Debate: I unplugged my smart speaker for a month and things got weirder than I expected

I pulled the plug on my Amazon Echo back in February. No more asking for weather or timers. First week was fine. But around day 10 I noticed I was checking my phone way more for basic stuff. Then my wife said she missed the random music it used to play in the morning. Now I wonder if the convenience is worth the listening. Has anyone else tried going without and found it harder than they thought?

2 comments

2 Comments

rosed326d ago

Honestly, your point about checking your phone more around day 10 really hit home. When I tried ditching my smart speaker for a week, I caught myself doing the same thing - reaching for my phone to set a timer or check the weather, which honestly felt way more distracting than just asking the speaker out loud. Did you find that the phone checking actually made you less present, or was it just a habit that died down after a few more days?

the_daniel6d ago

@rosed32 Actually, I kind of see it differently. The phone checking felt way more distracting in the moment because it pulled me into a whole mental loop - unlock, check a notification, see the weather, then somehow end up doomscrolling for 10 minutes. The speaker was just "okay google set a timer" and done. For me, the habit didn't really die down either. I just accepted that my brain treats a phone like a portal to all my apps, not a simple tool.