Amazon Echo - anyone have one?

I thought the Echo connect was just to ring people using a landline to anyone.

Calls with Alexa like this are just to other Alexa users so i'd have thought it was just a way to identify friends.
 
The number you put in to the Alexa app is the one that people will need in their phone contacts for them to be able to call you via the Echo. So you can put either your landline or mobile in if you think they are more likely to have one or the other in their phonebook.

The Echo connect is a separate thing really, it allows you to make calls to your phone contacts or manual numbers via your Echo connected to your phoneline.
 
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Em3bbs said:
The number you put in to the Alexa app is the one that people will need in their phone contacts for them to be able to call you via the Echo. So you can put either your landline or mobile in if you think they are more likely to have one or the other in their phonebook.

The Echo connect is a separate thing really, it allows you to make calls to your phone contacts via your Echo connected to your phoneline.
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Thank you
 
I've seen Alexa and Sonos have made an update so you can now control Sonos speakers with Alexa. I've just tried it out and it seems to work ok BUT only if you specify which speaker you want to play it on, e.g. "Alexa, shuffle tracks by Oasis in the kitchen", "Alexa, skip track in the kitchen". If you don't specify "in the kitchen", it carries out the command on the dot itself which is really annoying. Is there anyway you can set a default device to force it to output to, and over-ride it if you want by specifying the speaker in question?
 
There's an update coming to allow echo's to be assigned to rooms. So in theory if you made a command in the kitchen it would execute that command to whatever lights/speakers/devices are in the kitchen.
 
I'd be tempted as I think the voice recognition is better, but the wake word for Google is a bit dorky and not as natural as saying 'Alexa....'
 
Does it have a line out?

I could be tempted. Although i do like Amazon, it gets annoying having to say Alexa over and over. Google seems to remember previous requests. I wish Amazon would sort that.

Alexa - Turn it up
....Still too quiet
Alexa - Turn it up.

If they kept the command open a little longer you could say Alexa turn it up. Turn it up more.

Although this was less of an issue when i realise i could just say Alexa turn it up to 8!
 
I've seen the Dots now have audio grouping (like Chromecast Audio) which is great, except it doesn't support Spotify. If that update comes in then I'll be picking some up.
 
Scottland said:
I'd be tempted as I think the voice recognition is better, but the wake word for Google is a bit dorky and not as natural as saying 'Alexa....'
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The trouble is people say Google so much in everyday speech "google it" "use google" etc that it would be confusing without the suffix.

But yeah, "Hey Google" isn't as good as "Alexa"

These are massive first World problems.


Incidentally I ordered a Google Mini for my bedroom.
 
While we're on the subject. I have a spotify family account with 6 users. All of the licenses are in use and i've used mine for the Amazon Echos.

This gets very annoying when i'm in the car listening to music and my wife starts playing music at home.

I know i can pay for an Amazon music account for £3.99 for Echo purposes but if i got an Amazon family account does anyone know if the Echo is included in one of the 6 or if you get a freebie?
 
VincentHanna said:
Incidentally I ordered a Google Mini for my bedroom.
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I might do that actually, then can make the decision to sell it and replace it with a dot, or replace the other dots with minis depending on which is best.

Where've you pre-ordered from?

EDIT - Finally found it at Currys

EDIT2 - Actually, seem's there's no lineout. For that reason i'm out! Unless i can control a Chromecast Audio with it? Starts getting costly though.
 
Had mine a few months now, use it mainly for lights and TV/Media control. Find it works 90% of the time I ask it something, that is of course unless I am showing someone how it works, then it responds about 20% of the time :)
 
Now I've found out that Echo show can connect to my sound bar, I'm getting one.
It also works with my video doorbell.
 
Happy days being able to control my Sonos with Alexa now!

Less happy days that Spotify doesn’t work through Alexa yet, apparently it’s “coming soon”
 
Invertigo said:
Happy days being able to control my Sonos with Alexa now!

Less happy days that Spotify doesn’t work through Alexa yet, apparently it’s “coming soon”
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It kinda does. Set up spotify through Sonos and then tell Alexa to play X from spotify in "Kitchen"/Everywhere??
 
Marvt74 said:
Does it have a line out?

I could be tempted. Although i do like Amazon, it gets annoying having to say Alexa over and over. Google seems to remember previous requests. I wish Amazon would sort that.

Alexa - Turn it up
....Still too quiet
Alexa - Turn it up.

If they kept the command open a little longer you could say Alexa turn it up. Turn it up more.

Although this was less of an issue when i realise i could just say Alexa turn it up to 8!
Click to expand...
"Alexa, volume 8" is quicker. ;)
 
I've loved mine dearly - and more importantly my missus loves it AND can work it (so it hasn't been thrown across the room like so many bits of technology before it). I'm toying with the idea of cancelling Amazon prime though after yet another missing delivery - we mostly use it for streaming radio and music so I guess these things are largely useless without Prime?
 
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