Amazon force people to buy new phones

[Geffers]

The problem with phone apps is often one is forced to buy a new phone to continue using devices you already own.

I have a number of Alexa devices, been working fine up to now, suddenly fails to work. Find out that app now not supported by my Operating System.

Effectively Amazon is forcing me to purchase a new phone in order to manage my Alexa devices now.

They used to have a web page access for management, that too seems to have disappeared.

Geffers

 

[Retro]

This planned obsolescence is quite the money spinner for these big companies, isn't it? Removing the web page really brings that point home.

Alexa is horribly privacy invasive, so this might be a blessing in disguise for you. It's the same reason why I don't use Siri on my iPhone with voice activation. I've set it to only activate when I press the home button so the only thing that Apple get are my questions, which I make sparingly, not of a private nature and not general sounds that it would otherwise pick up.

 

[Geffers]

Similar with Alexa, the mic can be switched off, the trigger word can also be disabled so questions via a button press.

I have a few auto functions operating on various devices within my home, odd thing is, my phone is android 8.1.0 (Appreciate we are up to 14) and now doesn't work with Alexa but my Samsung Netpad Tab A also uses 8.1.0 but alexa works on that. Maybe something to do with android working via Samsung OS.

Geffers

 

[Tiffany]

I have an android too. I don't use Bixby or ever ask questions to Bixby. I'm a bit old fashion or well, rather trained just to type out the question.

 

[Geffers]

I have an android too. I don't use Bixby or ever ask questions to Bixby. I'm a bit old fashion or well, rather trained just to type out the question.

Might be showing my lack of awareness here but what is Bixby?

Geffers

 

[Tiffany]

Might be showing my lack of awareness here but what is Bixby?

Geffers

I use a Samsung phone (android os) and like Apple has Siri, android has Bixby. Bixby performs the same tasks as Siri. I've just haven't used it. I'm too old fashioned and just prefer typing in the question in the search bar. Kind of like, we all used to write our appointments on our calendars and had to transition to keeping our appointments in our phone calendars, which I live by my phone calendar now, much more accurate. I just haven't made that transition to Bixby. My mom still uses a paper calendar.

 

[Geffers]

I've got a Samsung Tablet and cannot say I've heard of Bixby. If I want voice commands on my Android phone the trigger phrase is 'Hey Google' followed by command.

Must admit I use voice recognition when using whatsapp whilst out walking (If I have a message thread on the go), it is surprisingly accurate if you talk sensibly.

I do like automation and technology but agree, often the old ways are the best.

Geffers

 

[Tiffany]

I've got a Samsung Tablet and cannot say I've heard of Bixby. If I want voice commands on my Android phone the trigger phrase is 'Hey Google' followed by command.

Must admit I use voice recognition when using whatsapp whilst out walking (If I have a message thread on the go), it is surprisingly accurate if you talk sensibly.

I do like automation and technology but agree, often the old ways are the best.

Geffers

I'm not really well acquainted with phones as I am other stuffs Now I'm curious how the voice commands work on my galaxy ultra note 20...lol. I'll have to try it out over our holiday weekend next week and check it out.

How do you like your Samsung tablet? I have an Apple iPad that's about to go and was considering whether or not to transition to a galaxy tablet or get another iPad?

Good to know the voice recognition in whatsapp works well. I'm so old fashioned that I'll text friends while on my treadmill ....maybe it's time for me to get into today's technology, talk into my phone, which might prevent me from falling off the treadmill.

 

[Geffers]

How do you like your Samsung tablet? I have an Apple iPad that's about to go and was considering whether or not to transition to a galaxy tablet or get another iPad?

Good to know the voice recognition in whatsapp works well. I'm so old fashioned that I'll text friends while on my treadmill ....maybe it's time for me to get into today's technology, talk into my phone, which might prevent me from falling off the treadmill.

The Galaxy tablet I've had for around 6 years so bit dated but still works fine, yes, I do like it. Phone great but with my old eyes screen often bit too small for web activities. Messaging fine, mapping fine, simple web pages OK but otherwise screen bit small for anything complex.

Might be paranoia but I don't do financial transactions on phone, prefer a decent computer to see what I am doing.

As for voice recognition, it is amazingly accurate now, I recall one of the first voice recognition software programs being launched, Dragon Naturally Speaking one was called. You had to train it with quite a few phrases and it struggles with accents but the phones work well, Amazon's alexa is excellent, as is Google's.

All quite fascinating.

Geffers

 

[Retro]

Might be paranoia but I don't do financial transactions on phone, prefer a decent computer to see what I am doing.

That's not paranoia. I don't even use a financial mobile app on my iPhone, which is as secure as it gets for mobile devices. Android is a swiss cheese of security holes, especially old, unsupported versions, so should definitely not be used for this.

It's PC only for me, too.

 

[Tiffany]

The Galaxy tablet I've had for around 6 years so bit dated but still works fine, yes, I do like it. Phone great but with my old eyes screen often bit too small for web activities. Messaging fine, mapping fine, simple web pages OK but otherwise screen bit small for anything complex.

Might be paranoia but I don't do financial transactions on phone, prefer a decent computer to see what I am doing.

As for voice recognition, it is amazingly accurate now, I recall one of the first voice recognition software programs being launched, Dragon Naturally Speaking one was called. You had to train it with quite a few phrases and it struggles with accents but the phones work well, Amazon's alexa is excellent, as is Google's.

All quite fascinating.

Geffers

Same for me, I need a big screen to do big things.

I have a Samsung galaxy note ultra 20, which is the bigger phone, but still hard to do much on a website, except for short comments. I have a hard time writing anything short, lol.

Same on banking, not on my phone either.

Progress in voice recognition and software is fascinating and nice to know engineers have worked out a lot of the dialect issues from the past. I can recall a Big Bang Theory episode where Barry Kripke was talking to Siri. it was a funny scene.

That's not paranoia. I don't even use a financial mobile app on my iPhone, which is as secure as it gets for mobile devices. Android is a swiss cheese of security holes, especially old, unsupported versions, so should definitely not be used for this.

It's PC only for me, too.

More validation to not use my Android for banking, thank you!