Topic: Amazon Echo

34 chapters across the catalog

Self Certified
Episode 1198 1:36:56 - 1:40:29

1198: Self Certified

Amazon Echo Auto, Privacy Risks of Smart Devices

Amazon is marketing the "Echo Auto" device to integrate Alexa into vehicles, allowing users to control home lights and music while driving. The hosts mock a commercial for the product, highlighting the potential for domestic spying and the inherent bugs in smart home software. They argue that the convenience of voice-activated technology is outweighed by the loss of privacy and the risk of remote manipulation.

Soest Piet
Episode 1176 2:02:01 - 2:08:07

1176: Soest Piet

Amazon Echo Frames, Alexa Privacy Concerns

Amazon introduced "Echo Frames," prescription-ready smart glasses equipped with directional microphones and speakers for Alexa integration. During the presentation, an executive's slip of the tongue suggested the microphones allow Amazon to hear the user's world. The frames, priced between $69 and $79, lack cameras but are designed to keep the Alexa assistant constantly present in the user's daily life.

Shark Hole
Episode 1086 1:44:06 - 1:46:28

1086: Shark Hole

Amazon Echo, Murder Investigation Evidence

A judge in New Hampshire has granted prosecutors access to recordings from an Amazon Echo smart speaker in a double murder case involving defendant Timothy Verrill. Authorities believe the device may have captured audio of the attack on Christine Sullivan in January 2017. Amazon has stated it will not release customer information without a valid legal demand, highlighting ongoing privacy concerns regarding "always-on" smart home technology.

Transaged
Episode 1085 1:34:45 - 1:39:41

1085: Transaged

Amazon Echo Murder Evidence, Mycroft Open Source AI

A judge in New Hampshire ordered Amazon to turn over recordings from an Echo device that may have captured a double murder in 2017. The legal battle raises privacy concerns regarding whether smart speakers are constantly recording. One host discusses using "Mycroft," an open-source alternative that runs locally on a Raspberry Pi to avoid cloud-based data collection by major corporations.

Bug Ramen
Episode 1037 30:15 - 36:09

1037: Bug Ramen

Amazon Echo Privacy Incident, Portland Recording Error

An Amazon Echo device in Portland recorded a private conversation and sent the audio file to a random person in the user's contact list. Amazon explained the incident as a highly unlikely string of misinterpreted voice commands, including the wake word and a "send message" request. This event underscores the risks of always-on voice assistants and the potential for unintended data transmission.

Roscoe!
Episode 1028 1:37:12 - 1:38:49

1028: Roscoe!

Amazon Echo Kids Edition and Trash Chute Fire

Amazon is launching a "Kids Edition" of the Echo, which rewards children for being polite to the voice assistant. This is critiqued as training children to interact with "slaves." In an unrelated local incident, a fire occurred in a former apartment building after someone threw smoldering barbecue coals down a trash chute, an event described as a real-world example of "Idiocracy."

Rise of the Betas
Episode 1014

1014: Rise of the Betas

Alexa Laughing Glitch, Echo Device Anomalies

Amazon Echo users reported instances of the Alexa voice assistant laughing spontaneously without a prompt. Similar technical glitches involve the device responding with "I'm sorry, I don't know the answer to that" or "I'll do it later" for no apparent reason. A separate anecdote describes a Galaxy phone playing navigation snippets like "turn right" in the middle of a music playlist while connected to a car via Bluetooth.

Nein Nein Nein
Episode 999 2:55:48 - 3:01:10

999: Nein Nein Nein

CES 2018, Smart Toilets and Bathroom Etiquette

The 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) featured a $6,500 smart toilet from Kohler that responds to voice commands. The hosts mock the "connected home" trend, sharing frustrations with Philips Hue lights and AI assistants. The discussion devolves into bathroom etiquette, with Dvorak insisting that everyone should close the toilet lid before flushing to prevent the spread of germs, especially on airplanes.

Rats on a Plane
Episode 996 24:16 - 28:03

996: Rats on a Plane

Amazon Echo Patent, Ambient Surveillance Concerns

Amazon has filed a patent for an algorithm that allows the Echo "talking tube" to identify statements of interest during ambient listening, even without the wake word. This technology would enable the creation of user profiles for targeted advertising based on overheard conversations. There is a suggestion that users should be paid for the data they provide to these surveillance devices.

Rats on a Plane
Episode 996 36:37 - 38:08

996: Rats on a Plane

Privacy Countermeasures, Radio Noise for Smart Speakers

To counter the ambient listening of smart speakers, a suggestion is made to place a small portable radio next to the device. By leaving the radio on constantly, the device's microphone is flooded with irrelevant audio, preventing it from capturing private household conversations while the user potentially collects data-sharing incentives.

Barry's Choice
Episode 925 1:04:27 - 1:08:42

925: Barry's Choice

No Agenda Amazon Echo Skill, Voice Assistant Demo Failure

Jake Lester developed a "No Agenda Skill" for the Amazon Echo, allowing users to stream the show or skip to specific segments via voice commands. Adam Curry attempts to demonstrate the skill live, but the device fails to recognize the "skip 33 minutes" command. The failure is used to illustrate the current limitations of natural language processing in AI.

Hitler's Playbook
Episode 906 1:20:56 - 1:24:16

906: Hitler's Playbook

MAGA Tour Australia, Amazon Echo No Agenda Skill

The "Make Australia Great Again" (MAGA) tour is announced for August and September, with a dedicated website for registration. Additionally, producer James Chapman has developed an Amazon Echo "skill" for the No Agenda show, allowing users to stream the latest episodes via voice commands. The hosts demonstrate the skill using the wake word "Book of Knowledge."

Bug Juice
Episode 891 2:44:33 - 2:47:18

891: Bug Juice

Amazon Alexa, Walmart Rivalry and Porn Glitch

A news story about an Amazon Alexa being used in a murder investigation in Bentonville, Arkansas, is framed as a potential hit piece by Walmart, which is headquartered there. Additionally, a viral video of an Alexa device accidentally playing pornographic titles for a child is discussed.

Factivist
Episode 890 2:36:02 - 2:39:50

890: Factivist

Amazon Echo Privacy and Smart Meter Evidence in Murder Case

A murder investigation in Bentonville, Arkansas, involves a search warrant for Amazon Echo (Alexa) audio data. While Amazon initially resisted the warrant, the hosts point out that the real evidence came from a "smart" water meter, which showed high water usage during the time of the crime. They warn that the "Internet of Things" creates a digital trail that can be used by law enforcement for automated fines and surveillance.

Manbuns  & Mohawks
Episode 833 2:44:51 - 2:49:14

833: Manbuns & Mohawks

Nancy Pelosi on iPhone Invention, Amazon Echo and Children

Nancy Pelosi claims that federal government research, rather than private innovation, is responsible for the invention of the smartphone. The hosts dispute this "you didn't build that" narrative. They also discuss reports of children becoming rude and demanding due to their interactions with voice-activated devices like the Amazon Echo.

non-binary person
Episode 819 1:58:00 - 1:59:37

819: non-binary person

Amazon Echo Hacking, Voice Trigger Prevention

The hosts discuss the ability to "hack" the Amazon Echo to prevent it from being triggered by the show's audio. They demonstrate that by not using the wake word "Alexa," they can discuss the device without activating listeners' units at home. They mock a listener who claimed to have hacked the device but refused to share the method.