Reply to: Home Automation (Alexa)

[LondonManc]

Just waiting for an internet enabled robot wanking hand, and I'm ordering one.

"Alexa, wank me off"

"Wanking off"

"Alexa, gentle sweetheart"

"Slowing rhythm"

"Alexa, order more man sized tissues"

"Tissues added to grocery order"

Better to order tissues, Vaseline and a Hannah Montana DVD and listen out for the disgust in Alexa's reply.

[woohoo]

Just waiting for an internet enabled robot wanking hand, and I'm ordering one.

"Alexa, wank me off"

"Wanking off"

"Alexa, gentle sweetheart"

"Slowing rhythm"

"Alexa, order more man sized tissues"

"Tissues added to grocery order"

You joke, but it won't be long (bit like yourself).

[TheFaQQer]

"Alexa, order more man sized tissues"

You wish.

[DimPrawn]

Just waiting for an internet enabled robot wanking hand, and I'm ordering one.

"Alexa, wank me off"

"Wanking off"

"Alexa, gentle sweetheart"

"Slowing rhythm"

"Alexa, order more man sized tissues"

"Tissues added to grocery order"

[SimonMac]

Simon,

There's a new product out:

https://www.sonos.com/en-gb/shop/one.html

Yeah I’ve seen that, I assume it’s good for someone who doesn’t have the Alexa Dot or the Sonos speakers already (can’t see a difference between the Play:1 and the SONOS One other than the Alexa but they are both the same price)

I was leaning towards Alexa due to the fact it looks like SONOS are onboard at a strategic level

[Fandango]

I've been looking into Home Automation and stumbled across this project on Kickstarter which caught me eye, Its aim is to replace old hard wired security panels/systems as well as integrating with a Samsung Smartthings hub (which is on offer in Currys at mo for £50)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...st/description

I thought it looks pretty good and as its open source its continually being developed to work with more home automation hubs.

You can either buy the board direct from them or like me buy a couple of NodeMCU ESP8266 dev boards for <£10 which allows you to connect up all your existing internal and external sensors (6 on each board)

[LondonManc]

Simon,

There's a new product out:

https://www.sonos.com/en-gb/shop/one.html

[filthy1980]

Well, it does seem a rather expensive alternative to have a child, raise it, feed it etc just to turn the lights off. But seems to be working for you.

I'm saving calories

[d000hg]

Do any of these systems work solely over your home WiFi without having to round-trip through the internet? That's the one annoyance with the otherwise-seemingly-great Honeywell Evohome system.

[woohoo]

well I can call out to turn the kids bedroom lights off without interrupting the contours of my backside on the sofa

Well, it does seem a rather expensive alternative to have a child, raise it, feed it etc just to turn the lights off. But seems to be working for you.

[filthy1980]

It's quite good for lamps etc. When I'm locking up before bed it's quite convenient to switch all the lights off downstairs without going round.

well I can call out to turn the kids bedroom lights off without interrupting the contours of my backside on the sofa

[woohoo]

Which I am sure is faster than hitting the light switch on the way past

It's quite good for lamps etc. When I'm locking up before bed it's quite convenient to switch all the lights off downstairs without going round.

[northernladuk]

I also have a shed load of Philips Hue lights integrated with Echo, this is more about showing off rather than practically calling Alexa to turn the lights on or off, it's quicker to do from my phone which is always to hand

Which I am sure is faster than hitting the light switch on the way past

[TheFaQQer]

if there is a cheap Echo Dot as part of the Black Friday deals from Amazon I might make the jump

£34.99 rather than £49.99

[filthy1980]

Have a few Sonos devices around the house, got a new Amazon Firestick recently and it comes with Alexa so been playing around with what it can do, and it's OK I guess, but I assume that could be because I am not utilising the best of it.

For example it's good for starting radio stations on the Sonos, but doesn't work with local libraries or playlists (yet I hope), if there is a cheap Echo Dot as part of the Black Friday deals from Amazon I might make the jump rather than having to use the Firestick remote, but what else can it do, who has something set up that they can show off?

I think next steps are lighting (although most of the house uses stupid halogen spot lights rather than real bulbs) and a smart thermostat for the central heating.

Is Alexa the best to build a system round (Apple fan boy at heart) how does it stand up against the HomeKit?

I've got a gen 1 echo in an open plan kitchen dining area.

I'm the opposite of an apple fan boi so can't offer you a comparison

but I'm building my "smarthome" bits around the echo & Alexa, I've got a Sonos Amp with some ceiling speakers connected to it. the software integration between Sonos & the echo has been promised since the start of the year, it only got released in Beta form in Oct I think

it offers limited features at the moment but can only imagine this will increase with future releases,

I also have a shed load of Philips Hue lights integrated with Echo, this is more about showing off rather than practically calling Alexa to turn the lights on or off, it's quicker to do from my phone which is always to hand

I'm also in the process of installing a Nest thermostat which also integrates

I like our echo, it's really good for adding items to a grocery list, and the kids love it as it'll play music they like or answer homework questions (although it does use Bing search so don't always get the greatest results)