Amazon Alexa and Echo FAQ

mossie

degsie wrote: »

"Alexa, play Newstalk FM Ireland on TuneIn", usually results in a confirmation question but works for me.

This works, thanks.

podge3

I just have to say "Alexa, play Newstalk FM".

Works 100% off the time.

mrcheez

mossie wrote: »

It plays a station called FM Newstalk 97.1, not the Irish one. Saying play 107.6 plays a station called The Breeze in Basingstoke, England, saying Newstalk plays Young Turks. Adding Newstalk to favourites makes no difference.

Is the Echo set to a location in Ireland?

Perhaps try setting the location to "5 O'Connell Street Lower, Dublin, IE"

That's what I have mine set to.

givecredit

mrcheez wrote: »

Is the Echo set to a location in Ireland?

Perhaps try setting the location to "5 O'Connell Street Lower, Dublin, IE"

That's what I have mine set to.

Yes, Setting location to Dublin makes big improvements. Echo works a lot better since end of last year.

For Radio Just say " Alexa, play newstalk" Alexa play 2fm, alexa play 98fm, All play 100% of times. I've tried a good range of stations. I radio i cannot play, Alexa suggests an alternative and plays it.
If you say Alexa play radio 1, it plays BBC radio1, Play RTE radio 1, plays rte1

"Alexa whats the weather" gives Dublin weather. I live in Galway. " Alexa whats the weather in Galway" gives me galway weather.

tipperaryboy

I have some of the IFTT applets connected 'Keep a google spreadsheet of songs you listen to on alexa' . Have looked around can't find where the content is stored? Triple checked my google documents nothing there and no further info on IFTT and no reply to email.

Can't figure it out

Krusty_Clown

tipperaryboy wrote: »

I have some of the IFTT applets connected 'Keep a google spreadsheet of songs you listen to on alexa' . Have looked around can't find where the content is stored? Triple checked my google documents nothing there and no further info on IFTT and no reply to email.

Can't figure it out

Did you approve permissions for IFTT to access Google sheets?

It works fine for me for updating shopping lists and tracking my working hours on Google Sheets.

mossie

tipperaryboy wrote: »

I have some of the IFTT applets connected 'Keep a google spreadsheet of songs you listen to on alexa' . Have looked around can't find where the content is stored? Triple checked my google documents nothing there and no further info on IFTT and no reply to email.

Can't figure it out

I have this set up too but the applet shows never run.

Papav3r

Anyone ever have issues finding skills?

I can't seem to find the justeat or guardian skills on the app or the website?

Am I missing something?

clintondaly

Papav3r wrote: »

Anyone ever have issues finding skills?

I can't seem to find the justeat or guardian skills on the app or the website?

Am I missing something?

You logged into .com rather than .uk ?

Papav3r

clintondaly wrote: »

You logged into .com rather than .uk ?

Yeah, my digital content was set to US.

Swapped it over and getting the skills I was after.

Cheers

ctlsleh

Still having trouble with news talk........(registered in co.uk and ireland is location......Tried Newtalk, news talk FM, news talk 106.......have to select it from the app.....have searched the thread

garbeth

Try 107.6 works for me every time. If it doesn't cycle through all options from 106.0 to 106.9 if none of them work try 107.0 to 107.9 or 108.0 to 108.9.

One should work

frash

Anyone's RTE Flash Briefing not updating?

Mine's been saying the same news for a couple of days now.

degsie

ctlsleh wrote: »

Still having trouble with news talk........(registered in co.uk and ireland is location......Tried Newtalk, news talk FM, news talk 106.......have to select it from the app.....have searched the thread

"Alexa, play NewsTalk FM Ireland from TuneIn"

you are welcome

johnwoods

Hey folks,
I picked up a Dot in London the other day, working well so far.
( I lived in the UK for a few years so I had a UK amazon account with UK debit card setup)


Although this FAQ states that it will not support local weather in Dublin I actually managed to change my location from my old London address to my Dublin address.

When I ask Alexa for the weather she gives me weather for Dublin (without me having to specify Dublin).
Additionally when I ask Alexa to play music, she plays on Spotify by default (again I changed the default music player to spotify).

A couple of questions I was hoping you could help with:
1) The flash briefing weather doesn't work, it goes to give a forecast and then just says 'not available', even though asking for weather straight up just works. - Tried a restart and enabling and disabling the skill in flash briefing. Any other ideas? Anyone here got the weather working in flash briefing?

2) I'm surprised RTE have a skill, works well, shocked to see them be ahead of things for once, why would they support a device thats not even available in the country officially?

3) I can only seem to add a handful (approx 20) flash briefing skills, am I looking in the wrong place, or is there only a few of these?

I was thinking of writing my own skill to track dublin bus (Alexa ask Dublin bus when the next 130 is etc), also to track some cryptocurrency prices.

Anyway there doesnt seem to be any real limit to using Alexa in Ireland once you set your address properly. Any other limitations you guys are seeing these days?

degsie

johnwoods wrote: »

I was thinking of writing my own skill to track dublin bus (Alexa ask Dublin bus when the next 130 is etc)

4NextBus skill already does this

johnwoods

degsie wrote: »

4NextBus skill already does this

Yeah it's good.

I also noticed that asking Alexa "what's up" causes her to give me the time and then go to say "here's what's happening" then she just stops.

Any idea?

degsie

johnwoods wrote: »

Yeah it's good.

I also noticed that asking Alexa "what's up" causes her to give me the time and then go to say "here's what's happening" then she just stops.

Any idea?

Maybe she's just shy

clintondaly

Echo can now be paired by bluetooth with another speaker,wasn't possible previously

I have not tried it yet

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/amazon-echo-pair-with-a-bluetooth-speaker/?ftag=CAD-04-10aaf6e&bhid=

degsie

johnwoods wrote: »

I also noticed that asking Alexa "what's up" causes her to give me the time and then go to say "here's what's happening" then she just stops.

I noticed this happens on the Echo but not the Echo dot.

coley

Anyone notice Alexa has recently changed the way she says "sending that to IFTTT"? now it sounds like iffat

IK09

2nd Row Donkey wrote: »

Set up my echo dot last weekend and last night I set up a couple of tp-link smart plugs via the Kasa App and linked to Alexa.

One of plugs I named "stick the kettle" and last night before I went to bed I filled the kettle and put the kettle switch into the 'on' position with the device deactivated.

When I woke first thing this morning I said "Alexa, stick the kettle ON" .
Well, you wanna see my happy little face when 5-6 seconds later I could hear the kettle begin to boil downstairs in the kitchen before I had left the comfort of my duvet.

My wife said she hadn't seen me grin and so full of pride since our then 2 y.o. daughter said 'Da-da' for the first time 4 years ago.

This is my life now.

I genuinely laughed out loud at this. :pac::pac:

sharkman

Papav3r wrote: »

Yeah, my digital content was set to US.

Swapped it over and getting the skills I was after.

Cheers

How did you switch ??

degsie

sharkman wrote: »

How did you switch ??

I did it before via webchat

chrismcc409

Hi,
Just a question on the revolut card. I set one up with my own Irish address. I assume this was a mistake? Am trying to transfer my amazon music account from U.S. to U.K. but the billing address for my card is presumably the Irish one I entered on set up and the transfer option will only accept United Kingdom for country. Would appreciate any advice?
Thank you

Papav3r

sharkman wrote: »

How did you switch ??

Under your account settings in amazon.

Digital Content ----> Manage Your Content and Devices

---

> Settings (tab)

You'll see a Country Settings there which you can change.

That worked for me anyway. Was instant.

sharkman

Guys , looking for some advice please . Trying to set my Echo Dot for my home address but the closest I can get it to accept is O Connell Street. I live in Swords . I've tried numerous combinations of address to no avail.

Any idea??

degsie

sharkman wrote: »

Guys , looking for some advice please . Trying to set my Echo Dot for my home address but the closest I can get it to accept is O Connell Street. I live in Swords . I've tried numerous combinations of address to no avail.

Any idea??

As it isn't officially supported in Ireland, that's as good as it gets.

NakQuada

Just to say, the weather works fine without specifying a location (as stated on post #1). I can say 'Alexa, what's the weather?' or 'Alexa what's the weather for tomorrow' and it'll work just fine.

d31b0y

NakQuada wrote: »

Just to say, the weather works fine without specifying a location (as stated on post #1). I can say 'Alexa, what's the weather?' or 'Alexa what's the weather for tomorrow' and it'll work just fine.

If you live in or near Dublin, that is true.

davo2001

NakQuada wrote: »

Just to say, the weather works fine without specifying a location (as stated on post #1). I can say 'Alexa, what's the weather?' or 'Alexa what's the weather for tomorrow' and it'll work just fine.

Yeah, fine if you live in Dublin :rolleyes:

Otherwise you have to specifiy.

ctlsleh

i live in Ennis and i don't have to ask it for the weather in Ennis, i just ask for the weather forecast........... you should have your address in the general settings (Device Location) in the Alexa app

davo2001

ctlsleh wrote: »

i live in Ennis and i don't have to ask it for the weather in Ennis, i just ask for the weather forecast........... you should have your address in the general settings (Device Location) in the Alexa app

Yeah, and it will give you the weather for the address listed, which is Dublin.

I'm barely using this thing any more. What do you guys actually regularly use it for?

NakQuada

Weather works fine wherever you are so long as your address is correct in the Echo's settings.

All I say is 'Alexa, what's the weather' and it works perfectly (from anywhere in the country)

davo2001

NakQuada wrote: »

Weather works fine wherever you are so long as your address is correct in the Echo's settings.

All I say is 'Alexa, what's the weather' and it works perfectly (from anywhere in the country)

Yes, i know but it will still just give you the weather for Dublin, you could be in Kerry and ask "Alexa, what's the weather" it will say blah blah blah 17 degrees etc but it is the weather for Dublin, not Kerry.

If you want local weather you have to say "What's the weather in Kerry" or "Ask big sky what's the weather".

bk

NakQuada wrote: »

Just to say, the weather works fine without specifying a location (as stated on post #1). I can say 'Alexa, what's the weather?' or 'Alexa what's the weather for tomorrow' and it'll work just fine.

Things have improved since the FAQ was first written. I need to update the FAQ, but I can't edit it after all this time, I need the help of a mod to do it.

davo2001 wrote: »

Yeah, and it will give you the weather for the address listed, which is Dublin.

You can say: "What is the weather like in Cork"

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm barely using this thing any more. What do you guys actually regularly use it for?

- Spotify
- Control of TV (Harmony Hub)
- Control of lights (Hue)
- Control of heat (Netatmo)
- Weather
- Cooking timers

degsie

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm barely using this thing any more. What do you guys actually regularly use it for?

Ask the value of π (pi) occasionally.

podge3

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm barely using this thing any more. What do you guys actually regularly use it for?

Use with Broadlink RM Pro to control lights and any device that uses a remote (RF and IR).

mrcheez

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm barely using this thing any more. What do you guys actually regularly use it for?

- Weather forecast
- How much rain will I face cycling in the morning
- Latest news highlights from BBC
- Spotify - handy in the shower where I can shout out to her to change songs
- "What's the song that goes like..." questions
- Definitions of some words
- Entertaining at parties - she is the life of the party

I'll probably use it for home automation later on but right now it's an essential part of my home setup.

Irish Gunner

-Settling arguments with Miss Gunner rather than checking interweb.
-Home Automation lights and Tv.
-Spotify
-TuneIn Radio
-Morning Alarm... using Dot for this

mrcheez

Irish Gunner wrote: »

-TuneIn Radio
-Morning Alarm... using Dot for this

oh yeah forgot, I do both of these too... wonder when they will get TuneIn radio working with the alarm...

degsie

mrcheez wrote: »

oh yeah forgot, I do both of these too... wonder when they will get TuneIn radio working with the alarm...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XT6WKD7/

if you like BBC radio...

mrcheez

degsie wrote: »

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XT6WKD7/

if you like BBC radio...

cool, but I listen to RTE radio in the morning, mainly for traffic/forecast etc... but BBC World Service for flash briefings in the evening.

At least that's some progress.

sharkman

ctlsleh wrote: »

i live in Ennis and i don't have to ask it for the weather in Ennis, i just ask for the weather forecast........... you should have your address in the general settings (Device Location) in the Alexa app

As in SETTINGS-ECHO DOT ONLINE- DEVICE LOCATION .
When I go in here to set it it will prompt me to the address but then tell me it cant enter it .

degsie

sharkman wrote: »

As in SETTINGS-ECHO DOT ONLINE- DEVICE LOCATION .
When I go in here to set it it will prompt me to the address but then tell me it cant enter it .

Because it's not officially supported here.

sharkman

degsie wrote: »

Because it's not officially supported here.

Yes , I heard you the first time degsie , but ctlsleh was advising me that he had managed to get his address in Ennis on the app I believe .

bk

sharkman wrote: »

Yes , I heard you the first time degsie , but ctlsleh was advising me that he had managed to get his address in Ennis on the app I believe .

I think it was possible in the past, but only Dublin addresses seem to be working now.

The reason being Dublin has postcodes which you put in the second field. And no unfortunately Eircodes don't work, I tried.

sharkman

bk wrote: »

I think it was possible in the past, but only Dublin addresses seem to be working now.

The reason being Dublin has postcodes which you put in the second field. And no unfortunately Eircodes don't work, I tried.

Bugger ! Can only get O'Connell Street to work . I've tried every street locally to no avail .

Irish Gunner

Reassigned mine to dot com to get some skills however now more available on the dot co. uk skills more appropriate to Europe.

If I reassign it back to UK do I have to set up skills again as have Hue and Harmony TV skills set up...

Can't save skills?