#AmazonEcho Fun: Avenger's #InfinityWar Trivia Game #AlexaSkills

Marvel Studios: Avengers Tweet (Screenshot)

Do you have an Amazon Alexa-enabled device? Or at least have an Alexa-enabled Amazon app on your smartphone/s? Alexa is so darn ubiquitous, which was rather Amazon's point in order to gain access to more consumer data, that I'm betting you do. I mean, I have an Amazon Echo (1st Gen), an Amazon Fire Tablet (originally called Kindle Fire, 3rd Gen) and various Alexa-enabled apps installed on several smartphones --- and this is all without actually trying --- merely because I've been an Amazon customer for better than a decade and I also happen to be a natural born geek.

So do you use your Alexa-enabled whatever to play games? There are some fun Alexa Skills out there. (There are quite a few useful ones, also.) I noticed a tweet from Marvel Studios this morning about a new Avenger's Infinity War Trivia Game (Alexa Skill). I haven't played it yet, but it might be fun. I like Marvel. I read the comics, watch the movies and play the games (each at varying levels).

ASIDE: Apparently, today is also Thor's (Chris Hemsworth's) birthday as I saw a tweet to this effect while scrolling through my feed this morning. I do enjoy his portrayal of the character in the Marvel movies (MCU). I've always had a soft spot for Thor, as a both a Viking and a Mythology devotee (since childhood). Happy Birthday to him!

Have you found any must-have Alexa Skills? Di mi, cara. Do Tell.

Well, the pup is stomping her paw ready to go out for second walk. Adieu!

Amazon #EchoShow: Now #Alexa Can Show You the #Video or Watch You... #AlwaysOn #HomeSecurity #VideoCalls #SmartDevices #MsgSvc #Device2Device

Fresh on the heels of debuting the Echo Look (see here), Amazon has announced the Echo Show, basically an Echo device with a built-in touchscreen monitor and camera, so now you can ask Alexa to show you video clips or display song lyrics when music plays. (The addition of a camera also adds more potential for unauthorized surveillance, so be aware and be safe. Remember, Always On comes with an [Off] button --- you can always turn off or unplug the device when not in use. Regardless, make certain to setup security measures to prevent hacker hijacking.) It's still an Amazon Echo, only now with "webTV." Big whoop. (I'm being a bit facetious here. Obviously, there ARE uses for a Smart Assistant with a camera and video screen built-in, like the ability to pair it with a doorbell camera --- Alexa, show me who's at the door? But this, can be accomplished with the old Echo and your own monitor. Adding a touchscreen to the Echo and re-christening it as "Echo Show" is mainly a convenience factor upgrade.)

Amazon Echo Show

In my opinion, the biggest gimme in this product debut, however, is the announcement of a new feature that will be made available across all compatible Alexa-enabled devices --- the ability to make free calls and send free messages device to device or D2D! (Folks with camera enabled Echo devices like the new Echo Show can make video calls.) Have the Alexa app on your smartphone "dial" your home Echo device for a nice chat...

Considering the field of Smart Assistants is becoming ever crowded, Amazon is obviously seeking to continue the dominance it gained from being an early, well functioning entry into the marketplace. Will it work?

#InformedDelivery: @USPS Employs #Tech to Combat #Mail Theft! #HomeSecurity #MailCall #ImageCapture #Photography #House101

Roughly a month ago, I received an email from the United States Postal Service (USPS) touting a new home delivery service enhancement called Informed Delivery that would allow participants to "see their mail before it arrives" and thereby know what mail is expected. (Greyscale front side images of letter-sized mail destined for a registered address are captured during the normal USPS sorting process and made available for viewing to the registered party.) If you've ever had any cause for concern that your mail is going AWOL, whether due to mail theft or rogue postal employees, then signing up for Informed Delivery may offer some peace of mind. The service is free and currently covers machine sorted letter-sized mail. At the moment, Informed Delivery is only available in limited ZIP Codes, but is expanding. Service registration requires proof of identity/address (as it should).

Since receiving the initial email from the USPS back in April, I have received a couple other emails and at least one piece of direct mail touting Informed Delivery. It's obvious the USPS is showcasing (and even pushing) this new service. While Informed Delivery is an example of the notoriously "left-footed" USPS using modern technology in an ostensibly beneficial manner, there are some things to consider. Namely, that the USPS is a government agency and giving it leave to photograph your mail (and store those photos) may indeed provide enhanced security for your residential mail delivery, but it might also open up a new can of worms. (NOTE: The USPS already photographs the front side of automatically sorted mail, Informed Delivery service provides an alternate usage for these images.) Ask yourself: How long are mail images stored? Who has legal access to these images? How secure is the USPS website (and servers) which store these images? Is "proof of address" enough of a standard for service registration? (At the very least, read the USPS privacy policy and be aware of exactly to what you are agreeing.)

Questions such as these are important because mail can often be of a sensitive nature. The USPS is bound by law to protect the privacy of your information due to it being a government agency which deals with sensitive personal information, but you should still be aware of both sides of the coin. If images of your "private mail" are being stored on third party servers it WILL become the target of hackers ...and of law enforcement, because let's face it, a good deal of information can be gleaned merely from examining return addresses and addressees. The average person may not care if a third party is keeping a log of his mail (the postal service can, of course, do this already, it's how mail fraud investigations are undertaken). The average person may aver the oft repeated "I have nothing to hide" catchphrase that is doggedly put forth to counter any Big Brother arguments against more surveillance, but whether you personally fear government misuse of your potentially sensitive personal data does not exempt the government from needing to establish rules to secure such data collection. You may think you have nothing to hide, but the mere thought does not protect you from law enforcement subpoena or from criminals who might seek to hack your mail images and use any information gleaned from them in an attempt to blackmail you.

Informed Delivery could provide a valuable home service, it could prove a useful home security tool, but it needs to be rigorously secured (and regulated) to guard against exploitation. Just food for thought.

Visit https://informeddelivery.usps.com for more information or to signup for service.

#EchoLook: It's #Amazon #Alexa #AI #HandsFree #Camera + #StyleAssistant #NewProducts #SmartDevices #Selfies

Got an email from Amazon yesterday introducing the new Echo Look, which is billed as a "Hands-Free Camera and Style Assistant" or in other words, a glorified automatic selfie camera. You can take full-length photos and short videos with the Echo Look. (It has Alexa built-in, so it's voice controlled.) It also has "built-in LED lighting, a depth-sensing camera and computer vision-based background blur" along with a companion app that allows you to check out your photos and build personal lookbooks.

Amazon Echo Look

The listed price is $199.99, free shipping included. This product can be purchased "by invitation only." You can request an invitation to purchase the Echo Look on its product page. (If selected, you will receive an email with an invitation to purchase.) So of course, I requested my invite immediately. Immediately, I tell you.

ROFLMAO!

NOTE: There is nothing wrong with taking pictures of yourself --- if that's what you want to do. There is also absolutely nothing wrong with an AI controlled camera. In fact, I can think of myriad uses for this thing that would NOT involve selfies in any way, shape or form. It's merely that for all the data Amazon supposedly collects on its customers, looks like somebody would have recognized that a person who HATES having her picture taken is likely NOT the market demographic for this product (as it's billed). But Big Data is only as good as its mining... And don't get me started on the marketing gimmick of something only being available to PURCHASE "by invitation." I could rant about this for days... Days!

#MarketWatch: Charting #Household #Trends #KitchenWitchery #Futurist

I keep an eye on trends. I don't follow, I lead the charge. I have an eye for talent, quality and competency. I absorb news and information, then distill it into relevant data. As a result, I am often ahead of the curve. I can see the big picture. (While I'm being a bit tongue in cheek in the sentences above, I do enjoy market forecasts, futurist diatribe and popular culture trends analysis. However, I do not generally set my life course based upon other people's predictions, excepting perhaps the weather. No one would accuse me of being a follower.)

Periodically, I'll try to share some of the trends I'm seeing as well as ones I predict will arise. Here's a quick snapshot of a few arcs that currently bend toward the future in the home market.

Have you noticed that in the modern kitchen:
H2O > soda
airfryer > deep fryer
organic > natural
organic > processed
plant-based > meat & potatoes


Have you noticed that in the modern household:
insulated stainless steel cups > H2O bottles


Have you noticed that in the modern home entertainment center:
streaming services > disc rental kiosks
OTA > cable
Timeshifted > Broadcast

____

NOTE: Not all trends are good. Merely because a lot of people pursue something does not mean it's appropriate, right or necessary. We sometimes get caught up in things, like a mob mentality.