7 ms·

Google’s Super Bowl ad accidentally set off a lot of Google Homes

19 points by em3rgent0rdr 10y ago

ocdtrekkie 10y ago
The solution is simple: Let people pick their own hotword/phrase. Saying "okay Google" is incredibly awkward, and back when I wore Glass, I found "okay Glass" (where this format came from) equally awkward. Especially in public.
- megadethz 10y ago
  I believe the technical reason is that the wake word "ok google" is processed offline.
  - winteriscoming 10y ago
    I think it should be still possible technically to allow per installation wake words, just like local per install router passwords. Either during the first use or through some specific reconfigure process.
  - ocdtrekkie 10y ago
    It's not only entirely possible to process any arbitrary phrase offline, it's entirely possible to process all speech on the device offline. That's just not conducive to Google's data collection-based business model.
- RugnirViking 10y ago
  The wakewords are chosen so that they can be trained to work out of the box with a variety of cultures and accents. To re-train a new word would mean you would have to train it out of the box which could be a pain to their vision of a unified and simple system
joezydeco 10y ago
Seems like Google's ad agency blew an opportunity to program a custom response to the Super Bowl ad.
- nodesocket 10y ago
  Can you imagine hearing... "Thanks for owning Google home. Hope you're enjoying the Super Bowl." That might freak some people out. ha.
  - pawadu 10y ago
    Yeah, it would be fun if all GH devices would simultaneously scream "Take over procedure started. Exterminate!! Exterminate!!!"
johansch 10y ago
> At some point, some enterprising TV writer or ad jerk is gonna plant an “Okay, Google” into some on TV with intent and force everyone to listen to Nickelback. Mark my words. This is a massive troll waiting to happen. This kind of already happened: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9869797 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9869797 "Toyota ad hijacks Siri to switch off iPhones while driving"
mcpherrinm 10y ago
How Amazon prevents commercials from triggering Alexa: https://www.reddit.com/r/amazonecho/comments/5oer2u/i_may_have_found_how_amazon_prevents_the_echo/ https://www.reddit.com/r/amazonecho/comments/5oer2u/i_may_ha...

19 points by em3rgent0rdr 10y ago

The solution is simple: Let people pick their own hotword/phrase. Saying "okay Google" is incredibly awkward, and back when I wore Glass, I found "okay Glass" (where this format came from) equally awkward. Especially in public.

megadethz 10y ago
I believe the technical reason is that the wake word "ok google" is processed offline.
- winteriscoming 10y ago
  I think it should be still possible technically to allow per installation wake words, just like local per install router passwords. Either during the first use or through some specific reconfigure process.
- ocdtrekkie 10y ago
  It's not only entirely possible to process any arbitrary phrase offline, it's entirely possible to process all speech on the device offline. That's just not conducive to Google's data collection-based business model.
RugnirViking 10y ago
The wakewords are chosen so that they can be trained to work out of the box with a variety of cultures and accents. To re-train a new word would mean you would have to train it out of the box which could be a pain to their vision of a unified and simple system

joezydeco 10y ago

Seems like Google's ad agency blew an opportunity to program a custom response to the Super Bowl ad.

nodesocket 10y ago
Can you imagine hearing... "Thanks for owning Google home. Hope you're enjoying the Super Bowl." That might freak some people out. ha.
- pawadu 10y ago
  Yeah, it would be fun if all GH devices would simultaneously scream "Take over procedure started. Exterminate!! Exterminate!!!"

johansch 10y ago

> At some point, some enterprising TV writer or ad jerk is gonna plant an “Okay, Google” into some on TV with intent and force everyone to listen to Nickelback. Mark my words. This is a massive troll waiting to happen. This kind of already happened: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9869797 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9869797 "Toyota ad hijacks Siri to switch off iPhones while driving"

mcpherrinm 10y ago

How Amazon prevents commercials from triggering Alexa: https://www.reddit.com/r/amazonecho/comments/5oer2u/i_may_have_found_how_amazon_prevents_the_echo/ https://www.reddit.com/r/amazonecho/comments/5oer2u/i_may_ha...