Dont think this is the place but is there a "Clever One" who could build a Alexa skill share for trade me? How much of an incentive would one need to develop said skill?

So been playing on and off with the echo show for the last 24 hours. A couple of first up observations.

1. yes it really is super cool

2. Due to the screen playing such an important roll in the functions now I find that I want the echo show in the kitchen on my desk and the bedside table. A tad indulgent to get a unit for each. Is there another solution ? Is there any way a battery pack could be gaffer taped to the unit and it would last for say 12 hours? The quickest solution and least hassle would be a docking station of sorts, at the very least ready power supplies in each location.

3. This is a layman question I want to ask Why can I not have the echo show replicated on a tablet?

I'm surprised it's not replicated on their Fire tablets... maybe it will be?

Logitech have tidied up their Alexa integration which was two skills and is now unified into one... much better. When you have to prepend a request with "ask harmony to" it is far too clunky, Now you just say "Alexa turn on TV", "Alexa turn up volume" etc. There is still a slight wrinkle - after telling Alexa to turn on a device through Harmony, for a "period of time" it will route ambiguous requests like "turn up volume" to that device. It will then revert to using those commands itself. This default routing can still be overridden with "turn up volume on my TV" etc.

https://support.myharmony.com/en-us/harmony-experience-with-amazon-alexa#whatsnew

Anyone here using the new stuff yet?

kryptonjohn:

 

Logitech have tidied up their Alexa integration which was two skills and is now unified into one... much better. When you have to prepend a request with "ask harmony to" it is far too clunky, Now you just say "Alexa turn on TV", "Alexa turn up volume" etc. There is still a slight wrinkle - after telling Alexa to turn on a device through Harmony, for a "period of time" it will route ambiguous requests like "turn up volume" to that device. It will then revert to using those commands itself. This default routing can still be overridden with "turn up volume on my TV" etc.

 

https://support.myharmony.com/en-us/harmony-experience-with-amazon-alexa#whatsnew

 

Anyone here using the new stuff yet?

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, much better now,  had a quick play with it yesterday, works great if you have set up properly, I could get it to change the sky channels by just saying "alexa change the channel to 51 ". and it would change the sky box to the correct channel.

You have to use the channel number at not the name of the channel. 

Sweet. Can't you define favourites to name channels though?

Looks like I'm going to have to get me a Harmony Hub.

Can you put the hub in the middle of a room to control other stuff? I'm thinking heat pump as well as the TV and related components. What's the range and coverage of the IR like?

Also is it fussy about phrasing? Does it care if it is "alexa change the channel to 51" or "alexa change to channel 51"?

nurcopolics: I'm currently looking for a way to control the garage door but it just doesn't seem to be a good option for the echo yet. Does anyone have one that works?

anything like a outside door (garage, entrance, back) I wouldnt want to make these work via voice command.  people from outside could shout "alexa, open door" and it would work.  someone did this with a ipad and siri a while back.   smart control so you know when its opened/closed, but not voice control these.  just IMO.

if you really really want to do this, you could use a wemo maker/zwave device and connect it to openhab or something and then connect openhab to alexa.  

reven:

nurcopolics: I'm currently looking for a way to control the garage door but it just doesn't seem to be a good option for the echo yet. Does anyone have one that works?

anything like a outside door (garage, entrance, back) I wouldnt want to make these work via voice command.  people from outside could shout "alexa, open door" and it would work.  someone did this with a ipad and siri a while back.   smart control so you know when its opened/closed, but not voice control these.  just IMO.

 

if you really really want to do this, you could use a wemo maker/zwave device and connect it to openhab or something and then connect openhab to alexa.  

reven:

nurcopolics: I'm currently looking for a way to control the garage door but it just doesn't seem to be a good option for the echo yet. Does anyone have one that works?

anything like a outside door (garage, entrance, back) I wouldnt want to make these work via voice command.  people from outside could shout "alexa, open door" and it would work.  someone did this with a ipad and siri a while back.   smart control so you know when its opened/closed, but not voice control these.  just IMO.

 

if you really really want to do this, you could use a wemo maker/zwave device and connect it to openhab or something and then connect openhab to alexa.  

Trying to work out the best value way to buy a harmony remote with the following abilities

Control Kodi

interface with Alexa

Control Sony TV

Am I correct in thinking you have to have the hub for the alexa connection?

nurcopolics:

reven:

 

nurcopolics: I'm currently looking for a way to control the garage door but it just doesn't seem to be a good option for the echo yet. Does anyone have one that works?

 

 

 

anything like a outside door (garage, entrance, back) I wouldnt want to make these work via voice command.  people from outside could shout "alexa, open door" and it would work.  someone did this with a ipad and siri a while back.   smart control so you know when its opened/closed, but not voice control these.  just IMO.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

if you really really want to do this, you could use a wemo maker/zwave device and connect it to openhab or something and then connect openhab to alexa.  

 

Good call. Yep no Alexa integration. What about using ifttt to use GPS location to unlock the garage door?

i wouldnt even do that, gps location can be extremely flaky.  nothing i found beats a remote for these doors yet.  apps are slow and need to launch/connect to wifi (often when you pull it to your house, the wifi is detected so it switches to that, which takes a few seconds).  a remote button is basically instant, very easy to use etc.  the ability to remote open/close can be nice (i had to let a builder in that way, my front door went flat :P).  but yeah, i stick with remotes for when i use it.  

i did try using a smart watch and say "ok google, open garage door", but that was extremely flaky as well.