Two parts to this story involving our television causing interruptions in our viewing pleasure. ;~)
- Dog vs. Machine.
Several years ago our young Great Dane was not yet tuned in to exactly how our door bell sounded. She heard a door bell and she barked. And that is about the only time she barks unless someone knocks on the door.
So my wife and I are watching a prerecorded program on the TV. A door bell rings on TV and our dog begins her barking routine and runs to the front door waiting for one of us to get up and check things out. We knew it was the TV so we tell her that it is OK and to go lay down. But during a Great Danes barking episodes that is all you hear and I had to back up the DVR and replay the conversation that took place then the door was opened on the program. Replaying the scene begins with the door bell ringing again and the dog barking and running to the front door again. It took me until about the third time to realize that I was not going to hear the conversation. A few years later the dog can distinguish the difference and all is well.
- Machine vs. Machine
So just when you think all of the above is in the past... we buy an Amazon Echo. If you have not heard of this device it is like a radio/Siri appliance. You talk to it and it responds with music or answers. To begin the command you speak the code word, Alexis and she/it wakes up and waits for a command or question. It will play music of your choice, answer your questions, tell you the news, weather, and or spell words for you. It will even create a grocery list and the items show up on the Echo app on our iPhones. Pretty cool!
So my wife and I are watching a prerecorded program on the TV. The program goes to commercial, an Amazon Echo commercial. The commercial demonstrates how the Echo works and the guy calls out, Alexis, and then asks the Echo what the news is. Our Echo hears the TV and responds also with the news. I thought that was a fluke but after rewinding and replaying 2 more times..... Our Echo responded to the commands coming from the TV....
Hummmmm, what next?