Google Duplex, coming to an iPhone near you.
Google Duplex is one of the more impressive products Google has shown off in recent years. Just ask the Google Assistant to make a restaurant reservation at a certain time, and it will do it. By “do it,” I mean it will make a phone call to a business, speak to the business on your behalf with one of the most human-sounding computer-generated voices ever made, negotiate a reservation time, and get back to you.
I can’t decide if I’m excited or terrified.
I’ve been a bit hesitant to get started with one of these virtual assistant things, but this one might get me to test the waters. The internet is getting creepier by the day though. Mrs. Droogie and I went out this weekend, so she posted a pic on the Facebook. Now I’m getting ad’s for the dress she wore. The internet should know that it’s not my style!!!
Holy shit, that is creepy.
I’ve also heard too many horror stories about these devices listening in on conversations that no one should hear.
Be afraid. Google Android is basically an industrial vacuum sucking up your personal data-bits, and I’m sure that Alexa et al are coming for your soul.
I found this Roger McNamee interview/podcast extremely enlightening. He’s a venture capitalist who was an early investor in Facebook, and has a fascinating perspective on the last 50 years of tech, as well as insider’s knowledge of Silicon Valley.
Thanks!
On the bright side, if Google’s product kill count is any indication, this should only be a problem for a couple of years.
“What they realized was that, appealing to outrage and fear was much more successful than appealing to happiness, because one person’s joy is another person’s jealousy. Whereas, if you’re afraid or outraged, you share stuff in order to make other people also afraid or outraged, because that just makes you feel better.”
NSA, please make me a dinner reservation.
Ha ha!