Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ I’m Dumping Alexa, but I’m Letting Her Stay as a Roommate

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

It was four or five years ago that smart speakers seemed poised to take over homes everywhere. I can see the attraction: simply speak instead of typing. The reality hasn't been as smooth. My car frequently interprets talk radio as a command. And we had a lot of fun at my parent's house trying to get Alexa to respond to... anything! This article is a bit of a reflection on the current state of smart speakers. They're not going away, but the parameters are getting clearer. We want them to respond intelligently to the voices around them, to listen but not to spy on us, and (unlike Alexa) to refrain from advertising something every chance it gets. I don't have a smart speaker at home - but this article did make me think maybe voice controlled window blinds might be a good idea.

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Nov 22, 2024 02:29 a.m.

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