:D

I had considered getting a few of them for mom's house, and programming them to work off of a pre-approved list of items she buys, but we ended up deciding to move in with and care for her ourselves instead. I have since then, added buttons on shelves for things we use often, things like dryer sheets, detergent, and a few basic pantry items that have made her life easier. Having her feel independent after us moving in and her giving up her driver's license has been key in keeping her happy. The big change came when the stove died on Thanksgiving, and an exact replacement was impossible. She still has issues knowing which buttons to press.

Humans are computer's sex organs.

It's all fun and games until the power goes out. I don't like the idea of something listening to my every move and function, you have no privacy.

I looked into Alexa's inner workings after some of the posters above questioned the privacy aspect and am reasonably satisfied. Their admittedly self-interest documentation says that Alexa only listens for one word, Alexa, and then wakes up.

I will say this is the most enjoyable thing I have bought in a long time. I am now experimenting with "Alexa, play the top 100 songs from 19xx" starting from my birth year to present in ten year increments. It is interesting how the music has noticeably changed and the memories it brings back.

It's bad enough I have a smart phone that goes in my house.

That's quite enough in the way of internet connected microphones ( and cameras!).

We do have an older XBOX360 with a Kinect, but the Kinect needs its own power supply and is only ever USB connected when playing a Kinect game.

The smart cell phone never ventures into the bedroom areas of the house and is typically in a zipped coat pocket when not in active use.

Some may call me paranoid.

tyl604: "Not a Problem" for you?
 

tyl604 - There are all kinds of things wrong with the kind of mindset that says, "Not a problem for me" as a response to the notion of covert surveillance by the government. If you're an American, there's an aspect of paramount importance that is being overlooked by thinking that way: We The People must collectively be vigilant about always guarding and protecting our liberties and freedom; and be on the look-out for the gradual encroachment of them - for that is how they can be lost.

Glenn Greenwald, one of the few integritous Journalists that exists today, expressed this far more eloquently than I can, in his TEDTalk "Why Privacy Matters" - here's a most profound excerpt from his lecture:

"A society in which people can be monitored at all times, is a society that breeds conformity and obedience and submission - which is why every tyrant, from the most overt to the most subtle, craves that system. When we allow a society to exist in which we're subject to constant monitoring, we allow the essence of human freedom to be severely crippled. A system of mass surveillance suppresses our own freedom in all sorts of ways ... it renders 'off-limits' all kinds of behavioral choices without our even knowing that it's happened. The renowned socialist activist Rosa Luxemburg said, "He who does not move does not notice his chains."
.... Glenn Greenwald, "Why Privacy Matters" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcSlowAhvUk

Note: Glenn Greenwald is the Journalist with whom Whistleblower Edward Snowden entrusted the information when he tipped us off about the unlawful surveillance program the NSA was using to spy on American citizens under the guise of "national security." Snowden was proof that indeed, one person can make a difference.

I use Alexa in my W126 through my radio with bluetooth while driving and want to listen to music. And I must say it's much better than Siri, who never understands what I want when I ask "her" a question.

To Amazon, Facebook and google, you are the product for sale.

Boo!

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2019/2/20/18232960/google-nest-secure-microphone-google-assistant-built-in-security-privacy

It's interesting how you interpret that. My interpretation is that Alexa listens to everything, and only responds to it's name. Which is different than saying that it's otherwise asleep. In fact, you have no way to tell what it listens to, what it hears, and only the vague promises of a EULA that you've probably never read that it will "do no harm". And yet we have documented examples of Alexa listening when it wasn't supposed to, and sharing what it heard.

Pretty clear it must listen to and process everything to hear and respond to, “Alexa”.