Automation with Alexa

[dave w]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cell-phone-internet-outages-reported-across-the-u-s/

The comment about NK whacking us with an EMP has been something I have been thinking about. The little fat guy just launched a heavy lifter a couple of weeks ago that reached 50 mile altitude. A number of "experts" contend until he miniaturizes a nuke and perfects reentry, we don't have worries. But an EMP does not need entry into thicker atmosphere. I think we may be underestimating LFG. 

[HA Dave]

...... The comment about NK whacking us with an EMP has been something I have been thinking about.

I would add.... that sooner or later someone will nuke somebody. But the fact is: Old Harry Truman already did that back in 1945. So... we can rest assured that sooner or later it will happen again.. But Nuclear war only happened once in my Dad's lifetime... and never in my older brothers. Hopefully neither my son, grandkids, or I will see it.

It never hurts to stock provisions for any and every possible emergency. But carrying around a "bugout bag" (full of EDC items) and having a hidden encampment in the mountains MIGHT be over-doing it. But then again.... maybe not.

Either way. Whatever the future may bring. I plan to make things as pleasant as possible. Today (and today is the only day we are ever alive) I plan to enjoy my HA. 

[dave w]

Either way. Whatever the future may bring. I plan to make things as pleasant as possible. Today (and today is the only day we are ever alive) I plan to enjoy my HA.

That is a good plan. I am too old and blood too thin to look in to Montana. 

[Tuicemen]

It maybe time to stock up on tinfoil! 

[HA Dave]

It is normal to resist change. ALL humans have an aversion to change. It doesn't really matter if the change will cause (predicted) desirable results or less desirable results. People inherently want things to just stay the same.

[Possible] Nuclear war... or cloud-processed, improved Home Automation.... has the same emotional response with our human feelings.

The world became a much better place than ever before after old Harry Nuked Japan. And my HA has evolved into a much better setup than it likely would have ever become if the X10 norm had remained in place. It all works out.

[dave w]

It maybe time to stock up on tinfoil! 

No, I have plenty. But thanks anyway.

[dhouston]

I set up an email address on gmail and never used it. I never got any spam. As soon as I started using it I started seeing a few spam emails. Somehow (I'm not sure where the link is) somewhere, somehow, someone, some computer, sees this trail of emails and suddenly the spam starts.

There's no real mystery. Google, with its enormous computing power, scanned (i.e. read) your emails in order to determine what ads were best aimed at you. Following complaints from corporate email customers, they have just announced they will no longer do this.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/23/technology/gmail-ads.html?ref=business
I doubt that smaller ISPs and dedicated email services ever had the computing power (or the motive) to do this.

[racerfern]

Oh I understand the ads showing up because I began using the email address. I am aware of Google's policy. However, I would not expect spam (Nigerian, FBI, etc) emails, just ads.

[HA Dave]

Oh I understand the ads showing up because I began using the email address. I am aware of Google's policy. However, I would not expect spam (Nigerian, FBI, etc) emails, just ads.

Email addresses can not be encrypted. So any email sent over the Internet is visible to anyone with a desire to monitor such things. Our good friend.... the Nigerian Prince (that we're helping to smuggle his fortune out of the country) may not be able to read your email but he see's the addresses.

The idea that there is some level of privacy on the Internet.... has always been false.   

[HA Dave]

Oh I understand the ads showing up because I began using the email address. I am aware of Google's policy. However, I would not expect spam (Nigerian, FBI, etc) emails, just ads.

I've been thinking about this....

In regards to a Home Automation user wanting to....say....  setup email alerts from his home to his phone.

I think I would use two separate [phone] apps... one for regular and/or work related emails. Then a 2nd app to receive email form a home server/PC/hub/cloud/device. On the 2nd app (for HA email alerts)..... I would only list one address... the address of my Home Automation sender. Then I'd set the spam filter to only receive emails from senders listed in my address book.

[Tuicemen]

Amazon is to start rolling out a intercom feature for the Alexa products.
I'm sure this will be more popular than the Phone call option which still isn't available on my phone here in Canada.

[HA Dave]

..... the Phone call option which still isn't available on my phone here in Canada.

Canada has phones now? Well.... I am sure as soon as Amazon finds that out they'll include you guys too. 

[Brian H]

I saw the added intercom features. In a thread over on the UDI forums. Where they have incorporated Alexa products support.
Looks interesting.

[raleman]

Hi Everyone! I just found this thread.  I'm using google assistant with X10 via IFTTT.com.  Because I have X10 ActivePhone set up and public facing I can take advantage of IFTTT webhooks.  You can use it with Alexa as well.  They have more advanced modules you can build that allow javascript filters which permit me to use case statements.  I have triggers for turning things on, off, and dimming.  These triggers take in wild cards which I do string searches for in the case statement to figure out which device I'm referring to.  So I can say "Turn on $" and then I look in that $ for words like "bedroom light", "living room fan" and so on, and then construct the proper webhook URL to hit the API that ActivePhone comes with.  I'd be happy to elaborate with pictures and stuff if people are interested.

[HA Dave]

I saw the added intercom features. In a thread over on the UDI forums. Where they have incorporated Alexa products support.
Looks interesting.

Just opened the Alexa app (on my iPhone) and tested the intercom function. Very cool.

Ideas on how this newer ability can be used and exploited... are running through my mind. (I could chose between my dot or my Echo)....