California fires: smart speakers and emergency alerts

Wed Aug 1 19:44:04 UTC 2018

>The point of the study in proposed bill is customers of Netflix and 
>Spotify (just to pick on them because everyone seems too) watching videos 
>on "Smart TVs" or listening on "Smart Speakers" may not realize those 
>devices won't get emergency alerts like their old-fashion AM/FM radios 
>and over-the-air TVs.  If Netflix or Spotify customers are watching or 
>listening on their "Smart Phones", they do get emergency alerts from the 
>cell phone provider.

I haven't used an "over-the-air" TV in fifty years ...

>Much like watching Netflix and listening to Spotify on smart phones,
>Netflix and Spotify do not control the alert function on Smart TVs
>and
>Smart Speakers. The alarm API of smart devices is predominately
>controlled
>by Amazon Alexa (34%), Google Assistant (34%), Apple Siri (10%), and
>others (21%). The message waiting notification API isn't a real
>substitute
>for an emergency alert API.

Thank the lord I have none of those things and never intend to have any of those things.

Also, I only ever use "stupid" devices.  Nary a "Smart" device is permitted anywhere near me or any network I use.

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The fact that there's a Highway to Hell but only a Stairway to Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic volume.