchased my first Echo device, a while ago, this feature
was not available. The same was true for HomePod.
However, recently, this feature has now been added to the Echo
interface, under audio from within the Settings area of the Alexa
app. This is very, very nice.
However, Apple has not added this feature to HomePod. At least, if it has,
I have not been abel to locate it in the HomePod interface.
And yes, I know there is a general sound equalizer, of sort, in
the iOS settings area of the music app but, hereto, Apple falls
short as these options are merely presets, not true customizable
controls. Moreover, one should not have to adjust the sound
levels for an entire operating system in order to customize the
sound setting for one specific device that is marketed as an entertainment
listening device.
Besides, it's ridiculous to pay over $300 for a speaker and not
have the ability to adjust its sound settings, independently.
I have owned my HomePod for over a year or so, I think, and have
only used it 3 times because there is just too much bass, for my liking.
With the overwhelming success of Echo, you'd think that Apple
would realize that, especially when it comes to hearing, as well
as vision, one size definitely does not fit all.
Just some venting, on my part.
Mark
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