Amazon Echo

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Amazon Echo

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#1943506 19-Jan-2018 13:31

tripp:
Also JBHIFI have 2 echos for $250 ($150 each currently then $180)

https://www.jbhifi.co.nz/computers-tablets/smart-home/echo/amazon-echo-bundle-2nd-generation-heather-grey/344225/

Noels has it for $270.

Also skytv will be having alexa skills next month :)

https://www.sky.co.nz/alexa

It would appear the Alexa skill is a program guide. If it includes anything more I will be amazed. A remote record function springs to mind......

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

Dingbatt

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#1943507 19-Jan-2018 13:34

tripp:
I don't know which way i should go, alexa or Google home....... Each are good in their own way :(

Do what I did. Buy both and then you don't have to choose. If CES is anything to go by, there is going to be a while lot more hardware packing the voice assistants this year.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

tripp

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#1943512 19-Jan-2018 13:40

Dingbatt:
tripp:

Also JBHIFI have 2 echos for $250 ($150 each currently then $180)

https://www.jbhifi.co.nz/computers-tablets/smart-home/echo/amazon-echo-bundle-2nd-generation-heather-grey/344225/

Noels has it for $270.

Also skytv will be having alexa skills next month :)

https://www.sky.co.nz/alexa

It would appear the Alexa skill is a program guide. If it includes anything more I will be amazed. A remote record function springs to mind......

I have already told the team that remote record would be a great thing to have on it :) But this brings us into "linking accounts" etc which would take some time to get done.

SumnerBoy

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#1943513 19-Jan-2018 13:41

Quote from Sky FAQs...

"We will be adding more functionality over the coming months, including being able to link your SKY account and more."

Sounds promising!

tripp

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#1943542 19-Jan-2018 14:13

Dingbatt:
tripp:

I don't know which way i should go, alexa or Google home....... Each are good in their own way :(

Do what I did. Buy both and then you don't have to choose. If CES is anything to go by, there is going to be a while lot more hardware packing the voice assistants this year.

I have taken your advance and ordered a double pack of echo's :)

I already have 2 dots and a couple of google homes. I love the dots but the speakers are not great for music and the google homes won't link to my pandora account anymore.

So might be a case of Alexa in my tv room and bedroom and google home downstairs in the kitchen etc :)

hairy1

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#1943549 19-Jan-2018 14:20

Hmmm. Sky and an Alexa skill. That will be.... interesting. Given Sky's tech history thus far we can but hope....

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JEDENZED

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#1943560 19-Jan-2018 14:33

russelo:
I can drop in to a specific alexa device at home from my phone.

But it is possible to drop in to all your home devices simultaneously? I'd like to get the attention of my son but I don't know which part of the house he is in. I can drop in individually to every device till I find him but it could be easier.

Not at this time, no. This oversight of basic functionality that even the oldest intercom/Tannoy systems feature has been run up the flagpole to Amazon reps on various forums. The reply has been “Watch this space” so hopefully a future update will include the function.

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Dingbatt

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#1943580 19-Jan-2018 15:05

hairy1:
Hmmm. Sky and an Alexa skill. That will be.... interesting. Given Sky's tech history thus far we can but hope....

At the moment it's quicker to say "ask Harmony to ......" to control the Mysky. Until there is Ethernet control of the Sky boxes, then the closest we'll get to control is commands sent via satellite. Way too complex and unworkable for Sky. I wonder if it would be achievable with the newer 'Sky Q' box (control over Ethernet).

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

prob

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#1943591 19-Jan-2018 15:22

The JB Hifi deal makes these Echo Dots about USD36 each which is cheap.

Off to get some more, because - arbitrage.

Dingbatt

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#1943611 19-Jan-2018 15:54

prob:
The JB Hifi deal makes these Echo Dots about USD36 each which is cheap.

Off to get some more, because - arbitrage.

I must admit I had to look up what you meant by arbitrage.
Similarly I have a couple of Home Minis yet to be deployed, so will pick up a couple of Dots if they are still at that two-for price on 1 Feb (don't want to preorder).
Not really interested in the speaker quality as I use a Chromecast audio through my sound system, just want the assistant functions.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

prob

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#1943620 19-Jan-2018 16:11

I suppose you could plug the Dot's 3.5 mm audio output into a Chromecast dongle. I have paired one of my Dot's with Bluetooth and the sound it fine.

maxeon

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#1943625 19-Jan-2018 16:18

Can anyone with a Bose SoundTouch Device and Alexa confirm the Skill works with each other as released here.

I have Google Home now but cannot talk to my 3 Bose SoundTouch devices in several rooms. If Alexa works for it, then I will order Echo's and sell all my Google Home and Mini's.

blakamin

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#1943732 19-Jan-2018 18:54

russelo:

But it is possible to drop in to all your home devices simultaneously?

That's where you want Google Home and the "broadcast" feature... Was awesome with my kids while I was on holiday. :D

Plus you can do it from your phone even when you're out.. "your rooms better be tidy by the time I get home, and I'm on my way"!

hairy1

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#1943741 19-Jan-2018 19:07

blakamin:

russelo:

But it is possible to drop in to all your home devices simultaneously?

That's where you want Google Home and the "broadcast" feature... Was awesome with my kids while I was on holiday. :D

Plus you can do it from your phone even when you're out.. "your rooms better be tidy by the time I get home, and I'm on my way"!

This. Sending notifications to the Google Home from Home Assistant is awesome. I wish Alexa could do that...

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zhuyan

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#1944475 21-Jan-2018 17:45

And I suppose very soon we will see Amazon Alexa app locally available in both Google Ply store and Apple App Store?

I have ordered one Amazon Echo (the first generation) last year and still haven't opened it yet, as I was expecting Amazon to make all its Echo products available in NZ very soon from then.

I hope I would soon be able to use that with Alexa app locally, without going through all the hassle of setting up (for using Echo outside US...)

I have ordered 2 X Echo Dot for $99 from JB Hifi online

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