# Google Assistant - Will everyone eventually use it? Fad? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 23, 2018, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310 "2018-01-23T17:42:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2018, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/41 "2018-01-24T20:19:08Z")
I think some people may be conflating the voice command mechanism that has been in Mac computers for decades, which as I recall did let the user choose an attention word. It was limited in scope, not terribly flexible and I believe tended to get shut off in fairly short order by most users. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/42 "2018-01-25T00:06:36Z")
> [@Mikemike2](#): > > Good point from **ftr** about PCs originally being promoted to organize recipes. It was in all the ads, and I never used it for that at all, and most people didn’t… My mother did! Or at least, I did for her. I surreptitiously borrowed all her spattered, fading, & dog-eared 3x5 recipe cards, typed the recipes into my brand new TRS-80 microcomputer, and then printed out nice new copies for her. I got a couple hundred punched card stock paper on sprocket feed from our operations center (in exchange for fixing some ‘bouncing betty’ tape jobs that were annoying them) and got them to work in my Centronics dot matrix printer. Took hours to print them. I had intended to cut off the slanted corner cut on the cards, but didn’t have time before Christmas, so I just wrapped them as they were. Afterwards, Mom wouldn’t let me trim that off – she had too much fun showing all her friends her ‘computerized’ kitchen recipes. (I found out later from my sister that Mom didn’t really follow those recipes much – they were mostly just ‘reminders’ and she ‘modified’ them when cooking. And some of the spatters that I had such trouble reading were her notes to ‘reduce this ingredient’, etc. But she enjoyed the new copies anyway.) Somewhere here, I probably still have the 8" floppy disk containing those recipes, in ASCII text files. Wonder if I could find any equipment to read that anymore? Or is it even still readable? ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/43 "2018-01-25T04:17:58Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And light switches? I can certainly flick my fingers next to the door when I walk into a room a lot quicker than I can say “Alexa, turn on the bedroom light”. But can you walk into a very large room and turn on four different lights that aren’t on one switch faster than you can say “Alexa… turn on lights.”? Then when watching TV later can you turn off two lights, dim one other (that wasn’t on a dimmer) to 50% and the other to 30% (also not on a dimmer) faster than saying “Alexa… turn lights to watch TV” all without getting off of the couch. I won’t even get into them turning on various shades of red and green by saying “Alexa… turn lights to Christmas.” This may be more of a testimonial to Philips Hue lights, but it is nice that they are controlled by Alexa. I can do all of the same with my smart phone, but right now it is on a table out of my reach, but my voice is right here. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/44 "2018-01-25T14:28:30Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Hmmmm… Is it an old model? Here’s [one on Amazon](https://smile.amazon.com/TP-Link-Required-Requires-Assistant-HS200/dp/B01EZV35QU?sa-no-redirect=1) that claims it works with Alexa. And if it doesn’t then, can you do a work around through IFTTT? It was part of a holiday pair: HS100 plus the Dot. It works with: the Amazon Dash Wand, the TP-Link app, the Alexa app. Just not with the Dot! It says device not found. As to the “flicking a light switch with your finger” comment above. I want this to be used for the table lamp for **Mrs. FtG** who has mobility issues. Also for timers, reminders, etc. FWIW, you change the wake word for Alexa: “Echo”, “Amazon”, and “Computer” are now allowed. The last would be cool but is far too common in my household. Even “Amazon” would create too many triggers. “Echo” doesn’t do it for me. So, I’ve stuck with “Alexa”. Sure wish they had a much larger list to choose from. Esp. to get around the TV commercials that think it’s fun to fire up people’s devices. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/45 "2018-01-26T06:42:51Z")
It will be a comfort to know, next time the Dope is buried under a massive DDoS attack, that even the light bulbs will be participating. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/46 "2018-01-26T09:16:41Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > It was part of a holiday pair: HS100 plus the Dot. It works with: the Amazon Dash Wand, the TP-Link app, the Alexa app. Just not with the Dot! It says device not found. > > As to the “flicking a light switch with your finger” comment above. I want this to be used for the table lamp for **Mrs. FtG** who has mobility issues. Also for timers, reminders, etc. > > FWIW, you change the wake word for Alexa: “Echo”, “Amazon”, and “Computer” are now allowed. The last would be cool but is far too common in my household. Even “Amazon” would create too many triggers. “Echo” doesn’t do it for me. So, I’ve stuck with “Alexa”. Sure wish they had a much larger list to choose from. Esp. to get around the TV commercials that think it’s fun to fire up people’s devices. I have two TP-Link wall plugs (for our living room lamps) controlled by Alexa, by switches do you mean some kind of wall switches? ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/47 "2018-01-26T09:54:40Z")
No interest in it at all. The functionality has been built in to my devices for the last few years and I’ve never used them and never felt any need to. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/48 "2018-01-26T14:12:11Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I have two TP-Link wall plugs (for our living room lamps) controlled by Alexa, by switches do you mean some kind of wall switches? Switched plugs. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/49 "2018-01-29T21:46:17Z")
BTW, if you want to test out an Amazon Alexa device without spending much money Amazon Prime members can get an [Amazon Dash Wand](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQMJFDK/?tag=aftvndeal-20) for ~14\* and get [$20 off](https://www.amazon.com/b?tag=aftvndeal-20&node=16962180011) your first order you make thru it. So it’s basically free and then some. The Wand is battery powered and push button activated. So no wake word. Push the button and say “Tell me a joke.”, etc. It doesn’t play music, do timers, etc. But it has a bar code scanner so you go do lookups/orders using that. Mine didn’t have the latest Alexa upgrade when I got it so it was dumber than usual the first day. But it soon updated. Note: requires a smart phone (Android or iPhone) to set up. Or you can get the Alexa app for your phone or whatever and talk to it. - The price bounces around, right now for me it’s showing $13.51. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/50 "2018-01-30T23:46:09Z")
Add me to the list of people who has no interest in adding always-on microphones owned by advertising companies to my home, or other poorly-secured internet-connected devices to my network. The day I can’t buy a television without a microphone in it is the day I give up TV. I do wonder if there’s going to be any kind of mass-culture privacy backlash in the future, or if we’re pretty much locked-in to a panopticon future. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/51 "2018-01-31T00:42:32Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > Yeah, gonna need a cite for that. Echoes don’t work like that from what I’ve read. [http://5newsonline.com/2017/11/29/murder-charge-dropped-in-bentonville-case-involving-amazon-echo/](http://5newsonline.com/2017/11/29/murder-charge-dropped-in-bentonville-case-involving-amazon-echo/) ---
**Author:** ![Mnemnosyne](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mnemnosyne/32/3347_2.png) [@Mnemnosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mnemnosyne)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/52 "2018-01-31T00:50:49Z")
> [@Mikemike2](#): > > I despise the wake word “okay google” it is a bit of a mouthful, and 4 syllables. Google assistant also allows Hey Google which is one syllable shorter and easier to say. I have read articles about them possibly allowing another word to be the wake word, like someone’s name. Belinda, please… There are technical issues, and also they very much do not want to give up their branding built into the wake word. > > You can also make phone calls from Google assistant, and as it has very good microphones, and a half decent speaker, it works pretty well. Call Mom, for example. I assume that it is using google voice to do this. > > It has 4 colored LEDs on the top of it that can be seen only when it is activated. I wish there was an app to play with those lights, lol. They are fairly bright if the room is dark. Being unable to customize the wake word to sound like a name of a person is the primary reason I got an Amazon Echo instead of a Google device. ‘Alexa, do x’ sounds natural, ‘Ok Google, do x’ does not, to me, and that matters. I did wind up returning my Echo because I felt I was not benefiting enough from its use. One of the reasons I got it was to play sleep sounds because I saw a number of sleep sounds ‘skills’ that were available, but none of them actually _worked_ correctly and reliably. Once they get more functionality and improve what’s there, I’ll try again, but I still want one with a _name_ which seems to limit it to Alexa or Siri at this point, and I don’t use many Apple products, so probably Alexa. Cortana would be nice if Microsoft would get off their asses and actually put out a product that can compete with Google and Amazon, but it’s not looking good. I was hoping Microsoft would do good with their phone OS, but that also didn’t work out. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/53 "2018-01-31T17:19:43Z")
> [@seal\_cleaner](#): > > [Murder Charge Dropped In Bentonville Case Involving Amazon Echo | 5newsonline.com](http://5newsonline.com/2017/11/29/murder-charge-dropped-in-bentonville-case-involving-amazon-echo/) I think there’s some confusion, or maybe some imprecise language here. Yes, police could get a search warrant for anything that Amazon has recorded via the echo. But the original claim was that they could get a warrant to search “what was said within the hearing of that device”, which implies (perhaps unintentionally) that _everything_ that was said within the hearing is searchable. But Amazon (probably) doesn’t record everything. Only things said recently after the wake word. I guess if you have an Echo and someone is in the process of perpetrating a crime against you, you should say “Alexa” repeatedly to have plenty of evidence to hand over. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2018, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/54 "2018-02-01T14:14:58Z")
They will–but not by me. I was floored a couple years ago when my son said to his device, “Hey Google, how old is [Hari Seldon], mathematician?” and it came back with the correct answer. It will happen. Some years ago, they were discussing raising the internet address space from 32 bits to 64 or 128 or even 160, they said that in the future every electric socket would have it’s own address. I thought this was slightly nutty. Now I see it is coming. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/55 "2018-02-07T20:43:05Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I reckon that voice assistants will be the next thing to get built into TVs - so they won’t be a thing that people decide to buy any more (although they may not choo > se to use). There are already TVs that have the ability to listen to you. [How To Stop Your Smart TV From Spying on You | WIRED](https://www.wired.com/2017/02/smart-tv-spying-vizio-settlement/) I’ll be the last kid on the block to get a Google Assistant, or Alexa or whatever. Supposedly these have not been directly hacked - yet - but by definition the company has to listen in on everything, and they’re up front about having to record bits to improve their speech recognition. The government has already attempted to use this kind of information in court ([Can your smart home be used against you in court? | TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/12/alexa-privacy/)) and I imagine that kind of thing will become more and more common in criminal cases. I expect the NSA is already looking into exploiting it. There are other ways of exploiting the system without touching it, as Burger King proved: [https://www.networkworld.com/article/3190176/security/virtual-assistants-hear-everything-so-watch-what-you-say-i-m-not-kidding.html](https://www.networkworld.com/article/3190176/security/virtual-assistants-hear-everything-so-watch-what-you-say-i-m-not-kidding.html). Some of the things the companies are trying to patent are creepy: ['Digital Assistant' Devices Can Monitor Your Showering Habits. | HuffPost Contributor](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/digital-assistant-devices-can-monitor-your-showering_us_5a3712a9e4b02bd1c8c60807). There’s a voice response feature on my Android phone. I don’t use it… but one day my daughter and I were in the car, when the phone responded with “I don’t know what to do with ‘(something I had just said, verbatim)’”. It was hilarious in the context, but also a bit freaky - especially as I have never enabled the feature on my phone (I just checked). ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310/56 "2018-02-07T21:03:40Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > I think there’s some confusion, or maybe some imprecise language here. > > Yes, police could get a search warrant for anything that Amazon has recorded via the echo. But the original claim was that they could get a warrant to search “what was said within the hearing of that device”, which implies (perhaps unintentionally) that _everything_ that was said within the hearing is searchable. But Amazon (probably) doesn’t record everything. Only things said recently after the wake word. > > I guess if you have an Echo and someone is in the process of perpetrating a crime against you, you should say “Alexa” repeatedly to have plenty of evidence to hand over. They have to record at least some bits, to pick up on when you say “Alexa” (or whatever). However, look at the links I posted: they want to record and use far more than that, to “provide better service” (i.e. advertise to you better). Count me out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-assistant-will-everyone-eventually-use-it-fad/807310.md?page=2)