Apple's Amazon Echo Competitor Could Feature Camera, Facial Recognition

[iPhD]

Unless this thing understands the command "fix iCloud or get my iPhone to stop telling me that my space is full and my only option is to upgrade" I ain't interested.

 

[phrehdd]

People said the same thing about personal computers and smartphones, and to some extent it's true that they can be compromised to spy on you.

Of course, the same thing goes when hiring housemaids and gardeners. If you're a drug lord, you'll always have to vet your companions, surroundings and comm devices



No doubt, but bear in mind that NSA's target is foreign nationals. So unless you're using the gizmo outside the US, or are inside the US using the device to send messages overseas, they're not interested in you.

Now the FBI, on the other hand, _is_ tasked with internal security...



I wouldn't worry about that... unless your boss gives it to you a present. Then I'd be a bit suspicious

You don't need the NSA or other official sources to worry about (though they remain suspect) just some individual or group with malicious intent. I have no desire to have a centralized system that can see and hear that is also connected to the internet (directly or indirectly). Common sense about usage of such a device would have it isolated and only allow minimum feedback from devices it can communicate with which is something Apple will over look.

As for saying computers and smartphones can spy on you doesn't change the facts and certainly already suggests that adding another device into the same mix is just adding MORE opportunity not less. Really a silly argument on many levels.

 

[igorsky]

Let's see, 2 competitors announce products that demolish Siri and suddenly rumors begin about a future version of Siri that actually doesn't suck. Why is it people believe positive rumors like Siri not being such a disaster but ignore negative rumors like the iPhone 7 borrowing Benders eyes?

Actually you just described the complete opposite of what happens on MacRumors forums. You must be new here.
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What haven't they shipped on time?

How's that revolutionary product known as Google Glass doing? What is Aria...like a three year beta test? Maybe the point isn't that they don't ship on time, but more that they're kind of a vapourware company.
[doublepost=1464703634][/doublepost]

As for saying computers and smartphones can spy on you doesn't change the facts and certainly already suggests that adding another device into the same mix is just adding MORE opportunity not less.

Yikes...sounds like you shouldn't be buying any electronics at all to save yourself from surveillance that may or may not happen.

 

[samcraig]

How's that revolutionary product known as Google Glass doing? What is Aria...like a three year beta test? Maybe the point isn't that they don't ship on time, but more that they're kind of a vapourware company.
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Google glass is no longer a product. It was also never really a consumer product. And as far as I know - once it was announced, it sold and shipped on time. As far Aria - when was it announced for sale?

I think you're confusing products/projects in development vs those that are actually announced for sale. Google Home was announced for sale. Like Chromecast and other items that were announced and sold within their timeframe.

So I'll ask again - are there products that were announced that did not ship on time?

 

[acctman]

I agree it won't likely be a standalone device. But, I don't think it's the extra OS that would worry Apple, because a Siri box wouldn't likely have anything complex going on in it, such as a graphical interface. Apple likes dependent devices (it'll likely require an iPhone or iPad) because it'll drive the parent device sales. Then, in 1-2 years, they can release the standalone version and say it's a "new feature".

If Apple puts Siri in the cloud then they can make a standalone device that just needs wifi access and a small motherboard with just flash storage. Pretty much how the echo works.

 

[phrehdd]

Actually you just described the complete opposite of what happens on MacRumors forums. You must be new here.
[doublepost=1464703532][/doublepost]

How's that revolutionary product known as Google Glass doing? What is Aria...like a three year beta test? Maybe the point isn't that they don't ship on time, but more that they're kind of a vapourware company.
[doublepost=1464703634][/doublepost]

Yikes...sounds like you shouldn't be buying any electronics at all to save yourself from surveillance that may or may not happen.

Yikes it sounds like you seem to consider being cautious and using common sense as a bad thing. When I spent time in a city near San Francisco, I would have to go up to SF for some business and was amused to find out in the open people doing war-chalking. People make the assumption that the only ones that might want to get full access to people's computers and homes are "agencies" (gov't etc.) when there are plenty of other less than kind parties out there. Apple likes to keep things simple and thus dumbed-down access and the concept of firewall to the typical consumer. A centralized unit such as these are ripe targets given that they don't do forced mac filtering etc.