Answering back

People with voice-activated organisers, such as Amazon’s Alexa, don’t mind chatting away to it (or is it her?) at home or in the car, but are shy to do so in public. Of course, dog-walkers have long conversed with their charges and, mostly, are not regarded as weird for doing so. A dog, though, does not usually answer back. Anything that does talk invites a reply. In the 80 years of the speaking clock, thousands of inquirers have said “Thank you” upon being told the time at the third stroke. Radios and televisions are very often spoken to, sometimes sharply, and are lucky to escape objects being lobbed at them. Satnav even more strongly attracts retorts if it becomes headstrong. So the world should soon grow used to passers-by talking to Alexa. It’s an improvement on the silent headdown walk with eyes glued to a phone screen.