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NFT: Amazon Echo owners?

davek3698 : 5/6/2016 2:48 pm
I used some Amazon stockpiled gift cards to buy one last week, and have since been trying to figure out what it’s good for. So far a lot of music, which is pretty cool for. My house isn’t all that “smart”, so not much to synch it into. It’s good for getting the weather and okay for work commute traffic updates. Shopping lists – check. Anyone else find any good day to day uses for it otherwise? Thanks…
I got one when it first came out  
Matt in SGS : 5/6/2016 2:54 pm : link
and it's a neat toy to have around the house. Yes, it does the weather and news updates. If you utilize Prime music, and add your own music and playlists, it will pretty much play anything you want when you ask for it. The thing about it is that there are a million other features that it has that it tough to keep track of as developers keep adding things all the time. It's good for setting reminders, you can use it as an alarm when needed (sleeping or cooking). I have used it a few times for voice shopping and it's good if you have things set up to re-order when you are running low (think paper towels, toilet paper, etc) and it will set it up in Prime for you.

I actually picked up the Echo dot via the voice order because I plan on bringing it outside this summer and it synchs to better bluetooth speakers and you can have it do all the same things you ask Alexa to do.

Is it a must have? No. But I'm a fan of it.
Seems like a solution in search of a problem.  
widmerseyebrow : 5/6/2016 3:12 pm : link
Nothing that a phone can't do except in a larger form with a live mic for Amazon to listen to you.
I got one  
pjcas18 : 5/6/2016 3:17 pm : link
on their eval program so it was like $49, I have found almost no use for it.

sometimes the kids think it's fun to ask Alexa the weather or set an alarm or timer or play music, but it's beyond non-essential.

if I had the option to buy it again, even at the discounted price I would not buy it.
I have fun with mine  
Bill L : 5/6/2016 3:17 pm : link
Besides Prime music, you can use your pandora account or listed to Tune-in stations. My house isn't smart either but maybe eventually I'll use it to turn on/off my lights and thermostat.

I won't argue that it's a bigger Siri.
Great for scaring the shit out of my sons. :)  
x meadowlander : 5/6/2016 3:30 pm : link
You can use the Alexa app from anywhere. Sometimes, I'll just cue up Alice in Chains "Them Bones" and peg the volume on the thing to 10.

It works. :)

But really - we love the thing - in the kitchen and dining room, dinner time, just call out "ALEXA, PLAY PANDORA [station here]" and off it goes. Can adjust the volume by saying ALEXA, LOUDER/QUIETER, can use her as a kitchen timer, can ask for measurement conversions, trivial questions (WHAT'S THE CAPITAL OF WEST VIRGINIA?) (HOW FAR IS IT TO WASHINGTON DC?) (WHAT TIME DOES THE SUN SET TODAY).

I use it for news every morning. Stumble into the kitchen, "ALEXA, NEWS" and start fumbling with the coffeemaker. Ours gets news from NPR.

Having a son named Alex causes problems, as the thing often gets confused by that.
A big Siri that's always on  
RB^2 : 5/6/2016 3:32 pm : link
Could be a very useful thing if set up and deployed correctly. I don't have one but I think the product is a potential home run.
Useful Calendar  
Samiam : 5/6/2016 6:27 pm : link
I don't think it syncs to other calendars but I'm no techie. It's nice adding events by voice. Every morning I ask it what do I have to do that day.
Does synch to google calendar  
Bill L : 5/6/2016 6:36 pm : link
X you can change her name if you want
It's a lot of fun  
Coach Mason : 5/7/2016 6:39 am : link
And convenient ocean you get used to it
It's a fun toy  
arniefez : 5/7/2016 6:47 am : link
nothing more than that. A very early internet of things toy. My guess someday it will be a palm pilot to a smartphone if you understand what I'm saying.
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