Amazon is automatically upgrading Prime members to Alexa+. Here's how to opt out

[highplainsdem]

My thanks to SheltieLover for sending me this article.

https://www.localmemphis.com/article/news/nation-world/amazon-automatic-upgrade-alexa-plus-how-to-opt-out/507-3105c319-0f52-421a-b741-9ad6919f22e5

Amazon is rolling out an automatic upgrade of Alexa+ to some Prime members, and not everyone who's getting the upgrade is happy about it.

Amazon says that Alexa+ gives users a "new and improved" experience that is more conversational and personalized. When the company introduced Alexa+ early last year, it said that the generative-AI infused Alexa gives the popular voice assistant more personality, and that it can check a user’s tone and even plan romantic dates.

Customers must pay Amazon a monthly fee of $19.99 for the revamped Alexa; however, it is free for Prime members, who pay the company a monthly or annual fee for free delivery and other perks.

-snip-

According to the notification sent to Amazon Prime users who receive the automatic upgrade, you can revert to the original Alexa by saying, "Alexa, exit Alexa Plus."

-snip-

No, thanks, to this "improved" chatbot that will be forced into Amazon devices like Echo and Fire TVs and tablets.

This thing is "free" for people with Amazon Prime because it can gather more data that way.

Vice article: Amazon Is Annoying Its User Base With Automatic Alexa+ Updates
https://www.vice.com/en/article/amazon-annoying-alexa-plus-auto-upgrades/

Long Reddit discussion of Alexa+, most people there not very happy with it: https://www.reddit.com/r/alexa/comments/1pyusvn/amazon_is_forcing_alexa_on_prime_members_whether/

Link for that forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/alexa/

[SheltieLover]

1. Are prime members who don't use alexa affected?

[highplainsdem]

5. If they have a device with Alexa.

[SheltieLover]

7. Ty. No such wretched device here

[Ms. Toad]

11. Same question - and same reaction to Alexa in any form. n/t

[AverageOldGuy]

13. I had the same question

And, no, there are no Alexa devices anywhere near my home.

[RandomNumbers]

2. I use Alexa for controlling lights and music

occasionally the weather when my hands are too busy or grubby to look at the weather app I use.

Last Sunday I asked Alexa what time and station to find the Eagles game ... 'she' started giving me details about a game with Dallas. (for anyone not following.... it was the wild card game with the SF 49ers ... sigh ... I just wanted to confirm when was kick off and what over-the-air TV station. Sheesh. Alexa used to be okay for getting that info.)

[Ilsa]

18. I have found that alexa doesn't know

the tv schedule, even for major networks, or when sporting events start and where I can watch them.

I use it to control some lights, give me updates on weather, and I use it as an intercom.

[George McGovern]

3. I am glad I do not have an Echo device. amazon's getting out of hand. Thank You highplainsdem and SheltieLover.

[SheltieLover]

8. Me either, George. Zero desire to talk to machines & far less to have them talk to me.

[George McGovern]

12. Indeed!

[NewHendoLib]

4. I thought it was awful and opted out of it pretty quickly

[msfiddlestix]

6. Im a prime member and i have an device given to me by the center for visually impaired and the blind.

It's a tool to Aid me in my everyday life and I'm glad to have it because my vision is pretty much toast and I've grown to depend on it for a lot of little things like kind of day for instance and alarms and weather reports and an occasional musical Thing, it makes life a little bit easier for me to get by daily activities and countless ways. I'm grateful to have it.

[brer cat]

15. My sister (and housemate) and I are both visually impaired.

I call Alexa her service animal. I can still tell time and set times on our kitchen devices, but my sister depends on Alexia to keep her on schedule. She does plan to have Alexa exit the new update. Devices like this do seem to be intrusive but they are a godsend for the visually impaired.

[Cha]

16. Good on you and your sister, brer cat.

[brer cat]

17. Thanks, Cha. I have also been helped by the

magnifying glass you recommended. The lights didn't work properly on the first one, but they replaced it with no problem.

[Cha]

19. Oh Good! I'm on my 3rd one... I put

in the batteries but the light isn't working for me, either. I thought it was just me.

So glad you got it to work.. and with a high Front it's priceless!

[SunSeeker]

9. I have yet to come across a helpful chat bot.

They are completely useless and never address my issue properly, let alone replace a human customer service person. It is invariably a frustrating, often enraging, waste of my time.

[luv2fly]

10. Easy, delete your Amazon account

Shop locally and support blue businesses... problem solved!

You're welcome.

[aggiesal]

14. I can't stand companies that force services on me that I didn't want ...

and then make it impossible to get rid of it.

[Sympthsical]

20. Seems fine to me

We have an echo in the kitchen. Mostly for music (via Spotify). Some lights connected to it. Outside of that, mainly use it for timers and to add to grocery lists, but basic questions are usually answered just fine.

I was reading a few Reddit threads, and how people act or seem to want to react to it is a little strange. We don't have conversations with Alexa. It's strictly functional/instructional. So reading about people having full-fledged arguments with it was kind of hilarious.

Technology is what it is. Be cautious about AI, yes, but I don't want to contrarian my way into Luddite either. We used to be excited about talking computers when watching shows and movies back in the day. As far as it listening, eh. I've had an iPhone for 15 years. That ship done sailed ages ago.