[kiseleon]

For me it is because when I am home I don't want to have to use my phone. I want to spend time with my family.

Every time I pull out my phone there is the temptation to check my email, message friends, etc.

But with my echo dot (or google home mini, I currently have both while I decide which to keep) I can control my lights by voice without missing a beat, I can play music for my kids to dance to without fumbling through an app, I can check the weather forecast while I'm digging through the coat closet, all without being distracted from what I'm doing and without any extra fluff.

I do not have any locks or security systems connected to them as I do not trust them that far, but for informational and recreational use they have made things considerably more convenient.

[ouid]

how does not wanting to use your phone have anything to do with using a listening device to turn off your lights?

[rtkwe]

I don't see how it's not clear. Kiseleon wants the convenience features of various bits of smart home tech without having to use their phone to do it so that they can avoid the attention maw that is the cell phone.

[ouid]

That's not the parent comment's point at all. Parent comment is clearly arguing that the convenience provided by an alexa over having no smart home stuff at all is not worth the privacy invasion. Pointing out that you can accomplish the same thing with your phone only improves that position.