Anyone know about the Amazon Echo?

[SueEllen]

Wow its amazing how passionate people get about this. It's a small cheap bit of kit that some people find useful and fun, especially those that like to automate their houses. Some people won't find it useful and amazon won't force you to buy it.

Not passionate.

I just investigated what it was and what their competitors where up to.

[vetran]

At the moment Amazon echo/dot can't do that all. Once it or Google Home can then it's worth buying one.

What is possible today with standard solutions.

Note the genius of Alexa is there are 'skills' which are third party add ons like Android Apps so either Alexa supports out of the box (skills are included and activated) or via skills that you enable native. Like Android the API is published & developers are encouraged.

Radio - out of the box
Remote - Native support (need to enable) needs Harmony Hub £100.
Lights - if you have Hue or Hive lights its native. I have a Vera controller as its an open eco system, they released their native skill 2 weeks ago but it currently seems to be failing in UK.
Squeezebox & DNLA - Proof of concepts already out there and some beta skills , we need to see which win.
KODI (Home Theatre) - Native skill out.

Train times - Native
Traffic Out of the box.
Address look up native. Texting / sending to Garmin seems an obvious add on.

Shopping list out of the box, Syncing I think is covered texting seems an obvious add on.
Alarms - out of the box, alarms triggering "scenes" makes sense.

The big thing is its one solution that the whole house use, its infrastructure rather than a portable tool. The interface is talking as you eat your toast, no thumbs required.

as other people have said its £39 and the start of a new type of technology.

[Platypus]

Cos like pressing the on button on a radio is so last year darling!

I actually DO have this problem. In the kitchen sits a radio that does not have pre-set buttons and is not internet connected. So "changing channel" is a minor pain faffing around on the dial to find a strong signal, and with no DAB or internet, choice is limited. I like to listen to Planet Rock while cooking, she likes Radio 4. So with the Dot we can both get the station we want just by asking Alexa. I can also ask Alexa to play loads of other music by just about any artist I care to name. The cooker has a timer facility, but so does Alexa, and it means pressing many fewer buttons. This all might seem like too much detail and a very niche use case but hey ho I didn't actually just buy it for no good reason. I have a use-case in mind and once I've finished "beta testing" it, it will go in the kitchen and save space too!

[DimPrawn]

Hey, like some others have said it's a £40 toy (some kids toys cost more and do less).

Personally, I don't think it is for me at the moment (I don't have home automation for example).

There are other rival products coming out soon, and you bet within 12 months there will be an Echo/Dot V2 which has a new eco-system not compatible with the current products.

Interesting times ahead though.

[vetran]

Hey, like some others have said it's a £40 toy (some kids toys cost more and do less).

Personally, I don't think it is for me at the moment (I don't have home automation for example).

There are other rival products coming out soon, and you bet within 12 months there will be an Echo/Dot V2 which has a new eco-system not compatible with the current products.

Interesting times ahead though.

lots of fun asking Alexa to tell you a joke.

Currently random playing Christmas carols.

[Scruff]

I actually DO have this problem. In the kitchen sits a radio that does not have pre-set buttons and is not internet connected. So "changing channel" is a minor pain faffing around on the dial to find a strong signal, and with no DAB or internet, choice is limited. I like to listen to Planet Rock while cooking, she likes Radio 4. So with the Dot we can both get the station we want just by asking Alexa. I can also ask Alexa to play loads of other music by just about any artist I care to name. The cooker has a timer facility, but so does Alexa, and it means pressing many fewer buttons. This all might seem like too much detail and a very niche use case but hey ho I didn't actually just buy it for no good reason. I have a use-case in mind and once I've finished "beta testing" it, it will go in the kitchen and save space too!

I use my Echo for exactly the same thing, at the moment. I spend an inordinate amount of time in the kitchen, prepping & cooking - I don't have to worry about pressing buttons, getting my phone greasy, setting multiple timers, changing stations...

My Dot is in my office and will move to my garage / workshop shortly.

[mudskipper]

I use my Echo for exactly the same thing, at the moment. I spend an inordinate amount of time in the kitchen, prepping & cooking - I don't have to worry about pressing buttons, getting my phone greasy, setting multiple timers, changing stations...

My Dot is in my office and will move to my garage / workshop shortly.

Braai season finally over?

[vetran]

Braai season finally over?

nah

give it a week or two!

Beer Can Turkey - BarbecueBible.com

[Scruff]

Braai season finally over?

Just resting... My Weber is literally worn through and looking for deals at the moment 🍖

[Pondlife]

I got one thinking that it's another toy that just takes up space but I am finding that I use it way more than I thought I would.

It's great in the kitchen for converting temps & units plus as a timer without having to constantly wash your hands before touching your phone. All the while it's playing music by whichever band I ask it to, or radio stations, podcasts, genres, whatever.

Obviously I can get all the same info via other devices that I already own and it's not really going to replace them but it is a useful & clever bit of kit for £39.