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In reply to the discussion: Why is Alexa female? [View all]bathroommonkey76
(3,827 posts)50. She's followed me on Twitter for a few years
Not sure why since I don't own an iProduct.
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When I was working for an airline I learned that airplane manufacturers
The Velveteen Ocelot
Feb 2018
#8
On the other hand, as people lose their hearing the higher pitches seem to go first. n/t
pnwmom
Feb 2018
#12
True, but those frequencies are higher than any female speaking voice.
The Velveteen Ocelot
Feb 2018
#55
Not true, alas. A couple of elderly relatives weren't able to hear my young daughter's tones. n/t
pnwmom
Feb 2018
#59
Since the voice is computer-generated, if there's a demand for a male voice
The Velveteen Ocelot
Feb 2018
#94
There's always an anecdote, isn't there. FYI, those people are called partially deaf. Or not pilots.
Hassin Bin Sober
Feb 2018
#118
I recall reading many years ago that the female voice is easier to understand.
Binkie The Clown
Feb 2018
#15
Why not male or female? Why not gender neutral? It's a machine, not a person. n/t
pnwmom
Feb 2018
#22
I agree -- it's been socially embedded. It's part of a pattern that we are all more programmed
pnwmom
Feb 2018
#64
As an american, culturally there IS an artifact on accents. Servants, butlers, etc, are typically
AtheistCrusader
Feb 2018
#137
I was referring to the Ask Jeeves service which was a natural language query assistant.
AtheistCrusader
Feb 2018
#141
You mean that MEN have decided to call them female, for some inexplicable reason. n/t
pnwmom
Feb 2018
#33
Why didn't they name it Alex, which nowadays is both a male and female nickname? n/t
pnwmom
Feb 2018
#35
after testing various names, the team landed on a word Alexa, that used soft vowels and an "x."
LanternWaste
Feb 2018
#48
"Alex" and "Alexa" both have a soft vowel (in the unaccented syllable) and an x. n/t
pnwmom
Feb 2018
#54
I think this was in regards to the early prototypes and designing for that
LanternWaste
Feb 2018
#74
Oh. Is there some reason they had to give it a feminine name? Alex would have been more neutral. n/t
pnwmom
Feb 2018
#46
I don't think anyone has argued they "had to" give it that name. Only that they chose to.
LanternWaste
Feb 2018
#72
And I believe in SF most male oriented voices for computers have turned evil
Blue_Adept
Feb 2018
#53
A lot of the reality is that most people don't view female voices as "threatening" when you get down
Blue_Adept
Feb 2018
#63
I'd heard/read somewhere that synthesized voices with female characteristics...
NurseJackie
Feb 2018
#58
Soft, clear female voices appear to be the go to option for narration or information.
Blue_true
Feb 2018
#66
Very true. Though I'd tale an Idris Elba version of Alexa anytime to provide information.
Blue_Adept
Feb 2018
#69
It's funny since science supposedly says that men don't really hear female voices.
MrsCoffee
Feb 2018
#79
Because men are sexist pig men! (Is that the answer you're fishing for? Do I get a cookie?) n/t
X_Digger
Feb 2018
#90
Well, I figured out how to change the voice gender, but there was no Barry White option.
crazylikafox
Feb 2018
#95
A machine is just an "it." It doesn't have a gender unless its marketers give it one. n/t
pnwmom
Feb 2018
#134
Consider that the Alexa/Hey Google/Siri/Cortana/ad nauseum devices aren't marketed at all.
AtheistCrusader
Feb 2018
#135
I renamed mine Giskard, in hopes that soon, it will know what I want telepathically.
CrispyQ
Feb 2018
#128