My fellow Planetoid dwellers,
In the past few years so called personal assistance devices have cropped up everywhere. In the past few months we have even had a couple of them die a painless and unnoticed death. Of course I am talking about the Alexa type services like Alexa, Hey Google, Siri and others. It's easy to confuse the services with the devices however because they are now everywhere and so common. It's almost like how internet searching a few years ago become an action verb in and of itself because now we don't say "Internet Search for it", we say "Google It", without real regard to what search service we are actually using. So in this context If someone says "Alexa" device they could be talking about a Nest device that actually uses a command for Google to activate it.
It gets a little confusing to say the least. I'm just going to talk about the plethora of devices and content.
My experience with this subject is not very deep nor is it very wide.I'm not what you would call an early adopter of new technology, I've been burned too many times by Microsoft and Apple to not be wary of new things. I always said you would never catch me giving some device access to my house or my safety, and yet here we are, fully enveloped in the Alexa craze. One thing I learned pretty quickly, don't say her damn name. You will be talking to someone about the device, will say her name not thinking that is also the activation word and the damn thing will start talking to you, asking questions, playing music or something because it is trying to do what you asked and trying to make you happy. I tell her to STFU a lot. Probably too much.
So anyway, the deeper dive I take the more I realize its a cash generating machine for it's overlord Master Bezos. It will try to nickel and dime you to death with charges that are right out in front of you but can quickly add up and make them some nice monthly bank if you are not paying close attention. $4 for this, $2 for that, oh this is only .99 cents and pretty soon if you didn't pay attention you could be spending $10-15 a month to get all the joy you can out of the device. You can get Samuel L. Jackson's voice to curse at you for .99 cents I think, although I was never sure if that was per use, monthly or a one time charge.
It will do all kinds of stuff if you want it to. I'm not in favor of most of this, but it is capable of controlling any so called "Amazon Alexa enabled" device, whether that is your light fixtures, front door locks, thermostat for you heater / AC system or whatever else. I saw a commercial where a water faucet had integrated voice control and you could tell it to dispense so many milliliters of water and etc. Quite brilliant actually. Don't know if I want it , but it's something to ponder. I'm sure I have overlooked some of the more exciting ways to use these things however suffice it to say I'm aware it can control TV's , doorbells, cameras, water heaters, smart plugs and so much more.
Here is an interesting article to read about it, Just click the link.
The best alexa enabled devices
The Five fastest 35 mm slides from today
- I really don't get the current political climate in my state at least, on either side. It's as if rational thought and logic doesn't exist in the political context anymore. We are in the middle of a pandemic, a deadly pandemic of epic proportions that kills indiscriminately without favor, it doesn't seem to care how young or old (although young doesn't seem to be as easily affected), how rich or poor you are if you let it go too long (access to healthcare is something else), what race or status you have or anything else. If its got you in its clutches, you stand a good chance of dying.
In Georgia, the Governator has decided it is about over, although evidence proves otherwise and he is decreeing by political fiat that stuff is opening back up, by God. Georgians need a massage and a beer and a haircut, not necessarily in that order. Oh we are totes not screwed. Open up the Liquor stores, bars, social clubs, the Gyms, restaurants salons, nail places and then stand back. Mix in a bunch of wet sweaty butts mixing body juices in the gyms and wait three weeks. I predict around the week of May the 1st or so, maybe a few days later, BAM, here comes the death rate.Emergency rooms in every hospital in my state will be covered up and the second wave of death will hit us (wait for it), like the plague. Yeah I know.
Georgia is going for the record.
We are trying to be the Destination that is to die for!!
Hello Science? Its BigMike calling, yes, I'll hold. "Oh hello, What's that ? You don't care if we believe in you, you will kill us just the same? Well, that sure is good to know". - Remember the name Kim Yo Jong. If the ruler of North Korea is actually ill and if he dies, then probably around a million people will die in that country after the fact and a lot of folks will be talking about his powerful sister possibly taking his place. I don't think so because it is a patriarchal society ruled by greedy nasty men, but a lot of people will probably die before anyone there admits it.
That's a war that has been about 70 years in the making. Good Luck staying out of this one. Geez what a mess. China, Japan and South Korea don't want disruption in that country because it will cause a lot of problems for them with the humanitarian aid needed and the refugees it will create however I think it is probably inevitable that it will explode into internal warfare within days of his passing. It is going to be a pay per view mess of epic proportions. - Why are we hearing from and listening to Bill Gates? Being rich does not make you an authority figure any more than being poor makes you an authority on how to be homeless. It's probably even less so. He ran a software company, poorly ran it at that. Yes, yes he made a shit ton of money, but he did it by bleeding other companies dry, putting thousands of software writers out of business, by buying up and closing down hundreds of companies. He released version after version of his companies software products that one could say were not finished and then spent the next several years issuing service packs to correct all the problems.
Maybe the scientists who work for his foundation are worthy of our attention and it's possible he should be putting them in front of the microphone, but for my money? I've already spent too much time figuring out how to use your crappy software, I don't really want to hear anymore from you. - GRONK !!
- I'm hooked on the new TV show "Dave". Look it up. I'm sure unless you are a hip-hop fan you will hate it. Serious comedy though.
*****Personal Note *****
Stop calling Health care workers heroes. I don't want my wife to be seen as a martyr for the cause, just make the Hospital she works for treat her right and get her some damn protective gear.
I am the walrus,
BigMike
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