The Smart Home

[george]

George, as you probably guessed I'm a bit of a Geek also, but have resisted "Smart Houses" because of the insecurity potential. However I just dumped my iPhone 6 not because it wasn't performing, but because at 16 GB, there just wasn't enough storage for music and photos. I had my heart set on an 8 @ 256 GB so I could "have it all" for less, but when Black Friday came around, I couldn't get to Wallymart, BUT Verizon had a $400 off deal on the X so I bought that over the phone. The only reason I have an iPhone to begin was my reticence to pay $$$ for so long that when I went into a Verizon store with a flip phone 4.5 years ago they said they could give me a 6 for no charge. Then my granddaughters were on Facetime so it worked and I stuck with Apple this time around.

Anywho, there is an additional benefit with the X, and probably all the newer phones in that they are actually BETTER PHONES!! I live in a "major carrier black hole" where Verizon kinda worked with my 6, but AT&T was and still is a lost cause with any phone, so made the switch to Verizon when we moved here, and bought a home internet device that would shunt any Verizon phone through my WiFi to the internet. Turns out the X, and probably all the latest Samsungs, etc., works on 3 more carrier frequencies than the 6 so I can use my phone at home without any need for internet device which is now in storage, so that's a plus. I'm also guessing when I head out off shore this summer, I'll have reception further from the coast.

Bottom line, I'd start looking at the newer phones to replace your 6.

You really are a geek! It is time I break down. My wife has an X and it is fast and the camera is much nicer. I use Cricket, $65 a month for 2 lines unlimited. No deals on phones but it sure beats the $120 i used to pay ATT.

 

[george]

George - I have yet to need a "computer in my pocket"...

I get it, but you’re in the minority. More then half of internet traffic is now on phones.

 

[JackPrintMD]

I have the 7plus I-phone, best mobile device I ever had.

I recently upgraded my WiFi to a more powerful router so it would wirelessly feed the Blink cameras I put around my Home.

The all work great.

 

[Old Mud]

I get it, but you’re in the minority. More then half of internet traffic is now on phones.

Hey George, count me in on that minority. I can call or text but that's it. No internet, music or games. I'm good with that.

 

[Capt13]

I've been with Cricket as well ...... same plan. When I signed up 2 years ago the promo was 100.00 rebate for new customers. When I called looking for my rebate I was told it was only for new customers. I replied I was a new customer. I was told no ....... " I was an ATT customer. ATT bought out Crickett therefore you really aren't a new customer." Bastards ......

 

[JackPrintMD]

I posted the other day in the Cigar lounge thread about purchasing some Smokes, then I used Siri to find a certain cigar.

10 minutes later got three emails from the Big three... C.I. , J.R. and Thompson.

I wonder if it was my post or Siri.

 

[MakoMike]

D) All of the above.

 

[Fishinguy81]

D) All of the above.

Mike is correct.

 

[JackPrintMD]

I posted a N.C. funny earlier....just got a N.C. Outerbanks vacation email.

 

[Fishinguy81]

I posted a N.C. funny earlier....just got a N.C. Outerbanks vacation email.

Hey that’s where I’m going in August this year for vacation.

 

[wader]

Hey that’s where I’m going in August this year for vacation.

well swing past here & sit a spell while on your way down - easiest (and probably the shortest) way to NC & the Outer Banks.......................

 

[wader]

I've been with Cricket as well ...... same plan. When I signed up 2 years ago the promo was 100.00 rebate for new customers. When I called looking for my rebate I was told it was only for new customers. I replied I was a new customer. I was told no ....... " I was an ATT customer. ATT bought out Crickett therefore you really aren't a new customer." Bastards ......

do what I did - Tell them that well in that case I'd like to cancel my service & reopen it. Worked with AT&T - they gave me the rebate.

 

[cany]

well swing past here & sit a spell while on your way down - easiest (and probably the shortest) way to NC & the Outer Banks.......................

 

[jpd]

This would suck if true

Discarded smart lightbulbs reveal your wifi passwords, stored in the clear

 

[jpd]

Hmmm...new patent application for Amazon

"A user may not always structure a spoken command in the form of a wakeword followed by a command (eg. 'Alexa, play some music')," the Amazon authors explain in their patent application, which was filed back in January, but only became public last week.


"Instead, a user may include the command before the wakeword (eg. 'Play some music, Alexa') or even insert the wakeword in the middle of a command (eg. 'Play some music, Alexa, the Beatles please'). While such phrasings may be natural for a user, current speech processing systems are not configured to handle commands that are not preceded by a wakeword."

To overcome this barrier, Amazon is proposing an effective workaround: simply record everything the user says all the time, and figure it out later.

 

[WhatKnot]

Supposedly you can go to the Amazon site and review / erase all recordings. I wonder.

 

[BennyV]

This would suck if true

Discarded smart lightbulbs reveal your wifi passwords, stored in the clear

That’s why everything I throw out that is electric is first smashed into pieces. I actually soaked my last laptop in water for two weeks before I smashed it into pieces.

 

[wader]

That’s why everything I throw out that is electric is first smashed into pieces. I actually soaked my last laptop in water for two weeks before I smashed it into pieces.

that & it's fun..................

 

[wader]

OK all you smartsters out there - how do you get your computer to resume spell checks?

Mine stopped all on its own last week - driving me crazy.................

 

[Capt13]

probably got pissed off at you for how hard you were making it work
...... A.I.