I've always had that small internal conflict trying to balance my privacy and the convenience of having the Amazon Echo (popularly known as Alexa). I've even mentioned it here a few times before.
Today, an incident changed everything and made me really trust Alexa.
Earlier this year, I learned about a new function Alexa has called "Guard". It's part or the Ring package (Ring, the security cameras and doorbell, is also owned by Amazon).
Amazon Guard listens to smoke alarms and glass breaking so it basically turns Alexa into an alarm system. It's also very easy to "teach" Alexa the different zones by simply entering the routine setup and hitting the test button in each smoke alarm. Based on positioning in relation to the Alexa devices, "she" will listen to the smoke alarm differently and report exactly which smoke or CO alarm went off and send messages to other Alexa devices and SMS to a list of number that you previously registered.
I was in Long Beach, driving and the Alexa Auto interrupted the song I was listening and made the Announcement "Smoke alarm detected, kitchen". My first reaction was "Ok, my roommate is cooking again, as he manages to trigger the smoke alarm 2 or 3 times per week with his terrible cooking skills."
A few seconds later, a second announcement "Smoke alarm detected Master bedroom". My left eyebrow raised. The bedroom smoke alarm NEVER went off before.
Less than 30 seconds later "smoke alarm detected living room" and "Smoke alarm detected hallway - starting emergency routine"
ONE MINUTE later, my phone rings, the most scary number on the caller ID "9-1-1"
Hello is this Mr. Thomas Ortega? Yes, it's me "This is Los Angeles Fire Department, we received an activation of your Amazon Guard reporting that four smoke alarms went off in under three minutes. Would you please confirm the address your alexa device is located is XXXXXX? Yes, that's my address. Thanks for the confirmation, we're dispatching LAFD.
I started driving home like crazy, Kevin called me. "Thomas is everything ok? your alexa sent me a fire alarm SMS" IDK Kevin but it looks like there's a fire in my house. I'm driving there right now.
What really happened.
My neighbor arrived and parked his "frog eye" old mercedes in his garage (craftsman townhouse, his garage is right in the middle, under my home). He lives in the front house, mine is the back. He parked, closed the garage and walked away. His car simply decided to catch fire seconds later.
Before anybody had the chance to realize there was a fire, the smoke filled my home and the alarms went off, Alexa notified everybody and called 911 automatically. LAFD arrived in a heartbeat, before the fire had the chance to spread and cause more damages.
It sucks, of course, but..... What if I didn't have my smoke alarms always in pristine conditions? What If I didn't have Alexa to listen to the smoke alarm? Nobody was home, only my dogs, fishes and bird!
Well, we lose some privacy, that's a fact but simply having a smartphone (Siri, Bixby, Hey Google) already does the same. Of course they all deny but they're always listening to everything, 24/7. Amazon, ok.... It's somewhat annoying to have Alexa applauding you and saying "congratulations" when you burp loud or putting Gas-X on you amazon shopping list when you fart loud. however... Dolby, Miele, Breville and the fishes could be dead now, I could be homeless now. Even the computer I'm typing this post could be a pile of ashes now if it wasn't Alexa "listening" to everything 24/7.
Tomorrow I'll replace all five smoke alarms because they spent over one hour sounding non stop and now they're chirping and Amazon of course is already showing me an annoying selection of smoke alarms and batteries because nosey Alexa listened to the chirps and every 5 minutes it send an alert to my phone saying she listened to a chirp and the SOAB even tells me which smoke alarm chirped).
Today, an incident changed everything and made me really trust Alexa.
Earlier this year, I learned about a new function Alexa has called "Guard". It's part or the Ring package (Ring, the security cameras and doorbell, is also owned by Amazon).
Amazon Guard listens to smoke alarms and glass breaking so it basically turns Alexa into an alarm system. It's also very easy to "teach" Alexa the different zones by simply entering the routine setup and hitting the test button in each smoke alarm. Based on positioning in relation to the Alexa devices, "she" will listen to the smoke alarm differently and report exactly which smoke or CO alarm went off and send messages to other Alexa devices and SMS to a list of number that you previously registered.
I was in Long Beach, driving and the Alexa Auto interrupted the song I was listening and made the Announcement "Smoke alarm detected, kitchen". My first reaction was "Ok, my roommate is cooking again, as he manages to trigger the smoke alarm 2 or 3 times per week with his terrible cooking skills."
A few seconds later, a second announcement "Smoke alarm detected Master bedroom". My left eyebrow raised. The bedroom smoke alarm NEVER went off before.
Less than 30 seconds later "smoke alarm detected living room" and "Smoke alarm detected hallway - starting emergency routine"
ONE MINUTE later, my phone rings, the most scary number on the caller ID "9-1-1"
Hello is this Mr. Thomas Ortega? Yes, it's me "This is Los Angeles Fire Department, we received an activation of your Amazon Guard reporting that four smoke alarms went off in under three minutes. Would you please confirm the address your alexa device is located is XXXXXX? Yes, that's my address. Thanks for the confirmation, we're dispatching LAFD.
I started driving home like crazy, Kevin called me. "Thomas is everything ok? your alexa sent me a fire alarm SMS" IDK Kevin but it looks like there's a fire in my house. I'm driving there right now.
What really happened.
My neighbor arrived and parked his "frog eye" old mercedes in his garage (craftsman townhouse, his garage is right in the middle, under my home). He lives in the front house, mine is the back. He parked, closed the garage and walked away. His car simply decided to catch fire seconds later.
Before anybody had the chance to realize there was a fire, the smoke filled my home and the alarms went off, Alexa notified everybody and called 911 automatically. LAFD arrived in a heartbeat, before the fire had the chance to spread and cause more damages.
It sucks, of course, but..... What if I didn't have my smoke alarms always in pristine conditions? What If I didn't have Alexa to listen to the smoke alarm? Nobody was home, only my dogs, fishes and bird!
Well, we lose some privacy, that's a fact but simply having a smartphone (Siri, Bixby, Hey Google) already does the same. Of course they all deny but they're always listening to everything, 24/7. Amazon, ok.... It's somewhat annoying to have Alexa applauding you and saying "congratulations" when you burp loud or putting Gas-X on you amazon shopping list when you fart loud. however... Dolby, Miele, Breville and the fishes could be dead now, I could be homeless now. Even the computer I'm typing this post could be a pile of ashes now if it wasn't Alexa "listening" to everything 24/7.
Tomorrow I'll replace all five smoke alarms because they spent over one hour sounding non stop and now they're chirping and Amazon of course is already showing me an annoying selection of smoke alarms and batteries because nosey Alexa listened to the chirps and every 5 minutes it send an alert to my phone saying she listened to a chirp and the SOAB even tells me which smoke alarm chirped).
