Amazon Echo - anyone have one?

Long story short, I was after a small radio for my desk, so I can free up the amp for media with radio in the background.

I stumbled across a YouTuber who had an Echo Spot on his desk, I never paid any attention to Alexa hardware but it piqued my interest. With Alexa (& Cortana), I remained unconvinced after using FireHD tablet/Windows 10.

Anyway the Spot & my experience:

  • Alexa on the Echo Spot is a revelation - voice recognition works far better than the tablet.
  • If you pick a music artist and you are a Prime member, or purchased a CD in Amazon - it defaults to Amazon version and annoying lyrics show on screen :p You have to tell Alexa to play the Spotify version.
  • Many of the default clock faces are a bit marmite. Amazon could learn from their competitors. Nevertheless, when you find one (or make your own image) it undeniably looks good on the bedside/desk etc.
  • Overall expectations far exceeded. The hardware is nicely made, decent display and dimming etc. Sound met expectations (however sounds are very subjective).
  • A lot of the reviews mention the annoying the Try "...." yes marketing (its Amazon after all). Whether the reviewers updated the firmware? First install and firmware update - It appears to have been reigned in, mine seems to sit quite happily showing the clock/played music as default. So no complaints.
  • Bluetooth - works a treat.
 
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There's a setting in the Alexa app to use Spotify as the default music service :)

EDIT - It may be different on the Spot i suppose, but i have the Show and it always defaults to spotify for me.
 
The weather forecasting stuff on my Echo Dot's has gone a bit loopy lately. I'll ask 'Alexa, what's the weather today?' and it'll give me a weather forecast at home. Great! But if I then ask 'Alexa, will it rain today?' it'll 95% of the time say 'Sorry, I can't find the weather for that location' which isn't very helpful. It's the same if I ask for another location, it'll give me the weater fine but can't tell me if it'll rain.
 
Is Google Home better than the Echo? I don't like using Amazon's offering because it seems a lot like backdoor DRM, where you have to use their services be a prime member etc to get the best from the product.
 
norm said:
Is Google Home better than the Echo? I don't like using Amazon's offering because it seems a lot like backdoor DRM, where you have to use their services be a prime member etc to get the best from the product.
Click to expand...
The only thing you need Prime for is shopping for products on Amazon, which Google Home doesn't have at all as an option. Other services such as music you can default to Spotify, Deezer etc.
 
Is there any kinda way i could do some kinda shopping list skill on the Echo that syncs to my iphone and my wifes android phone?
Like if were at home just shout "alexa add cheese to shopping list", then if one of us happens to be at the shop we can pick up anything thats on this shared list then delete the item
 
Salty22 said:
Is there any kinda way i could do some kinda shopping list skill on the Echo that syncs to my iphone and my wifes android phone?
Like if were at home just shout "alexa add cheese to shopping list", then if one of us happens to be at the shop we can pick up anything thats on this shared list then delete the item
Click to expand...
If you install the Alexa app on your phones you can see what is on the shopping list.
 
Anyone else with the Echo Show?

I'm really quite disappointed with it. Have been reading about the new Google Home devices with a screen from the likes of Lenovo and how much you can do with them, yet there's very little benefit of actually having a screen on the show for me.
 
Salty22 said:
Is there any kinda way i could do some kinda shopping list skill on the Echo that syncs to my iphone and my wifes android phone?
Like if were at home just shout "alexa add cheese to shopping list", then if one of us happens to be at the shop we can pick up anything thats on this shared list then delete the item
Click to expand...

I use Todoist for this. If I'm in the kitchen and run out of something I just shout out what you said and it syncs to my Todoist list. I get some interesting results sometimes when she misunderstands! If you shop at Morrisons, I think there is a skill that lets you add directly to your basket.
 
Street said:
I use Todoist for this. If I'm in the kitchen and run out of something I just shout out what you said and it syncs to my Todoist list. I get some interesting results sometimes when she misunderstands! If you shop at Morrisons, I think there is a skill that lets you add directly to your basket.
Click to expand...

I've read that and Any.do both work really well so ill try them out.
Hoping i can login to the same list on mine and my wifes phone with the app
 
Salty22 said:
I've read that and Any.do both work really well so ill try them out.
Hoping i can login to the same list on mine and my wifes phone with the app
Click to expand...

Me and the missus both have the same shared list on Todist so it's definitely possible with that.
 
Really enjoying the echo dot mostly as a kitchen internet radio and timer and more recently at bedtime with the "help me to sleep" > fan sounds.

I get emailed updates on functionality and today noticed you can get alexa to talk faster/ slower (though likely someone here will say its not a new function:))

Adjust Alexa’s speaking rate to make your interactions even more natural based on your preferences. You can also say, “Alexa, speak faster”. To reset Alexa’s speaking rate, just say, “Alexa, speak at your default rate”

Works really well appreciate the faster speed for setting timers and quicker answer to questions etc

All in really enjoying owning (first alexa device) since the start of the year
 
My Echo Spot/Shows seem to have lost the ability to control Bluetooth volume!

I used to be able just to ask Alexa "Volume 3" etc but this now seems to have no impact of the volume on the Bluetooth device, I can only imagine an "update" has broken this", hope it gets fixed soon.
 
I'm now using the Alexa with a Broadlink RM34 to control my lounge (TV, amp, Sky) etc...

Just realising the TV has been left on in the lounge, and being able to tell Alex in the kitchen to turn the (lounge) TV off is nice :)
 
PLEASE HELP ME, I'm losing my mind.

We bought a Echo Plus and an Dot (really good) and set them all up fine and they have been running now fine for several weeks. Mid week though my Dad has done something to his Echo at the other end of the country and it has now appeared on my Alexa application (I have no idea how or why this happened). My folks are part of my friends and family but they are now getting all of our announcements including delivery messages and messages to that I am sending to my wife and kids as I leave work to come home.


Is there a way I can remove his echo from my household without removing him entirely from sharing our prime? I cant simply turn his announcements off because then he cant announce to his either and we are getting all of his.


This was not like this until mid week.
 
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