Amazon Echo

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Reply # 1861813 10-Sep-2017 13:31

I have been studiously grinding my way through the 39 pages of this thread but still have about 15 pages to go.
My Echo dot had just arrived and I am itching to try it out.
I don't care about the location services, my Google Home takes care of all those. Timezone would be good though. I just want it to have a play with the automation side of things.
I have downloaded the iOS app onto our old iPad 2 via my US ITunes account. Before I light the dot up for the first time I have a couple of quick questions.

Do I need a US Amazon account? I have a NZ one already, do I need a US one as well to make the echo work?

Will the echo work 'out of the box' or will there be some hacking (root level) required? Just to achieve "Alexa, turn the wemo switch on" level of stuff.

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reven

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Reply # 1861863 10-Sep-2017 15:16

no hacking required.

is there a US amazon account vs NZ account??? I have a US billing address and a NZ billing address on the same account, think the default is US (my youshop address), and default ship to address to NZ address. but nah, no hacking, just turn it on, enable the wemo skill, then say alexa turn on/off [device name]

Dingbatt

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Reply # 1862067 11-Sep-2017 08:31

reven:
no hacking required.

is there a US amazon account vs NZ account??? I have a US billing address and a NZ billing address on the same account, think the default is US (my youshop address), and default ship to address to NZ address. but nah, no hacking, just turn it on, enable the wemo skill, then say alexa turn on/off [device name]

Thanks. Didn't realise you could have multiple delivery addresses within the same account. Just left my NZ one as the primary and setup was painless. Timezone was fine but as others have pointed out, it wouldn't take an address. I wonder, since most Americans think NZ is part of Australia, when Amazon opens in Oz we will be able to enter Kiwi addresses.
Had to source an Android APK but apart from that it was all done, including WeMo and Harmony setups in about 20 minutes.

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evilengineer

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Reply # 1874037 28-Sep-2017 11:32

Looks like there are new generation of Echo devices on the way.

A next-gen Echo which looks to be trying to kill off the Apple homepod before it's even released and an Echo-plus with a built in smart home hub:

https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/27/16375984/amazon-echo-plus-hands-on-impressions-photos

Looks like the Echo-plus has a Zigbee radio but not Z-wave. So the US version should be good to go in NZ.

Who's buying?

kryptonjohn

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Reply # 1874054 28-Sep-2017 11:54

Interesting. I'd be keen to get away from z-wave as the regional RF frequency incompatibility and the price are a real killer when you need many devices at $100 each.

However I have yet to find a wifi or zigbee equivalent of one of these: http://www.activeautomation.co.nz/aeotec-nano-single-switch-with-power-metering

There are plenty of plain switches, but none that I have found sense the wall switch as the z-wave ones do. It should be really easy for one of the sonoff type devices to do this? This allows the manual switch to override the automation and vice versa.

Klathman

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Reply # 1874083 28-Sep-2017 12:42

Dingbatt:

Thanks. Didn't realise you could have multiple delivery addresses within the same account. Just left my NZ one as the primary and setup was painless. Timezone was fine but as others have pointed out, it wouldn't take an address. I wonder, since most Americans think NZ is part of Australia, when Amazon opens in Oz we will be able to enter Kiwi addresses.
Had to source an Android APK but apart from that it was all done, including WeMo and Harmony setups in about 20 minutes.

I had to go into "Content and Devices" in my Amazon profile and then under settings I changed my location to US. Otherwise I couldn't see all services like Spotify in the Alexa App.

freitasm

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Reply # 1874213 28-Sep-2017 15:52

Amazon announced the new Amazon Echo Spot today.

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kryptonjohn

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Reply # 1874217 28-Sep-2017 15:58

At first glance I thought, "what's the point - you only ever talk and listen to it" but when I saw the gorgeous clock face I was won over!

Dingbatt

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Reply # 1874221 28-Sep-2017 16:02

Already commented on the Fire TV thread (new one also just announced) but please please let these be available for delivery here when Amazon launches in Australia.

Edit: Also a drop in the price point for the new echo. Matches the Google Home, although Google is rumoured to be releasing a cheaper 'Home Mini' to match the Dot, and a 'Home Max' high quality stereo setup.

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SepticSceptic

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Reply # 1878495 6-Oct-2017 14:46

New Amazon Echo setup.

My Echo arrived the other day, still in box.

So what are the traps, etc to watch for. ?I believe it's a bit tricky for some functions outside the USA.

39 pages is a bit to wade thru .... :-(

For the moment, I wish to use 3 functions:

1) Alexa - play some smooth jazz

2) Alexa - Add rice to the shopping list

3) Alexa - What's the weather forecast for today.

All the marvellous automation in the can wait - for a wee while :-)

I have a couple of android tablets / phones, and a soon-to-be iphone 4 wifi only - if that helps for loading apps if necessary.

Cheers

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kryptonjohn

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Reply # 1878497 6-Oct-2017 14:48

I found that I needed to disconnect mobile data during the setup process - it starts off connected to the home wifi then connects your device (phone/tablet) to the echo AP. If the mobile data is on it doesn't switch to the echo AP.

Dingbatt

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Reply # 1878778 7-Oct-2017 08:08

@SepticSceptic You have to specify a location each time you ask for the weather, otherwise it defaults to giving you the weather in Seattle. This is the case since the option to set an address outside the USA has been removed (because to US companies nothing exists outside the USA).
For example, "Alexa, what's the weather like in Auckland Nu Zeeland". Hoping it will be fixed once Amazon descends on this part of the world, although that may just mean it defaults to Melbourne if you don't specify a location!

The hardest part was sourcing the Alexa APK, luckily I have a US iTunes account, so I used that for the iPad, and did the initial setup that way.
Not sure about your shopping list and music though as I just used my echo dot for automation functions. In fact most of the stuff is done by my Google Home.

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hairy1

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Reply # 1878779 7-Oct-2017 08:10

I use Big sky skill for weather and Our Groceries skill for shipping lists. Cheers, Matt

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Dingbatt

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Reply # 1878781 7-Oct-2017 08:19

hairy1: I use Big sky skill for weather and Our Groceries skill for shipping lists. Cheers, Matt

Does Big Sky allow you to set a default location? That would great.
And does Our Groceries have a companion app for Android? I have the echo set up in the kitchen, and that would be really useful.

Edit: Never mind, I looked them up.
The most painful part is having to prefix the any command/question with Alexa, Ask (Skill) to, ......
First world problem, I know, but having to remember the skill name is a skill in itself.

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Handle9

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Reply # 1878793 7-Oct-2017 08:23

You can use todoist as a companion app for the Alexa shopping list.

https://support.todoist.com/hc/en-us/articles/212798949-How-can-I-use-Todoist-with-Amazon-Echo-

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