Amazon Alexa and Echo FAQ

garbeth

Yes. Have 4 wemo lights. They work well through Yonomi. Can't get the native skill to register successfully but otherwise there great

Dr. Dre

Changed my wake word to 'Computer' - I feel like Scotty on the Enterprise!

Nelbert

Dr. Dre wrote: »

Changed my wake word to 'Computer' - I feel like Scotty on the Enterprise!

How?

I thought this had been locked down?

Dr. Dre

It should be an option on the dropdown menu?

2nd Row Donkey

Dr. Dre wrote:

Changed my wake word to 'Computer' - I feel like Scotty on the Enterprise!

Nelbert wrote:

I thought this had been locked down?

Yeah. I thought the only other option s where 'amazon' and 'echo'

Dr. Dre

Yes but it was released in the latest update.

I'm on software version 4812

Nelbert

Dr. Dre wrote: »

Yes but it was released in the latest update.

I'm on software version 4812

My device software version is 564196920.... is this out of date / pending an update?

Looks like I'm up to date....... Had you previously hacked it before it was locked down?

amazon pages for software versions
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=as_li_ss_tl?nodeId=201602210&linkCode=ll2&tag=lomyec-21&linkId=645ed02ff9b6d2a02a66dd04236c677a
US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=as_li_ss_tl?nodeId=201602210&linkCode=ll2&tag=lovemyecho-20&linkId=0ce46b6aac3da632049edf10ad05bffd

That version hasn't been rolled out yet according to the above....... you in a beta or anything?

Dr. Dre

No not on beta, but I've had Alexa for maybe 18 months so when the UK version came out I didn't bother changing, so I'm still on US.

Their website is obviously behind.

Nelbert

Dr. Dre wrote: »

No not on beta, but I've had Alexa for maybe 18 months so when the UK version came out I didn't bother changing, so I'm still on US.

Their website is obviously behind.

From a bit of googling it looks like an update that is in the process of rolling out......... patiently waiting........

Arbie

Our bedroom Dot woke us up at 1am shouting "BINGBONG! Just to let you know, your Dot has received an update. It will be ready to use in a few moments." At least now we can wake it with Computer. All our visitors seem to call it some version of Alexia, Alexandra, Alexis, or even Elvira.

Branoic

degsie wrote: »

Again, Amazon Echo is NOT officially supported in Ireland.

Yes, thank you, I get that. However whether or not Just Eat works in Ireland would, I'd have thought, had more to do with Just Eat themselves and not Amazon, since it's a 3rd party app / skill. .

Branoic

Hellrazer wrote: »

What smart plug would people recommend..I just want one to turn on and off a single appliance using voice control.

LightwaveRF works well also

mrcheez

This looks pretty cool:

https://developer.amazon.com/blogs/post/935a202f-d236-4492-866e-a8419d952fca/display-cards-for-alexa-a-new-complementary-feature-for-screen-based-products

Display Cards to partner with Alexa to give visual feedback whenever you ask her to do something (upcoming)

BobPresto

Dr. Dre wrote: »

No not on beta, but I've had Alexa for maybe 18 months so when the UK version came out I didn't bother changing, so I'm still on US.

Their website is obviously behind.

I'm using a US account and cant find it in my dropdown or online. Have you got a link showing it working?

*ah found it on a German site, seems to only be working on the echo not the dot

Bluefoam

mrcheez wrote: »

This looks pretty cool:

https://developer.amazon.com/blogs/post/935a202f-d236-4492-866e-a8419d952fca/display-cards-for-alexa-a-new-complementary-feature-for-screen-based-products

Display Cards to partner with Alexa to give visual feedback whenever you ask her to do something (upcoming)

Great idea, but I'd like to see a way to use some of the screens we already have around us in an intelligent way... the TV, phone, tablet... The idea of a screen to complement the Echo/Ghome seem too complex... could just use a tablet for the same purpose.

I'm keen to see if Nvidia have or will add any functions to the Assistant sitting on the Shield TV, so that certain info can be displayed on screen...

mrcheez

Bluefoam wrote: »

Great idea, but I'd like to see a way to use some of the screens we already have around us in an intelligent way

I'd say we're only a couple of years from a unified "smart home" interface for all home appliances, so anything from your fridge to your TV will all be able to communicate with each other and use an Alexa-like voice controlled interface.

A Harmony Hub for everything you own if you will.

garbeth

Got this to work unofficial Alexa Ask Google Skill.

https://www.reddit.com/r/amazonecho/comments/5md74z/a_highly_unofficial_alexa_skill_for_google_search/

Arbie

BobPresto wrote: »

I'm using a US account and cant find it in my dropdown or online. Have you got a link showing it working?

*ah found it on a German site, seems to only be working on the echo not the dot

I have a US account and the Computer wake word works on the Dot.

bk

Arbie wrote: »

I have a US account and the Computer wake word works on the Dot.

Cool, is Computer the only new term or can you setting anything? Like HAL?

I know Computer is cool because many of us grew up dreaming of having that from Star Trek (I did anyway), but it doesn't really seem such a great word. It is a three syllable word, while something like Hal is just one and thus much easier to pronounce.

Dr. Dre

It's the only addition (so far) :-D

Shane732

F*cking thing has stopped understanding how to turn off the kitchen lights.

When I was leaving the house on Saturday morning it was able to "turn off the kitchen lights"... I asked it to do the same this evening and it's asking me to identify the device and the setting...

I'm about to throw the thing out the window!

fionny

I guess we got the latest update other night too as we were woken by our Bluetooth Speaking in the kitchen rather loudly and proudly saying BLUETOOTH DISCONNECT followed by BLUETOOTH CONNECTED at 5am in the morning...

EDIT: nope Computer aint an option yet.

Sniipe

"Alexa, play Galway Bay FM on TuneIn" - Does that work for anyone?

I still can't set my location to Galway. The closest I could get was "O'Connell Street Lower, Dublin, IE"
When I type in my address it lists the full address, and when I click on it it tells me
"Could not set your address. Please ensure you have correctly entered a complete address."

for example, I can't set my address to even "1 shop street galway"

fionny

Sniipe wrote: »

"Alexa, play Galway Bay FM on TuneIn" - Does that work for anyone?

I still can't set my location to Galway.  The closest I could get was "O'Connell Street Lower, Dublin, IE"
When I type in my address it lists the full address, and when I click on it it tells me
"Could not set your address. Please ensure you have correctly entered a complete address."

for example, I can't set my address to even "1 shop street galway"

This is because:

1. Bing maps is crap
2. You'll notice it takes O'Connell Street because it thinks its post code is 1... ie Dublin 1.

Hopefully when it officially launches for Ireland this rubbish will be fixed... or maybe Bing Maps will start accepting Eircodes.

Zulu

Yeah the radio is cronic.
Newstalk gets me all sorts of sh1t, but my wife figured out:
"Newstalk Ireland" stressing the Ireland in a really crappy American accent (I-er-land) works. Sometimes.

Sniipe

fionny wrote: »

This is because:

1. Bing maps is crap
2. You'll notice it takes O'Connell Street because it thinks its post code is 1... ie Dublin 1.

Hopefully when it officially launches for Ireland this rubbish will be fixed... or maybe Bing Maps will start accepting Eircodes.

ah ok, so is there any address in Galway that it will accept? I wouldn't mind asking alexa for the weather based off my location... I don't think there is anything else I can use for location based... it hardly does RTE news flashes, let alone Galway ones

OldRio

Use the big sky skill for the weather. You can add your location when you set it up.

2nd Row Donkey

You can just say 'alexa, what is the weather forecast for Galway, Ireland' and it will give it to you regardless of the address linked to your amazon account.

Alternatively set up a big sky account and ask 'alexa, open big sky'

clintondaly

My Story so far

She arrived on Friday
Set up with UK Account(this was a bit of a pain regarding getting the APK etc. for phone and PC) Including the instructions here, there seems to be no one stop place to assist with the (Irish) set up start to finish,it took a fair bit of digging.
It did reset itself twice and I had to go through the whole set up process again and again,no idea why though.

Have it now set up with 2 TP-Link HS100 Plugs through the KASA App,works fine
Spotify all good as long as Spotify is set up as default Player "Play Queen" etc works or naming a Particular play list,no need to mention Spotify.

BigSky set up with correct address so weather is fine."Alexa ask Bigsky what my weather is"
Traffic reporting is working.
News Briefing set up for Sky News/BBC News
Sports Briefing set up for Sky Sports
"Liverpool" set up as Sports team
Have Tunedin working with all my usual stations,i have them listed as favorites within Tunedin so "Alexa play 4fm on Tunedin" works fine

On the Beta list for Mastermind which seems good
Harmony Hub etc. set up on CamelX3 waiting for price to drop a little so I can get it.
Hue set then maybe.

Magic door set up so waiting on kids to try this out

Thanks to everyone who has posted for all the little bits of help,it all adds up.

Having sideloaded the APK onto the phone,how do I go about getting an update ?

Anyone got a good suggestion as to what I should try next ?

duffer247

clintondaly wrote: »

My Story so far

She arrived on Friday

Spotify all good as long as Spotify is set up as default Player "Play Queen" etc works or naming a Particular play list,no need to mention Spotify.


Sports Briefing set up for Sky Sports
"Liverpool" set up as Sports team

Just wondering I have Spotify as my default but I still have to say "...on spotify"
Also how do you set up sports briefing - all I can see is the option to pick a team