Alexa, play Heart.

[Graham.]

Isn't there some sort of rule about not deliberately triggering smart speakers, on mass, especially in the name of advertising as in this current "Heart" Radio campaign?

[Roderick Stewart]

On Wed, 11 Oct 2023 02:31:26 +0100 (GMT+01:00), "Graham. "

Post by Graham.
Isn't there some sort of rule about not deliberately triggering smart speakers, on mass, especially in the name of advertising as in this current "Heart" Radio campaign?

If not, it can only be a matter of time. I'm just waiting till it
occurs to somebody to bypass the current thoughtcrime laws by printing
their chosen slogans (commercial, religious, ideological, political or
whatever) in the form of QR codes on T-shirts. It'll be fascinating to
see the inevitable debate about how 'offensive' something can be said
to be in light of the amount of effort a would-be offendee has to go
to in order to decode and understand it. We live in crazy times.

Rod.

[Brian Gaff]

You might have a look at the app called navilens. It has been designed to be
a code read from a distance and it can read several at once. Very handy but
open to abuse, in my opinion.
Brian
--
--:
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
***@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!

Post by Roderick Stewart
On Wed, 11 Oct 2023 02:31:26 +0100 (GMT+01:00), "Graham. "

Post by Graham.
Isn't there some sort of rule about not deliberately triggering smart
speakers, on mass, especially in the name of advertising as in this
current "Heart" Radio campaign?

If not, it can only be a matter of time. I'm just waiting till it
occurs to somebody to bypass the current thoughtcrime laws by printing
their chosen slogans (commercial, religious, ideological, political or
whatever) in the form of QR codes on T-shirts. It'll be fascinating to
see the inevitable debate about how 'offensive' something can be said
to be in light of the amount of effort a would-be offendee has to go
to in order to decode and understand it. We live in crazy times.
Rod.

[Andy Burns]

Post by Brian Gaff
ou might have a look at the app called navilens. It has been designed to
be a code read from a distance and it can read several at once. Very
handy but open to abuse, in my opinion.

Do they still put them on cornflakes packets?

[Roderick Stewart]

On Wed, 11 Oct 2023 09:18:22 +0100, "Brian Gaff"

Post by Brian Gaff
You might have a look at the app called navilens. It has been designed to be
a code read from a distance and it can read several at once. Very handy but
open to abuse, in my opinion.
Brian

I hadn't heard of Navilens, but it looks like a QR code restricted to
a resolution of 5x5 squares to make it readable from a greater
distance, but with coloured squares (which a normal QR code doesn't
have; they're just black and white) to make up for the reduced
information content that a 5x5 QR code would otherwise have.

It's a clever idea. Somebody has evidently thought about the QR code
and realised that since phone cameras can see colour, they might as
well use the extra information capacity.

It would be a particularly cruel form of mischief to print misleading
signs as Navilens codes, as it's likely that only blind people would
be using the app for them, but standard QR codes are used on posters
and labels everywhere and modern phone cameras seem to have readers
installed by default. I find that if my phone happens to catch sight
of a QR code anywhere in the frame when I'm trying to take a picture
it will show the decoded text superimposed on the image, and if the
text happens to be a URL I would only have to tap on it to open a
browser to go there. The opportunities for advertisers and/or mischief
makers are very clear.

Rod.

[J. P. Gilliver]

Post by Roderick Stewart
On Wed, 11 Oct 2023 02:31:26 +0100 (GMT+01:00), "Graham. "

Post by Graham.
Isn't there some sort of rule about not deliberately triggering smart
speakers, on mass, especially in the name of advertising as in this
current "Heart" Radio campaign?

If not, it can only be a matter of time. I'm just waiting till it
occurs to somebody to bypass the current thoughtcrime laws by printing
their chosen slogans (commercial, religious, ideological, political or
whatever) in the form of QR codes on T-shirts. It'll be fascinating to
see the inevitable debate about how 'offensive' something can be said
to be in light of the amount of effort a would-be offendee has to go
to in order to decode and understand it. We live in crazy times.
Rod.

On the other hand, I remember many years ago concerns about young ladies
wearing T-shirts with writing on them, and then people trying to read
what it said, rather than staring at their chest. If (e. g.) QR codes
start appearing on that particular surface, needing people to point a
fobile at them, this could cause endless trouble - both ways (oglers
using it as an excuse, genuine trying-to-readers being falsely accused).

[JMB99]

Post by Graham.
Isn't there some sort of rule about not deliberately triggering smart
speakers, on mass, especially in the name of advertising as in this
current "Heart" Radio campaign?
--

Is it possible to block certain words so it does not respond to them?

Or change the trigger word to activate ALEXA, if everyons used different
words then would not be possible to misuse for advertising purposes.

Fortunately I never hear any radio adverts!

[J. P. Gilliver]

Post by JMB99

Post by Graham.
Isn't there some sort of rule about not deliberately triggering smart
speakers, on mass, especially in the name of advertising as in this
current "Heart" Radio campaign?
--

Is it possible to block certain words so it does not respond to them?
Or change the trigger word to activate ALEXA, if everyons used
different words then would not be possible to misuse for advertising
purposes.
Fortunately I never hear any radio adverts!

I'm pretty certain the trigger word can be changed - though I don't know
whether to anything, or only one of a fairly small list. Nor whether the
units remember the change if power is removed: these days that should be
the default (with a reset button), but it wouldn't surprise me if it
isn't.
But most people won't change the default. Legislation/regulation could
go either way: saying the default word should not be broadcast could be
seen as a free speech infringement (comedians often do a sketch about
Alexa for example), but protecting it is forcing people to change the
default. (The latter - i. e. the current situation - is likely to
remain, and it's like expecting people to have the ability to use an
"app" for all sorts of things: basically, to those who don't want to, or
can't, "tough".)

[Roderick Stewart]

0On Wed, 11 Oct 2023 10:28:42 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver"

Post by J. P. Gilliver

Post by JMB99
Is it possible to block certain words so it does not respond to them?
Or change the trigger word to activate ALEXA, if everyons used
different words then would not be possible to misuse for advertising
purposes.
Fortunately I never hear any radio adverts!

I'm pretty certain the trigger word can be changed - though I don't know
whether to anything, or only one of a fairly small list. Nor whether the
units remember the change if power is removed: these days that should be
the default (with a reset button), but it wouldn't surprise me if it
isn't.

During my brief experience with one of these gadgets before the
novelty wore off (some time ago so it's possible the situation has
changed by now) I discovered that the wake word could be changed but
only to one of a very small prescribed list. It did occasionally
respond to something it had misheard from the TV, so I guess it would
be possible for a broadcaster to include a definite command.

For maximum amusement or annoyance (depending on your view) a command
such as "Alexa, what's factorial one hundred?" used to keep it
occupied for a while, but after a while they changed the format of
replies to something a lot shorter.

One of my grandsprogs has discovered how to make Alexa invoke a
selection from a huge repertoire of fart noises. Yes, really. Somebody
has actually gone to the trouble of programming this, and goodness
knows what else.

Rod.

[J. P. Gilliver]

In message <***@4ax.com> at Wed, 11 Oct
2023 11:56:25, Roderick Stewart <***@escapetime.myzen.co.uk> writes
[]

Post by Roderick Stewart
During my brief experience with one of these gadgets before the
novelty wore off (some time ago so it's possible the situation has

Having visited people who have one (actually several), I found it quite
useful - mainly for things I'd normally use Google for (e. g.: Alexa,
who sang xyz, or Alexa: how tall/old is abc); to the extent that I'd be
quite pleased if someone bought me one, though I haven't felt any urge
to buy myself one. In what way did you find the novelty wore off? I can
see you'd fairly soon stop using it just for the sake of it - I did; but
as I say, I found it useful. Also "Alexa: remind me at XX about YY" was
easier than setting up such things on the computer.

Post by Roderick Stewart
changed by now) I discovered that the wake word could be changed but
only to one of a very small prescribed list. It did occasionally
respond to something it had misheard from the TV, so I guess it would
be possible for a broadcaster to include a definite command.

I wondered if one could try "Alexa: say Siri" and vice versa, but I
don't think we ever got round to trying it. (Thinking about it, saying
that would wake up Siri anyway.)

Being triggered by something broadcast reminds me - I used to have one
of those whistle keyrings - if you forgot where you'd left your keys,
you whistled, and it beeped to help you find them. (They were - are, I'm
sure you can still get them - about the shape and size of a large memory
stick.) But I found certain things set it off - Margaret Thatcher's
voice being one of them. Since it dangled from the ignition in the car,
and she was often on in commute time, it tended to run down its cell
rather quickly.

Post by Roderick Stewart
For maximum amusement or annoyance (depending on your view) a command
such as "Alexa, what's factorial one hundred?" used to keep it
occupied for a while, but after a while they changed the format of
replies to something a lot shorter.

A lot of speech-synthesis software defaults to reading out numbers in
normal speech form - X million, Y thousand, Z hundred and ... which is a
pain when it's something like a telephone number.

Post by Roderick Stewart
One of my grandsprogs has discovered how to make Alexa invoke a
selection from a huge repertoire of fart noises. Yes, really. Somebody

I'd be surprised if "Alexa: make a fart noise" doesn't work; possibly
even just "Alexa: fart". Certainly things like "Alexa: tell me a joke"
or "Alexa: sing to me" do.

Post by Roderick Stewart
has actually gone to the trouble of programming this, and goodness
knows what else.
Rod.

A lot of that, of course, is back at base, not inside the little
cylinder. This isn't a fact that they draw your attention to - they like
you to think Alexa does it itself, much like the mobile operators like
you to think your 'phone and your 'phone service are the same thing. If
you turn off your router, you'll find Alexa is a lot dumber - I _think_
it will still respond for some things (maybe it can still tell you the
time for example), but most it will just apologise that it can't tell
you that right now, or similar.

[Mark Carver]

Post by Graham.
Isn't there some sort of rule about not deliberately triggering smart speakers, on mass, especially in the name of advertising as in this current "Heart" Radio campaign?

If you have an Alexa, you're likely to be using that as your 'radio', so
it's not going to cause a problem (she doesn't trigger herself) If you
don't have an Alexa, there's no problem, is there ?

[JMB99]

Post by Mark Carver
If you have an Alexa, you're likely to be using that as your 'radio', so
it's not going to cause a problem (she doesn't trigger herself) If you
don't have an Alexa, there's no problem, is there ?

Not necessarily, I sometimes use ALEXA but it can be unreliable so often
easier to just listen on DAB.

Would another commercial station carry an advert for HEART though?

[Mark Carver]

Post by JMB99

Post by Mark Carver
If you have an Alexa, you're likely to be using that as your 'radio',
so it's not going to cause a problem (she doesn't trigger herself) If
you don't have an Alexa, there's no problem, is there ?

Not necessarily, I sometimes use ALEXA but it can be unreliable so often
easier to just listen on DAB.

It's hardly going to be a major widespread problem.

Post by JMB99
Would another commercial station carry an advert for HEART though?

Yes, of course, both Global and Bauer plug their own stations. I've
heard Smooth and Heart promoted on LBC for instance.

[Brian Gaff]

Yes indeed, but they also have a smart phone app that can be used. I have to
say thatwiring up thee lady to an aux port on a decent hi if is very good.
Its far easer than fiddling about with tuning stuff in and there are skills
like my tuner radio and radio player that can play stations from around the
world. Tune in cannot do that due to a court ruling of course, but skills
based elsewhere don't cre and that should be the case, but some cranky old
judge did a ruling and started the slow rot of restricting links by the
recording giants who want to protect their regional market share.
Brian
--
--:
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
***@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!

Post by Mark Carver

Post by JMB99

Post by Mark Carver
If you have an Alexa, you're likely to be using that as your 'radio', so
it's not going to cause a problem (she doesn't trigger herself) If you
don't have an Alexa, there's no problem, is there ?

Not necessarily, I sometimes use ALEXA but it can be unreliable so often
easier to just listen on DAB.

It's hardly going to be a major widespread problem.

Post by JMB99
Would another commercial station carry an advert for HEART though?

Yes, of course, both Global and Bauer plug their own stations. I've heard
Smooth and Heart promoted on LBC for instance.
--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

[Graham.]

Mark, I omitted to say this was a TV advertising campaign.

[Brian Gaff]

It does not trigger mine. There is no law, only common sense. You also might
be interested to know that Billy Joels daughter is called Alexa, imagine
what problems she must get!

There are many names I've heard the A lady respond to. I use Computer on
one here, and sometimes when I'm on the phone it will pop up and say, sorry
I missed something.


Most of mine seem to allow Computer, Amazon and Alexa, but apparently in
some markets you can use the name ziggy. I was told that if you hold certain
buttons and read some set text to it you can make it respond to any string
you like until you disconnect the power. This is often done by radio
stations, One such uses Soup drinker, since its unlikely to be something
that could be said by accident.
As to why the play heard does not trigger it? I think it could be because
there is part of the word which is not quite as clear as it might be, so it
hears lexa oracles or similar.
I guess if you fetid it very close to the microphone it might trigger it.
My biggest annoyance at the moment is that it often asks if you want to
subscribe to things.
So in the old days you could say, no thanks, Now if you say this it runs a
really naff game called no thanks and the subscription is enabled on the
last item. Sharp practice, though of course if you are wise you tick the box
in the app to make sure you cannot do things that cost money by mouth, you
have to tick a box in the app. I guess otherwise little Johnny would be
ordering half of Amazons stock while the parent was out.
Brian
--
--:
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
***@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!

Post by Graham.
Isn't there some sort of rule about not deliberately triggering smart
speakers, on mass, especially in the name of advertising as in this
current "Heart" Radio campaign?
--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%

[Angus Robertson - Magenta Systems Ltd]

Post by Brian Gaff
It does not trigger mine. There is no law, only common sense. You
also might be interested to know that Billy Joels daughter is
called Alexa

The Echo wake word can be changed through the application from Alexa to Echo,
Computer, Amazon or Ziggy, and Hey Santa, but that seems to be a special...

Hearing the wake word on radio or TV has always been a problem, but mostly if
you look at privacy review voice history it says 'Audio was not intended for
Alexa', they probably build a database of phrases captured from TV and radio to
ignore.

The US version of Ghosts had a recent episode where they played with Alexas,
which kept triggering mine.

My FireTV has Alexa, and that triggers itself. Unfortunately I can not change
the FireTV wake word, not available in the app!

Angus

[Brian Gaff]

I'm sure they could very easily enable anything as the wake word, but do not
or some bright spark would call it something rude.
Brian
--
--:
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
***@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!

Post by Angus Robertson - Magenta Systems Ltd

Post by Brian Gaff
It does not trigger mine. There is no law, only common sense. You
also might be interested to know that Billy Joels daughter is
called Alexa

The Echo wake word can be changed through the application from Alexa to Echo,
Computer, Amazon or Ziggy, and Hey Santa, but that seems to be a special...
Hearing the wake word on radio or TV has always been a problem, but mostly if
you look at privacy review voice history it says 'Audio was not intended for
Alexa', they probably build a database of phrases captured from TV and radio to
ignore.
The US version of Ghosts had a recent episode where they played with Alexas,
which kept triggering mine.
My FireTV has Alexa, and that triggers itself. Unfortunately I can not change
the FireTV wake word, not available in the app!
Angus