Shopping with Alexa

We've already been warned about this future, by the self-described "Cool Hand Leuk⁽¹⁾" himself, the late Steve Goodman.

(Link is to a rendition of his song "vegematic." I don't hot-link sources with audio, in case they load in an auto-play mode.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnqtGjHJjs8

Notes:

1. He gave himself that nickname when he was in the hospital due to his Leukemia. The man had one of those rare twisted-yet-hilarious senses of humor.

We just got up-graded vending machines at work - they'll take your credit card or ATM card. No excuses now, if you want a doughnut at 9AM, you don't need any cash. Can't begin to add up how many calories having nothing smaller than a $20 bill saved me. Not anymore! Spend your money and add those pounds.

On the other hand, there are those, like myself, who, despite being a drag racer for 10 years and able to do most car repairs, have a difficult time talking to a person at the service department of the car dealership to schedule work to be done. Some kind of weird phobia some of us are "wired" with. I put off many things needed to be scheduled because I have this phobia about bothering people at their workplace. Let Alexa do that for me. (no - I don't have Alexa yet, but....)

I guess the smart cars will have them contacting you....

http://www.capterra.com/auto-repair-software/

Also it all goes into a master data base on your spending habits...to be sold to the highest bidder or confiscated on the grounds of National Security. ... well maybe not confiscated... the NSA already has it.

Voice activation doesn't work everywhere: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sAz_UvnUeuU

I don't know. The other day I had the TV a bit loud and was in Google voice search and the phone looked up what was being advertised on the TV.

I really don't need some flowered boxer shorts size XXL or a set of knives.

That's a good point, all we need is the TV hawkers to start with "Alexa, order...".

Don't encourage them...

among many reports of issues with voice command helper is this: http://thehackernews.com/2017/09/ai-digital-voice-assistants.html .

Anyone can spoof your phone and order stuff, that you pay for, if your voice command is turned on, by using ultrasonic sound just above the normal hearing range.

Us older folks aren't falling for these many different ways to extract money. Maybe the millennials will be the suckers-in-waiting. If I were to buy everything on "As seen on TV", I would be out all my money and have a house full of absolute JUNK. I know someone (close) who buys everything from "as seen on TV", but she can afford to throw her money away. It is a very different world we live in. The world we live in is composed of those with money (any amount) and those who work to get your money, no matter how it can be done; it amounts almost to stealing; certainly not illegal, but questionable on ethic and moral grounds. As a people, we are being programmed by those who want our money, to buy by making it easy and convenient. It started with credit cards and now we have drones, echo and alexa to help us spend. I will never let those into my home. My wife and I both worked a 40 hour week; we came home and COOKED our own meals. We cleaned our own house. Now retired, we still do the same things we did back then. While some people will spend $20 to see an awful movie,plus $5 for popcorn and another $3? for a drink, we live a happy and content life surrounded by caring friends and relatives. What more is there to want? I could go on and on, but you get the general idea.