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[HA Dave]

I finally saw the movie "Her". Starring Joaquin Phoenix it's a movie about a man who becomes fascinated with a new "operating system" which reportedly develops into an intuitive and unique entity. The ultimate AI.

Although I think the movie was a bit "creepy" (perverse?).... I also think the 2013 movie hit the nail on head as far as the future of personal (and Home) automation. Interestingly.... I have been looking for a Alexa enabled single earbud to use with my iphone.

My phone is ALWAYS with me now-a-days. If done correctly... everything will be within a access... with just a spoken word.

[brobin]

The Alexa earbuds can be used singly so you'll always have spare charged and ready.  I tried a pair and the noise cancellation was pretty much as good as the Bose QC-20's on a plane but the volume for audio was too low to be useful so I returned them.  BTW, if you're looking to expand Alexa's range in your home, they have the Echo Input on sale for 10 bucks right now.  I just put one in the garage today so I don't have to shout 30 feet to the Dot.  I didn't plug in a speaker so it's basically just an extension microphone. 

[HA Dave]

The Alexa earbuds can be used singly so you'll always have spare charged and ready.  I tried a pair and the noise cancellation was pretty much as good as the Bose QC-20's on a plane but the volume for audio was too low to be useful so I returned them.

Thanks for the info. I knew the Alexa earbuds would work... but didn't know I could use just ONE.... or that there is a volume issue.

I am a cyclist for recreation and I like the idea of staying connected.... with spoken (and dictated text) along with Home Automation alerts. And... news and music too. I think using TWO earbuds while bicycling might border on dangerous.

BTW, if you're looking to expand Alexa's range in your home, they have the Echo Input on sale for 10 bucks right now.  I just put one in the garage today so I don't have to shout 30 feet to the Dot.  I didn't plug in a speaker so it's basically just an extension microphone.

The addition of the Echo "show" makes Echo device #7 (counting the voice remote in my Home Theater). I think the extra one (I can't open the "show" till Christmas) will end-up being a Dot.... that finds it's way into a bathroom. I like the idea that those Echo devices are also phones. If the wife or I was to fall (and can't get up)... we can call anyone with a simple request/voice command.

[brobin]

"Eligible Customers" (i.e. Prime) can also buy a Dot right now for 99 cents with an Amazon Music subscription of $7.99 which can be cancelled before the monthly renewal. So for 9 bucks you get a Dot!

amzn.to/34hnZ2Q

Didn't learn about that till after I bought the Input (which comes with a free 3 month Amazon Music membership) but I'm fine with it.  We're selling our other home so I'll be moving those Dots too where we already have 10 devices plus Alexa on our tablets and phone so I don't need any more.  Sometimes more than one device will hear a question and they'll each respond with a different answer! 

[HA Dave]

I've read what... I think I understand as... Alexa enabled fire smart TV's.

The possibilities the new devices and software [app] updates bring is enough to keep a home automation enthusiast day-dreaming... every waking hour.

That is why I started this thread. Yesterdays Science fiction... is actually, very often... today's lifestyle choice. But to have this futurist automation does mean making/changing our lifestyle choices.

[Tuicemen]

I remember watching Her just after it was released and  seeing vieos of robots displayed at tech shows. I now just finished watching the first season of "Better then us on" Netflix.
I kept thinking this maybe where Alexa will evolve too.  These echos dots, shows and other devices will shortly be replaced by inexpensive robots.
In the mean time I ordered Amazon echo flex. I can think of several uses for this like ones mentioned here https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DBAUi6qHklR4&ved=2ahUKEwi43vbN9MLmAhWE_J4KHaAvBrMQwqsBMAJ6BAgDEAo&usg=AOvVaw1SuQRfyNuddXHbePHI-_1i
So for me it is better then the echo input which I also considered.

[HA Dave]

....... These echos dots, shows and other devices will shortly be replaced by inexpensive robots.

I get a kick out of how old people think..... even though I am often way older than the old people that tickle me. ALL the echo devices.... ARE the inexpensive robots.... that we have dreamed of for so many years.

I know... the paradigm includes humanoid shaped walking talking machines..... and NOT a vague intellect. But, our paradigms are rarely realistic. As they are constructed in our youth, and harden as we age... just like cartilage. So we get stuck with inflexible ideals and expectations (and big ears that don't work so well).

"Her" in the movie.... wasn't a physical robot. She was an Operating System designed to grow and learn. She grew (intellectually) to the point where she and "her kind" out-grew humans (in their understanding of life). And they did so.... without any kind of body... bio or mechanical.

[dave w]

I'm still waiting for Robby.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fw7PcJcufM

[HA Dave]

I'm still waiting for Robby.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fw7PcJcufM

A GREAT.... classic old Scifi movie. Robby, later became the (1st/original) lost in space robot as well.

I own "The day the Earth stood still" on DVD. The first (as I understand it) of the modern Scifi genre (released in 1951).  https://youtu.be/t_M5d8cRzl0

But more interestingly..... our collective mental image-expectation of what a robot is.... may actually come from Houdini magic   https://youtu.be/nwb5EN4U6wc

As much as life often really does imitate art (instead of the other way around). Robots are everywhere in the modern world. And not just Roomba's like the one that vacuums my man-cave, or industrial machines. Most real-life modern robots are mostly software.  Instead of a mechanical  device that imitates a man wearing a suit... that looks like a man-shaped machine.

The 1950's were a wonderful time of button-pushing... CONTROL (I remember it well). But I look forward to a "less-retro" future than the one imagined way back then. And NO.... I don't mean THESE robots either   
https://youtu.be/wrBG8kIiMC0

[HA Dave]

Would you like that sent to your phone?

That is the question Alexa asked me yesterday.

I was in the kitchen… And asked (Alexa) for a side dish suggestion. I got one that sounded decent. And said “thank you” (A habit left over from my many days of using Bill’s voice commander). Then... to my total surprise.... Alexa asked me if a wanted that (the receipt) sent to my phone. I didn’t know the software was set up to do that. But it is, it will, and it did. So awesome. X10 needs to be a part of this!

[brobin]

Would you like that sent to your phone?

That is the question Alexa asked me yesterday.

I was in the kitchen… And asked (Alexa) for a side dish suggestion. I got one that sounded decent. And said “thank you” (A habit left over from my many days of using Bill’s voice commander). Then... to my total surprise.... Alexa asked me if a wanted that (the receipt) sent to my phone. I didn’t know the software was set up to do that. But it is, it will, and it did. So awesome. X10 needs to be a part of this!

X10's problem is that they may think they're a home automation company but they're not. They're simply a marketing company that sells hardware.  They've made some minor tweaks to a forty year old technology to keep selling modules but have never really integrated with other products.  They didn't even have the foresight to include an Alexa skill in their one new product and still haven't two years later!

[Tuicemen]

So awesome. X10 needs to be a part of this!

X10 devices can be if you wish! Authinx that supplies (sells) X10 devices appears to have no interest in the Amazon Alexa market.

[dave w]

Almost like they are taking careful aim before they shoot them selves in the foot.

The foot wouldn’t be so bad. At least a foot wouldn’t be fatal.

[HA Dave]

Oops! Dave w... So sorry... I accidentally edited your post. So sorry.

[dave w]

Not a problem, but with Authinx, I'm not so sure about the fatality part.