MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Yes you can also swear at it.
To what end?
makes it ****ing shut up, dunnit
Slightly disappointed with mine. Just got back from holiday and plugged it in. First question: 'alexa when is low tide?'. Answer: I need to install a skill. I probably will get round to doing that for this specific question, but I guess I was expecting more.
This is where the Google Home edges the Echo. Everything is there as a service, well when the UK gets them, rather than having to find and install a necessary skill.
....and as for there being thousands of skills. That's no good when 99% are crap.
@sl2000 Good luck
This explains the difference between Prime Music (free for Prime subs) and the Unlimited service. http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/amazon-prime-music-unlimited-vs-prime-music
I've had it mention a few times that a song isn't available and to try Unlimited but it hasn't asked me if I wanted to subscribe there and then (although I do have ordering turned off anyway, mostly in case I'm drunk and start talking to Alexa...).
i read somewhere that there are 2m songs in prime music and the rest of the universe in the unlimited. I like the streaming music based on genres. Currently ok on prime music but i'm sure i will find limitations for top 40 stuff
Anyone have a recommendation for the best smart plug to use with Alexa (and on an app on an iphone).
Ultimate middle class STW first world problem - the ability to turn on my coffee machine to warm up from bed or when half an hour from home at work or on a bike.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01I3ZCBFK
Can even get an version which tells you how much your middle class affectations is costing you in energy*
*Via a powered plug connected to an always on speaker 8)
I've ordered one of those plugs to do the outside lights. "Alexa.. Lights on" will be awesome and I may get the power measuring one for the Lounge TV Hifi as it often gets left on overnight and bothers me enough to get up and check.
I've 2 of those TP link ones.
They just work, don't need a hub etc
I'll get more when they're on a better offer..
DrP
These ones look interesting, more like inline modules to fit to the power lines rather than big bulky plugs. Only good to 10amp but that's plenty for lights etc.
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I can't believe how sensitive the microphone is, I can talk to it from a different room and about 30 feet away, quite amazing.
its worth noting that the tplink plugs (whilst good otherwise) are not currently compatible with the (excellent otherwise) logitech harmony platform. So whilst you can go 'echo start a movie' and it will turn down the lights, turn your tv to the correct channel, open Kodi on your fire tv and turn your amp on and choose the input, it won't turn on your (non ir-enabled) subwoofer as well (you have to separately ask echo to do that. Oh the humanity!)
You could probably link that together with a suitable IFTTT or Node Red recipe though couldn't you?
If I had a car with a WiFi hotspot, could I use my echo dot in the car? Anyone tried it?
If I had a car with a WiFi hotspot, could I use my echo dot in the car? Anyone tried it?
Installation will depend on car, and how OEM you want it all to look.
So anyone tried "Alexa self destruct" yet?
You can reflash the firmware on the Sonoff Wifi switches Graham linked to and make them directly controllable from Alexa (the new firmware emulates either the Wemo or Phillips Hue protocols which Alexa supports).
https://github.com/arendst/Sonoff-Tasmota
"Alexa discover devices" will cause the echo/dot to emit "discovery" UDP packets which the supported devices respond to. You can then issue "Alexa turn <device> on" etc. Works well, I've flashed it to a couple of the Sonoffs + some bare-bones ESP8266 devices.
I'll get more when they're on a better offer..
[url= http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/tp-link-hs100-wifi-smart-plug-a01wy ]TP-Link HS100 today only at Maplin @ £17.50[/url]
...or [url= https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01I3ZCBFK ]Maplin via Amazon[/url]
I have a couple of the tplinks good just work. downside is they are quite bulky so for me push a sofa / tv stand a bit out too much and on one of my extension leads I loose a socket. I prefer hue bulbs for lighting, bit cheaper too for just white and use the plugs for other devices...like my fans
Cheers Jamie...2 more ordered!!
DrP
You could probably link that together with a suitable IFTTT or Node Red recipe though couldn't you?
no, sadly they've chosen not to support ifttt triggers from harmony (ifttt-> harmony works fine, not the other way round). I did build a ifttt trigger to turn my plug on/off, but I can't trigger it
sadly they've chosen not to support ifttt triggers from harmony (ifttt-> harmony works fine, not the other way round)
Hmm that sucks.
But couldn't you create an IFTTT recipe that turns on the plug [i]and[/i] signals to Harmony, then you can call that from Alexa?
Giving this some thought what I would really like is a switch fitted to the RCD that turns off all the lights in the house. This would be useful in the morning when everyone leaves bedroom, bathroom lights on and goes out for the day.
you could probably build something simple that just trips the entire circuit 🙂 might not be the safest way to do things though
Found the other day that if you are setting multiple different timers (e.g. when cooking) then rather than saying [i]"Alexa, set a timer for 35 minutes"[/i] you can say [i]"Alexa, remind me in 35 minutes to take the turkey out of the oven"[/i]
Then when it goes off she will say "This is a reminder: take the turkey out of the oven", which saves trying to figure out which timer it is.
Also "Yes Sire" is a pleasing little game. Try it.
my 26 month old can now say Alex a play nursery rhymes and Alexa stop.....
purchasing has been switches off!
Thinking of getting a Dot and attaching it to my speakers. However, does anyone know if Amazon are planning to develop Alexa so that it has an even more powerful speaker?
GrahamS, that's a useful tip! Thanks!
DrP
An echo dot linked to [url= http://www.pcworld.com/article/3194207/speakers/ankers-insanely-popular-soundcore-bluetooth-speaker-is-just-29-right-now.html ]an Anker Soundcore[/url] will give you decent sounds
[url= http://www.qvcuk.com/Amazon-Echo-HD-Speaker-with-Voice-Controlled-Personal-Assistant.product.508951.html?sc=NAVLIST ]£93 on QVC of all places.[/url]