Yeh, you'd think that based on all the comments you read here.
But, if anyone commenting had actually used one of the new samsung smart TV's with this feature, you'd see that this is being blown out of proportion.
The TV isn't even listening for a keyword. It's waiting for you to press a button on the remote. The microphone for voice control is actually in the remote itself.
I would caveat the above by saying that the TV may also have a microphone in it, because I have noticed that when you use the built-in skype app, the camera does a cool digital/zoom to highlight whoever is speaking, which it probably does either with a microphone array, or moving-lips detection in the camera. The camera, by the way, can be physically disabled when not in use, by pushing it into the TV.
The Samsung TVs do perform voice recognition through the mic on the TV as well as on the remote (well, at least mine, which is a couple years old, does). Even if you have the voice recognition setting turned off, the one on the remote still works by pressing the button.
The non-remote one does use a trigger word ("hi tv" by default) and it definitely does that processing locally (I know because i disconnected my TV from the internet and tried it). Basic commands ("channel up" etc) also worked. I don't know what else to try to figure out when it goes out to the internet. I'd also add that the camera/microphone have a very visible hardware off (which I keep off, because life is too much like 1984 already).
But, if anyone commenting had actually used one of the new samsung smart TV's with this feature, you'd see that this is being blown out of proportion.
The TV isn't even listening for a keyword. It's waiting for you to press a button on the remote. The microphone for voice control is actually in the remote itself.
Samsung Smart TV remote with Voice button: http://goo.gl/DkgWPb
I would caveat the above by saying that the TV may also have a microphone in it, because I have noticed that when you use the built-in skype app, the camera does a cool digital/zoom to highlight whoever is speaking, which it probably does either with a microphone array, or moving-lips detection in the camera. The camera, by the way, can be physically disabled when not in use, by pushing it into the TV.