Amazon Echo — Do we need to change account to Australia (as per Stuff Article)?

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TLD

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Ultimate Geek
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#238213 7-Jul-2018 00:36

I plan to pick up an Echo tomorrow as my first Alexa device. This Stuff article says we need to change our Amazon account to Australia to make best use of Alexa. Does that make sense?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/gadgets/101258561/review-amazon-echo-is-great-but-needs-more-kiwi-skills

Thanks guys. I feel like this one of those asked a bunch of times type questions, but the problems seems to be that there is so much information about these devices, it comes down to Can't find the wood for the trees'.

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

LisaM77

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Master Geek
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#2050997 7-Jul-2018 11:24

I've only had Alexa for about a month, and love it. The first one was built in to a Sonos One speaker, but liked it enough that I went out and got a Dot for another room the next day. But I do feel your pain re finding answers about set up...

My Amazon account is set to Australia and I haven't had to change it. A couple of years ago I did change it to Aus when suggested upon login (I guess when the Aus domain came in) and it killed my Kindle library sharing. I contacted help and they said that's what would happen and helped me revert it to US, where it has stayed.

In the Alexa app I have set each device to my actual address and time zone under device location. Before doing this I had to be very specific when asking about the weather, and it was in the wrong time zone so 'what's the time' would get a wrong answer, and if I'd wanted to set an alarm, well I wouldn't have bothered!

The language is set to English (Australia). She doesn't sound too Australian though ;)

I did come across a lot of mentions regarding issues with setting time zones and location, and there not being NZ options, and while many of them looked quite recent (February isn't that long ago) it seems that a lot of changes must have happened pretty rapidly with the release of more devices on the shop floor here, and my guess is until very recently it didn't recognise NZ locations or time zones because they weren't actively marketing for here. Seems smooth now though.

Hope that helps.

rogercruse

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#2051001 7-Jul-2018 11:28

Our Echo devices (we have more than one!) are still connected to Amazon.com. All work fine.

lchiu7

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#2051190 7-Jul-2018 17:46

I think all mine are set to the US. But when I ask for my daily briefing it always gives me Radio NZ first and it say RN Zed :-) in her nice US accent.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

richms

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#2051192 7-Jul-2018 17:52

Mine is on a US account because that is where all the good skills are. I miss the mercury energy one and possibly something else by not being on Aus, but would rather be able to control my LED lights and other things which seem to be missing on the AU one.

Richard rich.ms

TLD

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Ultimate Geek
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#2051229 7-Jul-2018 20:46

Thanks guys. I did check my Amazon account, and found that it was set to New Zealand, so I think I'll leave it there for now, and change when I have worked out how to use it. Noel Leaming only had black today, and having just put in a new kitchen, where the Echo will live, I know that would not have been acceptable, so they are getting a grey one over from Nelson for Monday.

I'm going to work my way through that very long thread on GZ, while waiting

https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=73&topicid=154778&page_no=1

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)