Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham44
This is quite true, I suppose anything with a mic could be listening when you don't know it is, but the biggest difference between other tech (tablets, laptops etc) and ''smart'' speakers is the smart speakers are designed to be left on/ on standby all the time, or rather they've been marketed that way, whereas tablets etc are powered off, you could even unplug a desktop or take the battery out of a laptop if you so wished. A smart speaker would be pretty obsolete if you had to walk over and plug it in every time you wanted to use it, it would effectively remove it's only USP.
People say why do you think they would want to listen all the time? - Data gathering, why would people think they don't listen all the time?
But if you (the universal you, not any individual on here) has decided that all the evidence etc points to these companies not spying and therefore is happy to use a smart speaker there's nothing wrong with that, equally if you have come to the opposite conclusion and wouldn't allow a smart speaker etc within a 100 feet of your home  (me included) thats fine also |
When was the last time you powered off your phone, tablet, or laptop for an extended period of time? Even defining "off" is pretty hard. Modern apple laptops for example use a haptic trackpad. They have no buttons but instead use a vibration motor to fake the feel of a click. This works when it's been shut down from the menu so you can turn it back on by clicking. Is it really off then if it's keeping the vibration motor alive? If they can keep a motor alive, why not a mic? With a phone or tablet detecting "off" is even more difficult. Most these days don't have a user removable battery so how can you really be sure it's off?
The reason not to be listening all the time is trust. Who would trust a company listening all the time?
I just don't understand how someone can claim an entire class of device is essentially a bug but then ignore devices (from the same manufacturers even!) that can do all the same things + more.