ORLANDO, Fla. – Hey, Alexa, can you keep my house safe while I'm away?
With a new "skill," Amazon's Echo smart speaker might be able to just that, according to a report in USA Today.
The skill, created by Hippo Insurance and called Away Mode, plays conversations that could trick potential burglars into thinking someone is home.
Users simply have to set up the skill and ask Alexa to play Away Mode. The speaker will then play recorded conversations, such as a couple breaking up while trying to watch TV, a frustrated mom explaining to her daughter how to assemble IKEA furniture over the phone or two average guys talking about what makes them unique because they want to start a podcast.
A veteran police officer told the newspaper that the skill could deter burglars.
“Theoretically it’s a good idea,”said Jim Bueermann, a retired police chief from California. “If this thing mimics real conversation, it’s much more likely to trick the burglar into believing somebody is home.”
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