Amazon launches cost-cutting review focusing on Alexa

[haertig]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

It is simply not true.

How many computers have been compromised, and how much personal information has been stolen over an internet connection compared to being "listened to" over an Alexa device? My bet is that orders of magnitude more personal data is stolen over standard telephones and cellphones than is stolen over Alexa voice connections.

The possibility of loosing personal information is there - both for a basic internet connection and for an Alexa device. There are ways to mitigate both, but neither is 100% secure. Have you seen any reports of identity theft or bank accounts getting hacked due to a data leak over an Alexa voice connection? Of course it's theoretically possible, especially if you're in the habit of calling out account numbers, passwords, social security numbers, etc. as you walk around your house talking. Do you not admit that it is also theoretically possible for a hacker to get this information over an internet connection plugged into a computer?

To call into question one path (Alexa) but not the other (internet connection) is terribly naive. I agree that one should do their best to secure both. And on top of that, don't do stupid stuff - like reciting your social security number next to a microphone, or downloading software from questionable websites. Either type of behavior is going to bypass security norms (not to mention common sense norms) and get you into trouble.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

My guess is Amazon Basics, Alexa, Kindle, Fire, Firestick, and Eero.

According to the article I read, Amazon is moving to redeploy staff from certain teams to more profitable areas and closing teams in areas such as robotics and retail, the WSJ reported.. So we don't even know the extent to which these are consumer devices.

Amazon opened a full self-checkout supermarket near us, weeks ago, and my wife and I haven't even driven past. This is based on a combination of not liking self-checkout, and suspicion of this being a whole-pay-check knock off. If others are thinking that way, some of their fancy devices could be sitting idle.

[Paperbackstash]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If Amazon was to make Alexa a subscription service, it would tank. Unless new features were added as part of Prime.

Very true. Less apps work with it than before unless they're native, so there is no reason to have a sub service.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I don't think Amazon Basics is an Amazon device.

Amazon Basics is Amazon branding stuff made by other companies.

[rcentros]

Personally I'm happy this division is losing money. The notion that privacy is "no big deal" and it's "just peachy" to be spied on, is a dangerous retreat from Constitutional freedom, in my opinion. And what corporations say they will do with this with the conversations they collect and what they actually do do with them can often be completely different. Corporations often lie and/or arbitrarily change their license agreements in midstream. And there's a difference between targeting a specific computer for information and the routine recording and storing of everything you say and do — and then providing that information to government officials upon request.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I don't think Amazon Basics is an Amazon device.

Amazon Basics does make electronic devices as well as non-electronic devices.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Amazon Basics does make electronic devices are well as non-elctronic devices.

Do they really "make" or brand existing products? Surely most Amazon Basics products are just like own brand supermarket packaging?

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Amazon Basics does make electronic devices are well as non-elctronic devices.

Originally Posted by Quoth

Do they really "make" or brand existing products? Surely most Amazon Basics products are just like own brand supermarket packaging?

I'm pretty sure that most Amazon Basic products can be found branded with some other company's name if you searched hard enough. They even had an "Amazon Basic" mechanical pencil for a while, and I know for certain that product wasn't made by Amazon.

I really don't think the Amazon Basic branded products are Amazon's main problem right now.

[MGlitch]

Amazon Basics covers a massive range of products, from computer mice, to dog food bowls, to bed sheets, to batteries, to chairs, to panties.

Even the most die hard Amazon zealot would be hard pressed to believe Amazon invented, or even innovated, in most or all of these fields.

It is the equivalent to the "store brand", a generic version of a product, made at low cost so that the price savings can be passed on to the consumer to undercut the name brands. And before the Amazon defenders jump on this, I'm not passing judgement, it's been a practice before Amazon was a thing, it's been a practice since before Bezos was alive. This is just Amazon utilizing its position to sell a generic product of which they get the whole of the profits (or a very large share), vs whatever they have worked out with other sellers.

I'd be very surprised if Amazon Basics was contributing to the 5 billion in losses, since its whole premise is a low cost low reward system because there's no risk on the products, people need them, and there's no R&D going into them, just replication of an existing product and slapping "amazon basics" on it.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I'm pretty sure that most Amazon Basic products can be found branded with some other company's name if you searched hard enough. They even had an "Amazon Basic" mechanical pencil for a while, and I know for certain that product wasn't made by Amazon.

I really don't think the Amazon Basic branded products are Amazon's main problem right now.

Originally Posted by MGlitch

Amazon Basics covers a massive range of products, from computer mice, to dog food bowls, to bed sheets, to batteries, to chairs, to panties.

Even the most die hard Amazon zealot would be hard pressed to believe Amazon invented, or even innovated, in most or all of these fields.

It is the equivalent to the "store brand", a generic version of a product, made at low cost so that the price savings can be passed on to the consumer to undercut the name brands.
…
I'd be very surprised if Amazon Basics was contributing to the 5 billion in losses, since its whole premise is a low cost low reward system because there's no risk on the products, people need them, and there's no R&D going into them, just replication of an existing product and slapping "amazon basics" on it.

That's what I thought.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Quoth

That's what I thought.

Just about everybody other than JSWoof does.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Amazon Basics is Amazon branding stuff made by other companies.

I'm familiar. I don't think my Amazon Basics pajama pants would count as a 'device'

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I'm familiar. I don't think my Amazon Basics pajama pants would count as a 'device'

Amazon Basics backup battery charger counts as a device (as an example).

[haertig]

You have to be careful when buying Amazon Basics electronic devices. I think they are all probably made in China, where when they say "UL approved", that means "Undertakers Laboratories approved".

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Amazon Basics backup battery charger counts as a device (as an example).

Target is a device because they sell both pajama pants and battery chargers. Got it.