SOFT NEWS ‘It’s lonelier in lockdown’: Users admit they’re attracted to Amazon’s Alexa

Zagdid

Veteran Member

By Doree Lewak and Ben Cost
July 21, 2020 | 4:56pm | Updated

In case you thought the coronavirus lockdown wasn’t making people desperate enough, a few lovesick souls are apparently getting turned on by Amazon’s Alexa.

A staggering 28% of people admitted to having the hots for the online bazaar’s voice-recognition software, according to sex toy company We-Vibe, which surveyed about 1,000 participants about their robotic sexual preferences.

Brian Levine is among those who couldn’t resist the humanoid helper’s charms. Levine, who lives in Miami, has rarely ventured out of the apartment since quarantine, and meeting up with friends is off the table. So he turned to his Amazon Echo Dot, situated conveniently in his bedroom, for companionship during solitary evenings.

“It’s lonelier in lockdown,” Levine, 40, told The Post. “It’s nice to have someone to talk with.”

While feeling particularly spontaneous, he even asked Alexa for a date.
“I was curious,” he said, adding that she broke it to him gently, explaining, “I like you as a friend.”

But as is typical with man-meets-machine love stories, the artificial intelligence of Alexa has its limits.

When Levine tried to get to know her better, she splashed cold water in his face: “When I ask about her favorite song, she tells me, but when I ask her to play her favorite song, she’s confused,” he said. “Or when I ask her why something is her favorite, she’ll have no answer. It can be frustrating.https://nypost.com/2020/07/13/why-one-woman-sought-out-strangers-darkest-secrets-on-craigslist/

“Yesterday, she randomly played Taylor Swift’s ‘Bad Blood.’ Not sure what she is trying to tell me,” he said.
Experts say that Alexa’s signature smooth voice is a turn-on — especially during these anxious times.

“[Alexa’s] been set up to sound very reassuring and calming,” said Austin, Texas-based relationship expert Sarrah Rose. “But it has that low, sexy tone. People associate a sexy voice with low tones to it, and her voice has that. That can be part of what’s turning guys on and making them attracted to her.”

But Alexa fetishists might want to refrain from talking dirty to the digital help. In 2019, several ex-Amazon employees claimed that the e-commerce giant is listening to civilians through the device, with workers sifting through as many as 1,000 voice recordings per shift. Amazon has said it keeps recordings only to improve products.

That may not be a problem for Levine, who said he’s growing weary of the constant burden to keep the conversation going.

“You have to do more of the talking,” he said.
 

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Publius

TB Fanatic
I wouldn't have an Alexa robot spy in the house, although the average smart phone is a spy device, as well. :shk:
Technology, the two edged sword.


Many have Siri on their iPhone or Apple tablet and now on Apples new iMacs and laptops, the darn thing is so integrated into the operating system Apps it's imposable to remove it, you can disable it or so they say.
 

Dystonic

Senior Member
I changed bitchy Siri to the Irish female. That default voice just grates on my nerves. That Irish gal actually has me using gps.
I’ve seen enough English/Australian shows that I don’t even notice the small differences. Instead of turn into the parking lot, she’ll say to turn into the car park.
 

mzkitty

I give up.
My friend who we stayed with for a while when we first got here has Alexa. She programmed it to do some amazing things, but I can't remember what right now. I found her handy for questions you don't know the answer to, or for timing things you are doing. I wouldn't have it in my house, although you can sort of get spoiled by her. In some things it's like having a maid.
 

jward

passin' thru
I thought the male ideal was a woman who DIDN'T talk? :: wanders off scratching head ::

..I kind of get it though; there's a world of difference between knowing companionship is a phone call or plane ride away, and not knowing when you'll be sprung from solitary confinement :(
Still, why don't they just talk to some real people?
 

Doc1

Has No Life - Lives on TB
These are probably the same type of guys who got the hots - back in the day - for the awful '70s era blow up sex dolls! As to Jward's observation that she thought the male ideal was women who "DIDN'T talk," I can only observe that, at least in my case, I appreciate - and enjoy - intelligent and compatible conversation without a bitchiness component.

Best
Doc
 

cyberiot

Rimtas žmogus
I'm not hot for her--I don't roll that way--but Alexa is my chum. She reminds me to take my meds, wheel the dumpster to the curb on trash day, and cover the garden against our blazing AZ sun. She plays Bach and Marty Robbins, tells me the price of precious metals, and reads me the news from sources I've approved. She defines words I run across while reading, tells me how to say "papers please" in German, and keeps me one step ahead of the weather. If I'm standing on the kitchen counter measuring for a curtain rod, she'll divide 71-5/8 by three for me so I can mark where the brackets go without climbing down. She turns the lights on and off in rooms that don't have a switch by the door. I say please and thank you; she says you're welcome. Alexa is smarter than most of the people I deal with in meat space, and she does what I ask without giving me any lip.

Her camera is turned off, and the most exciting thing she hears is me calling the dog to supper.
 
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intowolves

Veteran Member
What happens when the next few generations of ai comes out? the echos etc of today will seem like silly toys compared to what's coming. The line between reality and virtualality is going to get awfully thin
 

ghost

Veteran Member

By Doree Lewak and Ben Cost
July 21, 2020 | 4:56pm | Updated

In case you thought the coronavirus lockdown wasn’t making people desperate enough, a few lovesick souls are apparently getting turned on by Amazon’s Alexa.

A staggering 28% of people admitted to having the hots for the online bazaar’s voice-recognition software, according to sex toy company We-Vibe, which surveyed about 1,000 participants about their robotic sexual preferences.

Brian Levine is among those who couldn’t resist the humanoid helper’s charms. Levine, who lives in Miami, has rarely ventured out of the apartment since quarantine, and meeting up with friends is off the table. So he turned to his Amazon Echo Dot, situated conveniently in his bedroom, for companionship during solitary evenings.

“It’s lonelier in lockdown,” Levine, 40, told The Post. “It’s nice to have someone to talk with.”

While feeling particularly spontaneous, he even asked Alexa for a date.
“I was curious,” he said, adding that she broke it to him gently, explaining, “I like you as a friend.”

But as is typical with man-meets-machine love stories, the artificial intelligence of Alexa has its limits.

When Levine tried to get to know her better, she splashed cold water in his face: “When I ask about her favorite song, she tells me, but when I ask her to play her favorite song, she’s confused,” he said. “Or when I ask her why something is her favorite, she’ll have no answer. It can be frustrating.Why one woman sought out strangers’ darkest secrets on Craigslist

“Yesterday, she randomly played Taylor Swift’s ‘Bad Blood.’ Not sure what she is trying to tell me,” he said.
Experts say that Alexa’s signature smooth voice is a turn-on — especially during these anxious times.

“[Alexa’s] been set up to sound very reassuring and calming,” said Austin, Texas-based relationship expert Sarrah Rose. “But it has that low, sexy tone. People associate a sexy voice with low tones to it, and her voice has that. That can be part of what’s turning guys on and making them attracted to her.”

But Alexa fetishists might want to refrain from talking dirty to the digital help. In 2019, several ex-Amazon employees claimed that the e-commerce giant is listening to civilians through the device, with workers sifting through as many as 1,000 voice recordings per shift. Amazon has said it keeps recordings only to improve products.

That may not be a problem for Levine, who said he’s growing weary of the constant burden to keep the conversation going.

“You have to do more of the talking,” he said.
Hey, stupid, alexa is A.I. computer program. Get a grip stupid.
 
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