A new “Alexa Skill,” away mode attempts in tricking burglars into making them thinks somebody is out there inside the home, by playing lengthy audio clips just like real one. There have been several ways to trick burglars when homeowners are away from home like keeping the television on or setting hidden cameras, dog alerts, etc. But the new “skill” for the Echo smart speakers by Amazon takes things a bit further. The “away mode” undertakes in tricking potentials burglars making them think that the house is not empty, by playing some realistic audio-clips of conversations happening inside the house.
A San Francisco-based insurance company called the Hippo Insurance made the “skill” that includes almost half a dozen conversations. When users ask Alexa to play the “Away Mode” it will automatically play the recorded conversations such as; n angry mom discussing or explaining things to her children asking to repair the IKEA furniture, break up incident of a couple whilst they are watching TV, conversation of two guys over things regarding podcasts and other unique things, etc. The marketing brand head at the Hippo Insurance; Andrea Collins say that the main idea was to bring some funny yet general conversations that normally happen in a home. In a partnership with public relations, Hippo came out with topics for skits to recruit the talent that has comedy writers from popular clubs and television shows.
The Away Mode description on the Amazon.com states that it’s more like the scenario from Home Alone, except rather than having cardboard cut-outs, its boastful conversations penned down by the SNL writers, UCB, and it’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. This idea might sound bit hilarious, but one veteran cop says that it could affluently trick burglars. Jim Bueemann, who is the president of the Police Foundation, and a California-based retired police-chief told that theoretically, it’s a good idea to mimic real conversations, by tricking the burglar and making them believe that home is not empty. The device creates an illusion of people having a conversation inside the home that might scare burglars.
