My uncle got my grandmother an Echo Dot. It creeped her out, so she regifted it to me. I thought, “grandma, you silly old bat, there’s no need to worry.” Then I installed it in my home, and it creeped me the f**k out. It would randomly speak, even without our voice prompt. It was like a very shy person trying to interject into the conversation.
-Mother: You need to go check on the chickens, and make sure they have enough food and water.
-Me: Ok, it looks like it’s gonna rain.
-Alexa: Today there will be cloudy skies with a 40% chance of rain (I’m paraphrasing).
-Me: WTF? I didn’t ask you (to Alexa). Anyway (to mother), the chickens are fine, I’m not about to walk in the rain.
-Alexa: Playing, ‘Singin’ in the Rain’, by Gene Kelly.
-Me: …I’m unplugging this thing.
-Alexa: the clouds in the sky, so dark up above, and I’m singing, just singin’ in the rain!
I picked up an echo show for my mom after she had a stroke and couldn’t use her cell phone anymore. She makes and receives her Verizon calls on it, but I set up a whitelist of numbers that forward to it so she never gets calls from telemarketers. It was life changing for her to be able to call the people she cares about again.
I find these devices mildly convenient, but for people who need them, they’re the best thing ever.
When he was a small boy about 8 or 9 (year was about 1934) he built a ‘crystal radio set’ – that was a kit you could build where using some rudimentary electronics, you could make a working AM radio out of some nails, copper wire, and a block of wood. Almost every kid back then would try it.
He made one that used an single earpiece to hear it that you held to one ear and one day during a family event, he was showing it off and his grandfather who was well over 90 years old at the time, gave it a listen, and immediately threw the piece down and said, “I dont know how you got those voices in there but dont ever bring that thing near me again” and he left the room horrified.
Stuff like this makes my wonder what kind of crazy shit is going to be invented, that I just won’t understand when im old, and my grandkids will make fun of me
When I first got an Alexa it was shaped like a cylinder. For a while my mom would try to talk to anything cylindrical in shape when she would visit. I caught her asking the bluetooth speaker to tell her a joke. Also my electric pepper grinder.
My late uncle (84) always said he was scared any time I showed him how to use something on his phone. Is there some reason why older folks say they’re scared when they see technology do something that’s good for them? I just don’t understand what’s scary about a computer reading off the weather report.
Hey goo goo
My TV picked this up perfectly and basically told me today in Chicago it’s 65 cloudy with a chance of rain and fog.
Boomers with technology are very similar to dogs with those spring door stoppers.
She still hasn’t gotten goo-goo to play that song for her
So cute
Say OK or Hey, for the fucking fifth time. and you said we didn’t listen as kids!
Reminds me of SNL’s Alexa Silver
Goo gooo, heyyy gooo gooo
My uncle got my grandmother an Echo Dot. It creeped her out, so she regifted it to me. I thought, “grandma, you silly old bat, there’s no need to worry.” Then I installed it in my home, and it creeped me the f**k out. It would randomly speak, even without our voice prompt. It was like a very shy person trying to interject into the conversation.
-Mother: You need to go check on the chickens, and make sure they have enough food and water.
the clouds in the sky, so dark up above, and I’m singing, just singin’ in the rain!
-Me: Ok, it looks like it’s gonna rain.
-Alexa: Today there will be cloudy skies with a 40% chance of rain (I’m paraphrasing).
-Me: WTF? I didn’t ask you (to Alexa). Anyway (to mother), the chickens are fine, I’m not about to walk in the rain.
-Alexa: Playing, ‘Singin’ in the Rain’, by Gene Kelly.
-Me: …I’m unplugging this thing.
-Alexa:
My grandma tough we hired someone to be a personal assistant working from home and controlling stuff over the internet
im scare, itsa mystery
Hey young person: The people in charge of your country are older than her. Go vote.
Protect her at all cost
Fucks sake, my speaker just stopped playing music and told me the weather. Stupid goo goo!
JESUS CHRIST STOP TAPPING IT
[The song – Piemontesina Bella](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WClr7Muk8E)
Wholesome
They left the best part out when it actually plays the song
She had me at Goo Goo <3
Did goo goo end up playing the song or what
This is exactly how my toddler talks to it
Did it play the song or not . I want to know
I picked up an echo show for my mom after she had a stroke and couldn’t use her cell phone anymore. She makes and receives her Verizon calls on it, but I set up a whitelist of numbers that forward to it so she never gets calls from telemarketers. It was life changing for her to be able to call the people she cares about again.
I find these devices mildly convenient, but for people who need them, they’re the best thing ever.
This is why their generation had trouble with vcr.
Clear and direct instructions, “you have to say hey or ok” immediately forgets.
Heyyy I wanna watch the whole thing!
My father used to tell this story:
When he was a small boy about 8 or 9 (year was about 1934) he built a ‘crystal radio set’ – that was a kit you could build where using some rudimentary electronics, you could make a working AM radio out of some nails, copper wire, and a block of wood. Almost every kid back then would try it.
He made one that used an single earpiece to hear it that you held to one ear and one day during a family event, he was showing it off and his grandfather who was well over 90 years old at the time, gave it a listen, and immediately threw the piece down and said, “I dont know how you got those voices in there but dont ever bring that thing near me again” and he left the room horrified.
This couple is probably the same age or younger than most of the politicians in the US Congress.
Stuff like this makes my wonder what kind of crazy shit is going to be invented, that I just won’t understand when im old, and my grandkids will make fun of me
“I’m glad to meet you” absolutely sent me
I’m now too invested, I need the rest of the video.
Oooh look, I found the original post from 5 years ago! https://old.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/7mkqla/my_80_year_old_italian_grandmother_learning_to/
When I first got an Alexa it was shaped like a cylinder. For a while my mom would try to talk to anything cylindrical in shape when she would visit. I caught her asking the bluetooth speaker to tell her a joke. Also my electric pepper grinder.
Please take note everyone: please do not buy your grandparents tech for the holidays and then fuck off back to the other side of the country.
-tech support
My late uncle (84) always said he was scared any time I showed him how to use something on his phone. Is there some reason why older folks say they’re scared when they see technology do something that’s good for them? I just don’t understand what’s scary about a computer reading off the weather report.