13 ms·

is there really a big market thought for this? Alexa devices are at least 2 years old. How many real people do you know that really use alexa to control their l

by elvirs 8y ago

is there really a big market thought for this? Alexa devices are at least 2 years old. How many real people do you know that really use alexa to control their livingroom? When I saw my boss repeatedly saying 'alexa turn the volume down' it made him look stupid, he could just grab the remote and turn it down. I understand it could be useful in kitchen if your hands are covered in food and you need basic things like set timer, change Pandora station or play a youtube recepy for whatever but using it to control the livingroom, for video calling etc. Sounds more like a gimmick that Siri became after Microsoft spent so much resources building Cortana. We have phones, tablets, smart tv and smart infotainment systems in our cars, we don't need another device to do things that we can get done through all of our other devices. May be I am wrong, bur just don't see it.

JohnnyConatus 8y ago
Smart lights are the killer app for Alexa. There's no going back once you have it. And the only thing keeping most people from getting smart lights is the cost which will fall.
- ericd 8y ago
  Do smart lights rely on a functioning internet connection?
  - corrigible 8y ago
    I've only "deployed" a Philips Hue setup at home, but no, just internal WiFi is enough.
    - na85 8y ago
      So you need to buy DRM lightbulbs?
      - corrigible 8y ago
        I'm not sure, I got my "starter set" as a gift.
  - jjp 8y ago
    Some do, some don't. But if you want to use Alexa or Google Home or Siri to control you do need an internet connection to do the voice translate to command bit. Personally I've gone with SmartThings (Samsung) to control the home tech and use Amazon as the voice interface. This allows me to be reasonably agnostic of vendor and interfacing standards (ZWave/Zigbee/Wifi), allows me to use a scripting language to control some aspects of automation (using Webcore app) and still use Amazon to issue voice commands to the same devices. Kids love it, I like it, but not got full wife acceptance yet, she gets frustrated turns stuff off at the wall and then all the automation needs debugging!
    - fron 8y ago
      They make dimmer switches that can be controlled via Zwave/Zigbee as well. If you replace your wall switches with these instead of using bulbs that do the same thing, your automations will have no more problems of this sort.
    - jjeaff 8y ago
      Smart things actually requires an internet connection at times. I don't know what exactly causes it, but several times when my internet has gone out, I've been unable to control the lights. Lots of people have switched away from smart things for this reason.
    - ericd 8y ago
      Yeah, a requirement for an active internet connection would completely kill it for me, much more than the cost, so it's nice to hear that it can use local networking only. Also, as you mention, the fact that it's not very compatible with the mechanical switches seems like it would be annoying, though I suppose those can be replaced with wifi equivalents. The bigger thing is that I just don't see huge benefits to smart lights, and potentially a lot of maintenance headache - I just don't really mind walking to the switch. An automated blind opener that is set to slowly open automatically based on what I've set my phone alarm to that day, though, that I would pay a lot and put up with a lot of crap for.
- esrauch 8y ago
  Of all of the nusances in my life, having to use light switches seems really low on the list. Is it really so transformative?
  - mulletbum 8y ago
    Was the clapper a good product? Think the clapper, but instead it's completely customizable to your hearts content.
    - throwaway080383 8y ago
      > Was the clapper a good product? No? I don't think I've ever met someone who owned a Clapper. In my mind, it's the epitome of gimmicky late-night TV/Skymall products.
      - mulletbum 8y ago
        You might want to speak to someone who owned one then and what purpose they used it for.
  - jjeaff 8y ago
    Depends on the size of your house and the position of your light switches. It's pretty nice to say, "Alexa, turn on away mode" as I leave the house. Instead of going through the whole place, turning off all the lights, locking the back door and adjusting down the thermostat.
    - Jemmeh 8y ago
      Yeah but I always turn off lights as I leave a room anyways so it's not like I have to run through the house. The thermostat is on the way out too. I am considering getting a nest or something but that's just for the thermostat, nothing else is all that important. And I can just set that to match my schedule. I have friends who have it, seems neat but still very "eh" for me.
      - 8y ago
whoisjuan 8y ago
People said the same thing about personal computers in the early 70s and look where we are now.
- elvirs 8y ago
  computer did things that nothing else could do. alexa is doing things that practically every other smart device can do as well
  - mrep 8y ago
    > computer did things that nothing else could do. Humans can do anything a computer does because we made them. We just cannot do everything a computer does as fast. > alexa is doing things that practically every other smart device can do as well So did the first iphone but there is a lot more to it.
  - prawn 8y ago
    Those other methods involve you having your device at hand or getting it out of your pocket, unlocking it, etc. The Echo isn't at its full potential, but the basics can be useful and you can see where it's going. Once they handle a broader variety of things, they will be a no-brainer for every household that isn't nervous about privacy issues. (i.e., almost everyone) I use it to set cooking timers without stopping what I'm doing or needing a hand free. My kids use it to play music. e.g., my three year old can play a particular album without knowing how to spell it and without having to nag me to do it. They also love asking it questions like "how many teeth does a horse have?" or "how much does an elephant weigh?"
- Alterlife 8y ago
  Is that a fair comparison? A PC is an expensive general purpose computing device. Alexa is a cheap device which exists for the sole purpose of locking you into the Amazon-prime ecosystem. I have an Alexa which was gifted to me. My son loves it. The rest of us enjoyed it the first day and never looked at it after. Digital assistants have value, but Alexa on its own caters to a frivolous use-case that trades away a lot of privacy for little value.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
Satam 8y ago
I was skeptical at first, but after having Alexa for a few months... it seems very very very promising. After getting it, I quickly adapted and enhanced my routines by using it to set timers, schedule events, asking for the time (actually, it is quite useful!), setting my alarms for the morning and, finally, playing some soothing sounds to help me doze off to sleep... And yes, these are super simple things, and yes, even those suck quite often (I spent 5 minutes arguing with Alexa to set a 15minute timer instead of the 50one, couldn't do it), but even at this super-primitive stage it definitely adds a lot of value, especially at its price. I don't know if it will be any of the current players that will win out in the field, but there will definitely be winners.
- Regardsyjc 8y ago
  Same here, thought Alexa was stupid until I met someone who had one. I had to get my own. Alexa has features that makes it a much seamless benefit to everyday life. I ask her about the weather daily, easy to set timers, if you have smart lights you can tell her to turn off the lights without getting out of bed, etc. Voice will without a doubt become an essential part of the future smart home.
  - mrsteveman1 8y ago
    Agreed, those things alone are worth it. However, once I already had an Echo I started thinking of things that could be done with it beyond the trivial stuff. For example I have been working on a tiny ESP8266 device that will sit behind or above the toaster oven in my moms kitchen. If the temperature is high for more than an hour or two, Alexa will say "I'm reminding you, the toaster oven is still on". Total cost will end up being about $10-15, and requires no contact with or alteration of the oven, so it is a progressive enhancement rather than potentially making things worse or interfering with the basic function of the oven. I could put a "smart switch" on the power supply and cut it automatically, but when things like toaster ovens are plugged in those switches are a potential hazard themselves. It seems like automatic shutoff is something toaster ovens should all have, but clearly not all of them do. The same is true for ovens, stove tops, coffee pots, clothes irons, heating pads, tea kettles, electric woks, curling irons, etc. Also seems like a better idea to follow the example of smoke alarms and use external monitoring rather than trust every single appliance to work properly. I've considered putting something like an AMG8833[1] in a smoke alarm housing on the ceiling, so it can detect any appliance left on too long, but I'm not sure if it would work well in practice. Things like that are getting cheaper though, eventually it'll be possible. [1] https://www.adafruit.com/product/3538 https://www.adafruit.com/product/3538
joshstrange 8y ago
Changing your volume for your TV is rather stupid (using up/down at least, "set TV to X%" might work well but I love my remote so I always use it). For controlling lights I LOVE alexa. That plus things like daily briefing, weather, alarms, timers, and more make me VERY happy with my amazon units. And this is coming from a huge mac fanboy. Smarthome is where Alexa really shines IMHO.
- mulletbum 8y ago
  And all of this has become even better with Routines, it seems Amazon is continuing to expand on them and make them better and better. In the morning, I say "Alex, Good Morning." My lights turn on, my coffee maker turns on, Alexa tells me the weather, how long the commute currently is and a little morning news. She then switches to play Spotify while I take my shower. When I leave, I tell "Alex, Good Bye" She turns off every light in my house, verifies the door I let my dogs out of is locked, and triggers my thermostat to go away.
  - patentatt 8y ago
    This is undoubtedly cool, but seems like a red herring. Not knocking your experiences and all, it’s great that you like it. But it is reminiscent of every cartoon ever where the bed makes itself and brushes the protagonists’ teeth. Or the Earnest movies from the 80’s where he has a Rube Goldberg machine rigged up to make him breakfast. All of this ‘automation’ is feasible with simple wiring-50’s technology. And much more ‘smart’ with x10 tech from the 80’s/90’s. The premise then is that there is a huge, unknown, pent-up demand for this type of thing from non-technical people who wouldn’t have been able to rig up a home automation system in the past. Anecdotally I’m not sure I see it, and more analytically it seems like the less ‘techie’ you are, the less you crave this type of automation. In other words, there is a diminishing return by making this type of thing more accessible. I’m not sure if this level of automation is a game changer. However, put a generation or two more advanced tech in a robot and you have Judy from the Jetsons, and that I think may change the picture. But we’re not quite there yet
- jjeaff 8y ago
  Ya, volume is dumb, until you can't find the remote. Which happens to me so often I glued a Trackr to it. Remote is usually better, but I like having tv control ability on Alexa for when I can't find the remote or don't want to get up and get it.
spondyl 8y ago
I just bought an Amazon Echo Dot and they're pretty neat. Here's some scenarios I've used in the last few days > I need to provide some identifying info to get 2FA removed from my web host (new phone) and one of them was last transaction amount. "Alexa, what is $19.53 in New Zealand Dollars" so I could track it down in my bank statements > My PS4 is on, Plex is open and I want to watch something specific but I'm too lazy to scroll "Alexa, tell Plex to play Violet Evergarden" > I wake up in the middle of the night but I don't want to turn on my phone because the light would trick my brain into thinking it's day probably "Alexa, what time is it?" > I'm not sure if it's going to rain tomorrow and I don't run a weather widget on my phone. I'm also doing other stuff while getting ready "Alexa, what's the forecast for today?" > My particular favourite at the moment that I set up using IFTTT. I want to trigger the stats page on my site to update by pulling the latest info for a bunch of APIs. To do that, I need to hit a certain hidden endpoint or I could say "Alexa, trigger site refresh" Anyway, it feels silly but the more I use it, the more I really enjoy it despite being skeptical. I think IFTTT gives you a lot of possible power, especially with webhooks if you've got anything in particular. I think I'd have to write my own skills in order for Alexa to eg; read the response from a POST request but that could be cool. Anyway, the Echo Dots are really good for what they cost
Jemmeh 8y ago
I feel this way about smartwatches but they still blew up. -shrug- Different lifestyles I guess. Most of my family loves having Alexa but my cousin and I both agreed it seems pointless for us.

by elvirs 8y ago

JohnnyConatus 8y ago

Smart lights are the killer app for Alexa. There's no going back once you have it. And the only thing keeping most people from getting smart lights is the cost which will fall.

ericd 8y ago
Do smart lights rely on a functioning internet connection?
- corrigible 8y ago
  I've only "deployed" a Philips Hue setup at home, but no, just internal WiFi is enough.
  - na85 8y ago
    So you need to buy DRM lightbulbs?
    - corrigible 8y ago
      I'm not sure, I got my "starter set" as a gift.
- jjp 8y ago
  Some do, some don't. But if you want to use Alexa or Google Home or Siri to control you do need an internet connection to do the voice translate to command bit. Personally I've gone with SmartThings (Samsung) to control the home tech and use Amazon as the voice interface. This allows me to be reasonably agnostic of vendor and interfacing standards (ZWave/Zigbee/Wifi), allows me to use a scripting language to control some aspects of automation (using Webcore app) and still use Amazon to issue voice commands to the same devices. Kids love it, I like it, but not got full wife acceptance yet, she gets frustrated turns stuff off at the wall and then all the automation needs debugging!
  - fron 8y ago
    They make dimmer switches that can be controlled via Zwave/Zigbee as well. If you replace your wall switches with these instead of using bulbs that do the same thing, your automations will have no more problems of this sort.
  - jjeaff 8y ago
    Smart things actually requires an internet connection at times. I don't know what exactly causes it, but several times when my internet has gone out, I've been unable to control the lights. Lots of people have switched away from smart things for this reason.
  - ericd 8y ago
    Yeah, a requirement for an active internet connection would completely kill it for me, much more than the cost, so it's nice to hear that it can use local networking only. Also, as you mention, the fact that it's not very compatible with the mechanical switches seems like it would be annoying, though I suppose those can be replaced with wifi equivalents. The bigger thing is that I just don't see huge benefits to smart lights, and potentially a lot of maintenance headache - I just don't really mind walking to the switch. An automated blind opener that is set to slowly open automatically based on what I've set my phone alarm to that day, though, that I would pay a lot and put up with a lot of crap for.
esrauch 8y ago
Of all of the nusances in my life, having to use light switches seems really low on the list. Is it really so transformative?
- mulletbum 8y ago
  Was the clapper a good product? Think the clapper, but instead it's completely customizable to your hearts content.
  - throwaway080383 8y ago
    > Was the clapper a good product? No? I don't think I've ever met someone who owned a Clapper. In my mind, it's the epitome of gimmicky late-night TV/Skymall products.
    - mulletbum 8y ago
      You might want to speak to someone who owned one then and what purpose they used it for.
- jjeaff 8y ago
  Depends on the size of your house and the position of your light switches. It's pretty nice to say, "Alexa, turn on away mode" as I leave the house. Instead of going through the whole place, turning off all the lights, locking the back door and adjusting down the thermostat.
  - Jemmeh 8y ago
    Yeah but I always turn off lights as I leave a room anyways so it's not like I have to run through the house. The thermostat is on the way out too. I am considering getting a nest or something but that's just for the thermostat, nothing else is all that important. And I can just set that to match my schedule. I have friends who have it, seems neat but still very "eh" for me.
    - 8y ago

whoisjuan 8y ago

People said the same thing about personal computers in the early 70s and look where we are now.

elvirs 8y ago
computer did things that nothing else could do. alexa is doing things that practically every other smart device can do as well
- mrep 8y ago
  > computer did things that nothing else could do. Humans can do anything a computer does because we made them. We just cannot do everything a computer does as fast. > alexa is doing things that practically every other smart device can do as well So did the first iphone but there is a lot more to it.
- prawn 8y ago
  Those other methods involve you having your device at hand or getting it out of your pocket, unlocking it, etc. The Echo isn't at its full potential, but the basics can be useful and you can see where it's going. Once they handle a broader variety of things, they will be a no-brainer for every household that isn't nervous about privacy issues. (i.e., almost everyone) I use it to set cooking timers without stopping what I'm doing or needing a hand free. My kids use it to play music. e.g., my three year old can play a particular album without knowing how to spell it and without having to nag me to do it. They also love asking it questions like "how many teeth does a horse have?" or "how much does an elephant weigh?"
Alterlife 8y ago
Is that a fair comparison? A PC is an expensive general purpose computing device. Alexa is a cheap device which exists for the sole purpose of locking you into the Amazon-prime ecosystem. I have an Alexa which was gifted to me. My son loves it. The rest of us enjoyed it the first day and never looked at it after. Digital assistants have value, but Alexa on its own caters to a frivolous use-case that trades away a lot of privacy for little value.

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

Satam 8y ago

I was skeptical at first, but after having Alexa for a few months... it seems very very very promising. After getting it, I quickly adapted and enhanced my routines by using it to set timers, schedule events, asking for the time (actually, it is quite useful!), setting my alarms for the morning and, finally, playing some soothing sounds to help me doze off to sleep... And yes, these are super simple things, and yes, even those suck quite often (I spent 5 minutes arguing with Alexa to set a 15minute timer instead of the 50one, couldn't do it), but even at this super-primitive stage it definitely adds a lot of value, especially at its price. I don't know if it will be any of the current players that will win out in the field, but there will definitely be winners.

Regardsyjc 8y ago
Same here, thought Alexa was stupid until I met someone who had one. I had to get my own. Alexa has features that makes it a much seamless benefit to everyday life. I ask her about the weather daily, easy to set timers, if you have smart lights you can tell her to turn off the lights without getting out of bed, etc. Voice will without a doubt become an essential part of the future smart home.
- mrsteveman1 8y ago
  Agreed, those things alone are worth it. However, once I already had an Echo I started thinking of things that could be done with it beyond the trivial stuff. For example I have been working on a tiny ESP8266 device that will sit behind or above the toaster oven in my moms kitchen. If the temperature is high for more than an hour or two, Alexa will say "I'm reminding you, the toaster oven is still on". Total cost will end up being about $10-15, and requires no contact with or alteration of the oven, so it is a progressive enhancement rather than potentially making things worse or interfering with the basic function of the oven. I could put a "smart switch" on the power supply and cut it automatically, but when things like toaster ovens are plugged in those switches are a potential hazard themselves. It seems like automatic shutoff is something toaster ovens should all have, but clearly not all of them do. The same is true for ovens, stove tops, coffee pots, clothes irons, heating pads, tea kettles, electric woks, curling irons, etc. Also seems like a better idea to follow the example of smoke alarms and use external monitoring rather than trust every single appliance to work properly. I've considered putting something like an AMG8833[1] in a smoke alarm housing on the ceiling, so it can detect any appliance left on too long, but I'm not sure if it would work well in practice. Things like that are getting cheaper though, eventually it'll be possible. [1] https://www.adafruit.com/product/3538 https://www.adafruit.com/product/3538

joshstrange 8y ago

Changing your volume for your TV is rather stupid (using up/down at least, "set TV to X%" might work well but I love my remote so I always use it). For controlling lights I LOVE alexa. That plus things like daily briefing, weather, alarms, timers, and more make me VERY happy with my amazon units. And this is coming from a huge mac fanboy. Smarthome is where Alexa really shines IMHO.

mulletbum 8y ago
And all of this has become even better with Routines, it seems Amazon is continuing to expand on them and make them better and better. In the morning, I say "Alex, Good Morning." My lights turn on, my coffee maker turns on, Alexa tells me the weather, how long the commute currently is and a little morning news. She then switches to play Spotify while I take my shower. When I leave, I tell "Alex, Good Bye" She turns off every light in my house, verifies the door I let my dogs out of is locked, and triggers my thermostat to go away.
- patentatt 8y ago
  This is undoubtedly cool, but seems like a red herring. Not knocking your experiences and all, it’s great that you like it. But it is reminiscent of every cartoon ever where the bed makes itself and brushes the protagonists’ teeth. Or the Earnest movies from the 80’s where he has a Rube Goldberg machine rigged up to make him breakfast. All of this ‘automation’ is feasible with simple wiring-50’s technology. And much more ‘smart’ with x10 tech from the 80’s/90’s. The premise then is that there is a huge, unknown, pent-up demand for this type of thing from non-technical people who wouldn’t have been able to rig up a home automation system in the past. Anecdotally I’m not sure I see it, and more analytically it seems like the less ‘techie’ you are, the less you crave this type of automation. In other words, there is a diminishing return by making this type of thing more accessible. I’m not sure if this level of automation is a game changer. However, put a generation or two more advanced tech in a robot and you have Judy from the Jetsons, and that I think may change the picture. But we’re not quite there yet
jjeaff 8y ago
Ya, volume is dumb, until you can't find the remote. Which happens to me so often I glued a Trackr to it. Remote is usually better, but I like having tv control ability on Alexa for when I can't find the remote or don't want to get up and get it.

spondyl 8y ago

I just bought an Amazon Echo Dot and they're pretty neat. Here's some scenarios I've used in the last few days > I need to provide some identifying info to get 2FA removed from my web host (new phone) and one of them was last transaction amount. "Alexa, what is $19.53 in New Zealand Dollars" so I could track it down in my bank statements > My PS4 is on, Plex is open and I want to watch something specific but I'm too lazy to scroll "Alexa, tell Plex to play Violet Evergarden" > I wake up in the middle of the night but I don't want to turn on my phone because the light would trick my brain into thinking it's day probably "Alexa, what time is it?" > I'm not sure if it's going to rain tomorrow and I don't run a weather widget on my phone. I'm also doing other stuff while getting ready "Alexa, what's the forecast for today?" > My particular favourite at the moment that I set up using IFTTT. I want to trigger the stats page on my site to update by pulling the latest info for a bunch of APIs. To do that, I need to hit a certain hidden endpoint or I could say "Alexa, trigger site refresh" Anyway, it feels silly but the more I use it, the more I really enjoy it despite being skeptical. I think IFTTT gives you a lot of possible power, especially with webhooks if you've got anything in particular. I think I'd have to write my own skills in order for Alexa to eg; read the response from a POST request but that could be cool. Anyway, the Echo Dots are really good for what they cost

Jemmeh 8y ago

I feel this way about smartwatches but they still blew up. -shrug- Different lifestyles I guess. Most of my family loves having Alexa but my cousin and I both agreed it seems pointless for us.