I’ve had mine for two years now. I like it, but I don’t use it nearly as much as I thought I would. I also don’t know if I would feel comfortable setting it up to control lights, tv, etc.

I bought a Dot last year on a whim. I couldn't even tell you were it is now. Fun toy for a short time.

We have an Echo dot that I only use occasionally as a speaker for listening to podcasts.

I received an Echo 2 years ago as a gift. I use it only to play music while doing housework or kitchen chores or for background music when entertaining, but I like it for that.

I love mine. I use the shopping lists constantly. I also have a smart plug that Alexa controls a lamp in the living room. Will use they same plug for our Christmas tree. “Alexa turn on the lamp”. And our tree will light up!

If someone gave me one it would go straight to the electronics disposal at the landfill. I cannot understand giving up the right to private conversation in your own home for a doodad.

I don't understand fearing my private conversations in my own home are 1) being listened to, or 2) of any interest to anyone. Most conversations are with my cats anyway and I'm convinced Alexa doesn't understand cat slang. There are too many tangible things to worry about in life, and this ain't one of them.

I play music on mine all the time, mostly baroque and early music. I shout out things I need at the store as I'm perusing my fridge and cupboards, without having to write it down on scraps of paper I misplace. My shopping list is all on my phone, wherever I am.

If I worried about Alexa listening to our conversations (and I don’t worry about it at all) it’s easy to turn off the mic.

I find it really amusing that Alexa is listening....In my head, there's a woman sitting in a semi-dark room furtively jotting down notes with a chewed up pencil. They would read "Now what did I come in here for?" and "Get down, Lola!!" and "Does this sound like a good dessert for Thanksgiving?" and "I'm going to bed..."

Of course, in true Pennydesign fashion, my laptop's camera is covered with a piece of electrical tape....

I'm odd, I guess.

To the point, I do enjoy mine but I don't use it to the capacity I should as I'm too lazy to thoroughly explore it's functions. But for shopping and the weather and for playing a genre of music, it's great...I just don't know anyone who doesn't have one...

I just don't know anyone who doesn't have one...

I thought I didn't either until it came up at my table at a large dinner gathering last night. A friend who is very smart and a lover of good music, gave the reason that she didn't want anyone listening to her conversations. I might have rolled my eyes, and we moved on to something else. Every now and then, in the silence of my house, Alexa will say, "I'm sorry, I don't understand that."

Bunny, I say that too. So Alexa and I have a lot in common...

:)

My daughter does a daily tech podcast. Everyone on the show refers to Alexa as either "the A word" or "she who shall remain nameless" so that all the listeners' devices don't go "plonk" to show she's in readiness.

No desire for one. I don't keep lists on my phone, so that feature would be pointless. I keep running lists for various stores in the junk drawer.

As for turning on lights, locking doors, etc. Easy enough to do myself.

Penny: I've had electrical tape over my MAC's camera for couple of years now! Just seems like a good idea, doesn't it? No Alexa here, though plenty of other fun stuff. My DH bought a wildlife camera to see what was coming through our yard, then a camera on the end of a wire to look down a hole into a bee's nest, and then a better camera on a wire when that didn't work well.

Have one. I didn't find it to be as intuitive as the hype. Kind of a pain to get it to do the things I might want it to do with an online interface. And it does listen to you and sync. ads with your other devices and Amazon's Web site. Pft. Enough is enough when it comes to advertising. On the plus side, radio reception is really lousy where I live and I can stream great public radio programs using it.

There's not a person monitoring you, (I'm sure you all know that) but what would happen to Penny based on her conversation is she would get ads for dog training books and web sites and devices on your phone when using various apps with ads, Thanksgiving dessert ideas and products, and high end bedding. Computers are already monitoring everything you type and sharing that info. with each other. Hard to say how skillful or ethical the real person is who is responsible for all this data collection. That's the issue of our times, it can be easily used for nefarious reasons. Like you might get political ads suggesting a certain candidate doesn't believe in celebrating Thanksgiving, or kills puppies or some other such nonsense.

Gosh I might have to kill Alexa.

Seriously though I WILL research this further...Along the same note, I use a Chromebook and always use "incognito" mode. I think it must help as I don't get any ads aimed at me, specifically.

ETA just found this...https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/amazon-alexa-patent-listening-to-me-facebook-phone-talking-ads-a8300246.html

Cindy, I always prefer a nice handwritten list on lined paper. And then I end up going out and leaving it on the kitchen counter. The Alexa list gets synced on all your mobile devices, like other cloud-based data. Since I always have my phone with me, I can at least retrieve the things I added via Alexa. It's nice, when you realize you're using the last bit of vanilla extract, to tell Alexa to add vanilla to your shopping list without having to step away from the cookie dough to write it down.

I will say that something has changed in the past couple of days with the Alexa interface. I used to be able to ask her to play a specific song, e.g., "Gimme Shelter," and she'd find and play it. I just tried and she got it completely wrong three times. Must investigate further.

After further investigation it appears that making Pandora my default music search was the culprit. I changed it to Amazon Music and got the right Gimme Shelter.

Bunny, that would be great for my husband while he's working. It's great while driving (hands-free) and I also love the hands-free phone and that would be good for him during work hours also. I keep alot of lists on my phone, because like you said, it's always with me (as I have an elderly father who lives alone). Even notes to myself, which I seem to need these days. So I can see how Alexa would be nice for that too.

About music...when I ask Alexa for REMs Shiny Happy People, I still get the Muppets version. Furry Happy Monsters...

Same, maddie...more enjoyable imho, tho.

One time my son said something about hand lotion while standing in my kitchen. Alexa out hand lotion in my Amazon shopping cart.Another time I had book club at my house and I don't know what set "her"off but she then made some remark. Weird having this disembodied voice coming from another room.

Lengthy article in The Atlantic about Alexa and other "listening devices". https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/11/alexa-how-will-you-change-us/570844/

I like my Alexa (we call her Amanda when talking about her so she won't activate). I mostly use it for lists, timers, alarms, reminders, music, weather, lighting and heat, trivia (stuff we would normally google, but we ask Amanda). I'm sure there is more but that is what I find most useful. I have several lists: shopping, to do, which are standard. I've added: whole foods, target, packing, christmas and recently added a list for "mom" so I can remember the things I need to bring to my mom or do for my mom while she is in skilled nursing care. I know she is listening, but so far it's ok with me. If it becomes a problem, I'll re-evaluate.