Too old for gadgets?

[bobmac]

I have had my fair share down the years but the new stuff coming out is just beyond me.
Not technically but just..........why?

The latest thing I've seen and I've tried to like it is the 'Smart home'

Alexa, play spotify
Ok Google, turn on the tele.


I just can't get my head round talking to the appliances.

Or am I just too old?

 

[ScienceBoy]

It’s great but it’s far to complex. It needs far more integration and cross brand standardisation of communication. Any brand should at least be able to operate the basics of another.

Until it’s more standardised and gets cheaper I’m out.

 

[Dasit]

I am in my 20s and think they are pathetic



But.....sometimes you need to go through the early pathetic stages to get to a more developed state of technology which will be very useful.


I will just let other people help us get there and skip the current "smart home" etc phase

 

[Blue in Munich]

I have had my fair share down the years but the new stuff coming out is just beyond me.
Not technically but just..........why?

The latest thing I've seen and I've tried to like it is the 'Smart home'

Alexa, play spotify
Ok Google, turn on the tele.


I just can't get my head round talking to the appliances.

Or am I just too old?

If you are, you are not alone........

 

[ScienceBoy]

4K tv is also too early for me, when it’s the standard I’m in.

I think 3-5 years for 4K and 5 years plus for smart homes.

Easy, quick and commonplace charging for Electric cars and also home batteries can’t come soon enough IMO though.

 

[USER1999]

Alexa etc is absolutely brilliant for disabled people, or for the aged. They can turn on loghts, heating, music, telly, draw curtains, what ever, just by talking.

For fit people, they should be embarassed.

 

[USER1999]

ITTT makes more sense. This enables things to be linked. So for instance I could link my phone arriving home and connecting to wifi, to turning on the outside light, the hall light, turning up the heating, may be draw the curtains, put the kettle on, etc.

 

[MegaSteve]

Still trying to get my head around receiving or sending texts...

As for voicemails... No chance...

 

[Lord Tyrion]

We have an Alexa. We use it as a speaker only, very good too. Maybe over time we will use it for all the clever things it can do but at the moment, a speaker it is.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Alexa etc is absolutely brilliant for disabled people, or for the aged. They can turn on loghts, heating, music, telly, draw curtains, what ever, just by talking.

For fit people, they should be embarassed.

^^This^^
We are looking after the M-in-Law as she’s terminally ill and Alexa has been a god send for her, she can listen to her music, change to listen to a radio, have a book read, etc
I’ve now bought a smart plug for a fan in her bedroom and she is able to switch it on and off by asking Alexa.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

^^This^^
We are looking after the M-in-Law as she’s terminally ill and Alexa has been a god send for her, she can listen to her music, change to listen to a radio, have a book read, etc
I’ve now bought a smart plug for a fan in her bedroom and she is able to switch it on and off by asking Alexa.

This is a perfect way of using the technology and I can see how it'll make life much easier for the sick and disabled. I think it'll progress further and hopefully as others have said there is a standardisation of the technology. I can see this filtering into places like hospitals

 

[rulefan]

Why do email, texting and whatsapp (and no doubt all other ways of sending messages) have different way of clearing ones you no longer want?

 

[bobmac]

Alexa etc is absolutely brilliant for disabled people, or for the aged. They can turn on loghts, heating, music, telly, draw curtains, what ever, just by talking.

For fit people, they should be embarassed.

Totally agree but when you watch the promotional videos, it's mostly the 20-30 year old age bracket it's aimed at.

 

[Hacker Khan]

I have an Amazon Echo and am well out of the 20-30 year old age bracket. I could survive without it but find the things it can do useful. I still find the fact that I can ask it to play virtually any song and 2 seconds later it is playing it mind blowing. Yes I could get out my CDs or vinyl and do much the same thing, but why bother if you can just ask for it.

 

[USER1999]

Totally agree but when you watch the promotional videos, it's mostly the 20-30 year old age bracket it's aimed at.

Same as cross over cars, like the renault kadjar etc. Advertised to young trendy families, bought by pensioners because they are easy to get in and out of. Talk about poor targetting.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I have an Amazon Echo and am well out of the 20-30 year old age bracket. I could survive without it but find the things it can do useful. I still find the fact that I can ask it to play virtually any song and 2 seconds later it is playing it mind blowing. Yes I could get out my CDs or vinyl and do much the same thing, but why bother if you can just ask for it.

Do you have Amazon music then?

 

[FairwayDodger]

I think it's fine if you want amazon, google etc knowing everything that gets said in your house.

 

[User101]

I think it's fine if you want amazon, google etc knowing everything that gets said in your house.

Nailed it, it's all about data. Whatever you say to these things will be used, either for or against you sooner or later.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Do you have Amazon music then?

Spotify

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I think it's fine if you want amazon, google etc knowing everything that gets said in your house.

They don’t and can’t record everything Karen, that urban myth has been well and truly disproved.