Amazon Echo - anyone have one?
- Thread starter Kemik
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This works in the US at the moment, not sure when/if its coming to the UK, I read somewhere that it might be some sort of licensing issues?
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I suspect Google Home will be a much better product over time. Google Assistant is already leagues ahead of the opposition.
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I've been doing some reading into smart homes and I'm super excited about linking everything up.
The only problem is the cost as I'm a student with a 39 week pregnant wife!
I suppose by the time we have the spare money these technologies will be well advanced/improved.
The only problem is the cost as I'm a student with a 39 week pregnant wife!
I suppose by the time we have the spare money these technologies will be well advanced/improved.
"Alexa, deliver the baby"
I'm not sure what you're getting at either. The 'bing bong' noise and phone notification tell you there's someone at the door... how does the Echo come in to play?
I don't think there's anything I would want Alexa to do with my video doorbell?
I don't think there's anything I would want Alexa to do with my video doorbell?
The first thing I'll aim for is "There's someone at the door"
You won't be able to do that, the Echo only reacts to voice commands, so unless you can get the Ring to shout "Alexa, Simon says there is someone at the door" then it won't work.
I don't even have a bing bong at the moment, I think the transformer on the old chime isn't strong enough.
As for Echo, I read it was somehow compatible, but haven't looked into it too much. Sounds like my chips have well and truly been weed upon!
[Edit] - What about this then. The ring doorbell has motion detection, which you don't really need when you're at home and popping in and out every two seconds (our back door for instance has the recycling boxes outside, so we'd always be triggering that off).
One voice command to Alexa could toggle motion detection on and off when you come into and leave the house.
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The problem you've got is that there's no skill that exists for Alexa to allow it to connect to Ring.
In addition, even services like IFTTT that support both devices only allow you to use them as an input to the system.
So you could do something that works when you say something to Alexa, like turn on your lights. Or you could turn on your lights when someone rings the bell.
But you can't get Alexa to "say something" if ANYTHING happens (let alone if the doorbell rings) just like you can't control Ring to do anything if you turned on a smart light.
Both devices (currently) appear to only work as inputs, neither have any outputs or controllable actions.
Saying that, that's all I can see from googling. Once you plug these things in sometimes auto discovery gives you extra options that are so user friendly no one documents it.
However, if you can't get it to work then there's every possibility there's nothing to get working.
In addition, even services like IFTTT that support both devices only allow you to use them as an input to the system.
So you could do something that works when you say something to Alexa, like turn on your lights. Or you could turn on your lights when someone rings the bell.
But you can't get Alexa to "say something" if ANYTHING happens (let alone if the doorbell rings) just like you can't control Ring to do anything if you turned on a smart light.
Both devices (currently) appear to only work as inputs, neither have any outputs or controllable actions.
Saying that, that's all I can see from googling. Once you plug these things in sometimes auto discovery gives you extra options that are so user friendly no one documents it.
However, if you can't get it to work then there's every possibility there's nothing to get working.
Soldato
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just got an echo dot as gift, I have a Sonos play 1.
Can the echo control the Sonos?
cheers
Can the echo control the Sonos?
cheers
Not yet, apparently there will be an update in 2017 to do so.
You can use Alexa to link to other automization apps which in turn can conect to Sonos, bit of faff though.
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Got a dot as a bit of an impulse buy. Love it. I've attached it to a UE boom and it sits under the TV. I've connected it to Samsung Smartthings and can now control the lights in the house which is nice. As RoyMi6 said, it's a shame that you can't use Echo as an output. Smartthings knows when I arrive home when my phone connects to the house WiFi - it would be great if Alexa would announce my arrival!
Yeah, that would be handy. Have the lights flash when the doorbell rings. Mind you, this needs Phillips Hue app to sort it more than it needs Alexa I guess.
Soldato
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Impressed with the echo.
Can hear what I say even from another room when speaking fairly quietly.
Apart from the basics like news/weather I'm not sure what else to use it for though until Sonos is compatible.
Anyway I can get Apple music on it which Im subscribed to?
Can hear what I say even from another room when speaking fairly quietly.
Apart from the basics like news/weather I'm not sure what else to use it for though until Sonos is compatible.
Anyway I can get Apple music on it which Im subscribed to?