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Amazon Unveils New Echo Speakers with Alexa+ AI and Omnisense Technology
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I've been using Echo devices for a while now, and I think they are absolutely amazing! I have not had a problem with ads - they are easy enough to ignore. It's not like I'm staring at my Echo Show 24/7. It's just there when I need it. I've also had a Nest device, but in my opinion the Echo is better. Aside from the basics (weather, news, kitchen timers), I use it for home automation (cameras, thermostat, smart outlets). Can my phone do the same things? Yes, but only with separate apps and not hands free.
Is the quality of these devices going to blow you away? No. However, their price and convenience are way better than anything from the competition. I'm looking forward to these new models, and I think the AI integration will make them that much more useful.
I know that Apple doesn't push to be a market leader anymore, but I always figured they would catch up. At this point, I don't think that is possible anymore...
Is the quality of these devices going to blow you away? No. However, their price and convenience are way better than anything from the competition. I'm looking forward to these new models, and I think the AI integration will make them that much more useful.
I know that Apple doesn't push to be a market leader anymore, but I always figured they would catch up. At this point, I don't think that is possible anymore...
And the recorded conversations can be used against you in court and has happened numerous times!
I have an Echo show in my living room and I can't wait to replace it with whatever Apple plans on putting out. While the screen is helpful to see weather and my photo slide show, 50% of the time there's a damn ad and no way to disable it. I'd glady pay a one-time-fee to completely remove ads, but Amazon won't give me that option. So to hell with them. It stays now because my I have too many devices I control with it that don't support homekit, but I'll upgrade those devices once Apple's HomePod with a screen drops.
All apple has to finally do is put MAGSAFE on the top of the HomePod FFS. Let me clip a magnetic arm, like the one from the flower iMac, and connect a MagSafe iPad to it. Done!
Understood, believe me. I definitely wouldn't say "I don't really care what you do" with privacy/data/rights. I have concerns but I think Amazon outright lying about their privacy promises on a literal listening device that is under immense scrutiny would be such an offront to consumers and regulators that I feel like it's not worth it to them to wildly overstep. If it were Meta I would assume they would absolutely outright lie and thus I would never buy a device from them!
I mitigate concerns where I can (Brave as main desktop browser, Firefox Focus as main iOS browser, always on VPN everywhere, don't use Facebook, Home Assistant for home automation, etc.), but if I think there is enough net benefit to me, privacy risk is acceptable (to me), and no better options available, I will hold my nose and buy anyway
In short, imperfect world, imperfect choices. I try to be cognizant of the effect of those choices, and I say no all the time if I feel like the price in privacy risk is too high.
Most of these products are not very useful outside of their ecosystem.
This includes the Apple smart speakers.
As a person with both visual and hearing impairments, any assistive solutions are welcome.
Of course it never surprises me when any Non-Apple product gets negative comments here.
Not sure why MacRumors does this kind story when a product outside of the ecosystem is not competition.
This includes the Apple smart speakers.
As a person with both visual and hearing impairments, any assistive solutions are welcome.
Of course it never surprises me when any Non-Apple product gets negative comments here.
Not sure why MacRumors does this kind story when a product outside of the ecosystem is not competition.
Seems the Echo speakers have had a rebrand: the Dot Max is slightly below the old 4th gen Echo and the new Echo Studio is above the old 4th gen Echo, but far below the old Echo Studio in terms of speakers. Perhaps the sound has been tuned, I'm guessing this branding reshuffle is trying to hide the fact that the costs have doubled from the last generation and the days of the $30 Dot basic smart speaker have gone.
Old Echo Dot 5th gen - 1.73" speaker - launch price £55
Echo Dot Max - 2.5" woofer, 0.8" tweeter - launch price £100
4th gen Echo - 3" woofer, 2x 0.8" tweeters - launch price £90
New Echo Studio - 3.75" woofer, 3x 1.5" full range speakers - launch price £220
Old Echo studio - 5.25" woofer, 3x 2" mid-range speakers, 1" tweeter - launch price £220
Old Echo Dot 5th gen - 1.73" speaker - launch price £55
Echo Dot Max - 2.5" woofer, 0.8" tweeter - launch price £100
4th gen Echo - 3" woofer, 2x 0.8" tweeters - launch price £90
New Echo Studio - 3.75" woofer, 3x 1.5" full range speakers - launch price £220
Old Echo studio - 5.25" woofer, 3x 2" mid-range speakers, 1" tweeter - launch price £220
Your firewall isn’t proof that Apple “doesn’t listen.” It just shows that your devices aren’t streaming audio 24/7. But the moment you activate Siri, your voice input is recorded and (depending on the request) sent to Apple for processing.
Yes. Exactly. It is processed locally. And it doesn't listen 24/7. You really don't see the difference?
Disclaimer: I’m not saying this is actually happening. But imagine this scenario.
We know three things: audio is not being transmitted 24/7, but the microphones are always on (to hear you say “hey siri”), and voice to text can be processed locally. So how do we know it isn’t quietly transcribing everything you say into plain text on-device, and generating a summary of topics? Then when you do activate the device it could be sending to the server, again in plan text so it wouldn’t be obvious by measuring bandwidth use, “Siri request: turn off the lights. Recent topics discussed: buying new jeans, feeling tired lately.”
Again, I’m not saying this is how it operates. I’m just saying, your firewall wouldn’t be able to detect that this is happening.
Yes. Apple could be lying their socks off. Remember the uproar when it came out that all Siri requests were transmitted to Apple engineers for quality assurance? Or the fact that iPhones remembered which are the best cell towers for you to use at which location?
Now imagine someone would find out that your scenario was true. It would destroy Apple's whole 'privacy first' commitment.
I don't see Apple taking such a risk. Google, Meta and Amazon are however blatantly open about scraping all the data they can get off of their customers. So, no, thank you.
I would staple my bottom lip to my forehead before I would buy one of these (or anything from customer-hating Amazon).
Amazon today announced the launch of new Echo Dot Max, Echo Studio, Echo Show 8, and Echo Show 11 smart speakers, all of which are designed to work with Amazon's Alexa+ AI assistant.
The new speakers have faster chips with AI acceleration, and a custom sensor platform called Omnisense. Omnisense was created for ambient AI, and it leverages sensors and signals to act on events that are happening in the home. Amazon says it can do things like provide a reminder when a specific person walks in a room, or send an alert that the garage door is unlocked and it's after 10 p.m.
Amazon's updated Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio look like a cross between a HomePod mini and an older Echo device, featuring 3D knit fabric and a front-facing light ring with on-device controls. The Echo Dot Max has two speakers and a rearchitected sound system with fuller bass, while the Echo Studio offers spatial audio, Dolby Atmos, and immersive bass in a compact package. The Echo Show devices have an improved viewing experience, an integrated 13-megapixel camera, and an Alexa+ Home app for controlling all smart devices at once.
Amazon's Echo Dot and Echo Studio are relevant because the products compete directly with Apple's HomePod and HomePod mini. Apple doesn't have an Echo Show-like product yet, but a smart home hub with a screen is in the works and slated to launch next year.
Amazon plans to launch an Alexa+ Store in the near future, and it will offer access to thousands of devices and services that integrate with Amazon AI. Amazon is working with Bose, Sonos, LG, Samsung, BMW, and more to add Alexa+ into their products.
The Echo devices are available for pre-order starting today, and customers will get early access to Alexa+ with purchase. The Echo Dot Max is $100, the Echo Studio is $220, the Echo Show 8 is $180, and the Echo Show 11 is $220.
Article Link: Amazon Unveils New Echo Speakers with Alexa+ AI and Omnisense Technology
What Apple stuff do you use? If you use an iPhone, the stuff get sent back to Apple, the same as a Mac and any other Apple equpment.
I have never got that, I can have people in my living room and chatting and get no adverts from Amazon about anything we have been talking about. Like people say about Android and if you are talking about something and get an advert for it, never happened to me.
The problem is, a lot of smart home stuff is not compatible with Apple, the reason I went for an Echo in the first place and not a Google smart speaker was because the smart thermostat I had, only worked with Alexa.
Things are getting better now, but Alexa still have the best compatibility, also the units are cheaper than home pods.
I keep holding out for whatever version Apple decide to bring out but those new Shows look very nice indeed and could find myself picking one up in a sale.
You’re missing the point. The firewall only proves that your devices aren’t continuously streaming audio, not that they aren’t “listening” locally. Siri’s wake word detection happens on-device, which means the microphone is always active, even if no data is sent out. Once you trigger Siri, the recording is processed, sometimes locally, sometimes in the cloud, depending on the request.
So yes, there’s a real distinction between streaming 24/7 and local passive listening with occasional uploads, but saying “Apple doesn’t listen” is misleading. It absolutely does.