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The screenshot shows a request, not a demand. The tweet’s headline is clearly clickbait

dade_ 6y ago
It’s also confusing to refer to an Amazon microphone because I am not sure what product are writing about. I think most people know that an echo has microphones and doesn’t read brainwaves.
- mc32 6y ago
  I think it’s fair to characterize the device as a (smart) microphone. Without that ability it wouldn’t be able to process people’s queries. Obviously AMZ wants to minimize the association with “mics” because it atunes people to that aspect of the device (ie in listening mode).
- fastball 6y ago
  There is even someone in the twitter thread pointing out that Amazon uses the word "microphone" in their copy, as if that is some sort of "gotcha". No, Amazon isn't trying to pretend the Echo doesn't have a microphone – they just think it's misleading to refer to a smart speaker as an "Amazon microphone", and I happen to agree.
  - luckylion 6y ago
    > smart speaker That's pretty misleading as well. Speakers cannot listen, but the Echo can.
    - fastball 6y ago
      > smart
      - leereeves 6y ago
        Then let's call it a smart microphone.
        fastball 6y ago
        No, because that is redundant. The microphone is part of what makes the device smart (interactive). "Smart X" is a pretty widely used convention, where X is some not-very-interactive device which has some sort of interactive UX added to it in order to make it smart. Many Smart TVs these days have microphones too. Should we call those "smart microphones" as well?
        leereeves 6y ago
        Yes, we should call smart TVs "microphones", when they're listening to our conversations. As for Echo, the microphone is the primary purpose of the device. Home automation and ordering by voice require a microphone, not a speaker. The Echo Dot even includes a line-out port to connect to external speakers, in which case it isn't acting as a speaker at all. It doesn't include a line-in port. Speakers don't: answer questions, set alarms, turn on lights, adjust thermostats, lock doors, call almost anyone hands-free, drop in on other rooms in your home, make an announcement to every room. (all advertised features of the Echo) So following the convention you mentioned, it's much more a smart microphone than a smart speaker.
        MacsHeadroom 6y ago
        My home assistants replaced wifi speakers. I think that's the primary use case for most people. The "smart" functionalites of being able to ask to set a timer or turn on my TV are just bonuses. They're speakers first and (smart) listeners second from a user standpoint.
        leereeves 6y ago
        Why do you think that's the primary use for most people? I do see the appeal. Amazon sells the speakers below cost because they want to get the microphone in your house, so you can get a good deal on speakers that way. But it's a very small part of what Amazon advertises.
      - josefx 6y ago
        I thought that at some point smart meant self regulating, followed by TVs being "smart" by having apps and an always on network connection. Neither of these implied a microphone.
        fastball 6y ago
        Everything I can think of which we've just slapped "smart" in front of in recent years is smart because it is more interactive / capable (in a technology centric way) than the corresponding "dumb" counterpart. Smart speakers work great as dumb speakers and (generally) have the form factor you expect from dumb speakers. They are a lot more capable than the dumb ones due to a variety of additions, one of which is a microphone that allows it to respond to voice commands.
    - victords 6y ago
      Microphones cannot speak, but the Echo can.
      - andrewzah 6y ago
        Actually all microphones can "speak". All speakers can be used as microphones as well. It's not like the conversion process only works one way.
        thebean11 6y ago
        That's kind of a technicality, the vast majority of non-mic'd speakers don't have all the required hardware or software to save or transmit audio to anything.
        mrob 6y ago
        >Actually all microphones can "speak". Counterexample: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_microphone https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_microphone
        c22 6y ago
        Countercounterexample: https://www.livescience.com/64619-laser-sound-beam.html https://www.livescience.com/64619-laser-sound-beam.html
        mrob 6y ago
        That's a laser specifically designed for transmitting sound, not a laser microphone.
        c22 6y ago
        You know, I had that (extremely pedantic) thought as I was posting, but I figured someone might find it interesting anyway.
      - AlexandrB 6y ago
    - Spivak 6y ago
      Pedantic: Speakers can listen and basically any speaker can be wired up to also be a microphone.
- tgb 6y ago
  It's in like the seventh paragraph of the article - I think people have figured out that they're talking about Echo and Alexa. And the salient point for the sentence (which ends "we should also be critical about where the data extracted from us ends up") is the microphone part of the product and not the rest of it. It's more specific, not more confusing.
bluntfang 6y ago
>The screenshot shows a request, not a demand. The tweet’s headline is clearly clickbait And amazon will stop offering free devices for their journalism and their AWS services will be flaky if they don't comply with the "request". Pretending like there is no leverage here from Amazon is a bit obtuse.
tobib 6y ago
And the last sentence indicates the author explicitly reached out to Amazon for comments.

It’s also confusing to refer to an Amazon microphone because I am not sure what product are writing about. I think most people know that an echo has microphones and doesn’t read brainwaves.

mc32 6y ago
I think it’s fair to characterize the device as a (smart) microphone. Without that ability it wouldn’t be able to process people’s queries. Obviously AMZ wants to minimize the association with “mics” because it atunes people to that aspect of the device (ie in listening mode).
fastball 6y ago
There is even someone in the twitter thread pointing out that Amazon uses the word "microphone" in their copy, as if that is some sort of "gotcha". No, Amazon isn't trying to pretend the Echo doesn't have a microphone – they just think it's misleading to refer to a smart speaker as an "Amazon microphone", and I happen to agree.
- luckylion 6y ago
  > smart speaker That's pretty misleading as well. Speakers cannot listen, but the Echo can.
  - fastball 6y ago
    > smart
    - leereeves 6y ago
      Then let's call it a smart microphone.
      - fastball 6y ago
        No, because that is redundant. The microphone is part of what makes the device smart (interactive). "Smart X" is a pretty widely used convention, where X is some not-very-interactive device which has some sort of interactive UX added to it in order to make it smart. Many Smart TVs these days have microphones too. Should we call those "smart microphones" as well?
        leereeves 6y ago
        Yes, we should call smart TVs "microphones", when they're listening to our conversations. As for Echo, the microphone is the primary purpose of the device. Home automation and ordering by voice require a microphone, not a speaker. The Echo Dot even includes a line-out port to connect to external speakers, in which case it isn't acting as a speaker at all. It doesn't include a line-in port. Speakers don't: answer questions, set alarms, turn on lights, adjust thermostats, lock doors, call almost anyone hands-free, drop in on other rooms in your home, make an announcement to every room. (all advertised features of the Echo) So following the convention you mentioned, it's much more a smart microphone than a smart speaker.
        MacsHeadroom 6y ago
        My home assistants replaced wifi speakers. I think that's the primary use case for most people. The "smart" functionalites of being able to ask to set a timer or turn on my TV are just bonuses. They're speakers first and (smart) listeners second from a user standpoint.
        leereeves 6y ago
        Why do you think that's the primary use for most people? I do see the appeal. Amazon sells the speakers below cost because they want to get the microphone in your house, so you can get a good deal on speakers that way. But it's a very small part of what Amazon advertises.
    - josefx 6y ago
      I thought that at some point smart meant self regulating, followed by TVs being "smart" by having apps and an always on network connection. Neither of these implied a microphone.
      - fastball 6y ago
        Everything I can think of which we've just slapped "smart" in front of in recent years is smart because it is more interactive / capable (in a technology centric way) than the corresponding "dumb" counterpart. Smart speakers work great as dumb speakers and (generally) have the form factor you expect from dumb speakers. They are a lot more capable than the dumb ones due to a variety of additions, one of which is a microphone that allows it to respond to voice commands.
  - victords 6y ago
    Microphones cannot speak, but the Echo can.
    - andrewzah 6y ago
      Actually all microphones can "speak". All speakers can be used as microphones as well. It's not like the conversion process only works one way.
      - thebean11 6y ago
        That's kind of a technicality, the vast majority of non-mic'd speakers don't have all the required hardware or software to save or transmit audio to anything.
      - mrob 6y ago
        >Actually all microphones can "speak". Counterexample: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_microphone https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_microphone
        c22 6y ago
        Countercounterexample: https://www.livescience.com/64619-laser-sound-beam.html https://www.livescience.com/64619-laser-sound-beam.html
        mrob 6y ago
        That's a laser specifically designed for transmitting sound, not a laser microphone.
        c22 6y ago
        You know, I had that (extremely pedantic) thought as I was posting, but I figured someone might find it interesting anyway.
    - AlexandrB 6y ago
  - Spivak 6y ago
    Pedantic: Speakers can listen and basically any speaker can be wired up to also be a microphone.
tgb 6y ago
It's in like the seventh paragraph of the article - I think people have figured out that they're talking about Echo and Alexa. And the salient point for the sentence (which ends "we should also be critical about where the data extracted from us ends up") is the microphone part of the product and not the rest of it. It's more specific, not more confusing.

bluntfang 6y ago

>The screenshot shows a request, not a demand. The tweet’s headline is clearly clickbait And amazon will stop offering free devices for their journalism and their AWS services will be flaky if they don't comply with the "request". Pretending like there is no leverage here from Amazon is a bit obtuse.

tobib 6y ago

And the last sentence indicates the author explicitly reached out to Amazon for comments.