Amazon Alexa and Echo FAQ

Brophchip

I've tried the browser option as well however it just brings me into the App Store when I click download and it either says it's not available in Irish store and to change Store then when I change to uk it says account is not set up for English Store.. very frustrating .. am I doing something wrong? Sorry for the hassle as well and thanks for your help

Nelbert

Just an FYI my echo dot seems to have pulled in the "computer" wake word update (I didn't change anything to try to force any update) so likely means it's rolling out (I could be first or last on said roll out, who knows).

bk

Brophchip wrote: »

I've tried the browser option as well however it just brings me into the App Store when I click download and it either says it's not available in Irish store and to change Store then when I change to uk it says account is not set up for English Store.. very frustrating .. am I doing something wrong? Sorry for the hassle as well and thanks for your help

Use a laptop or pc or simply set your mobile browser to desktop mode (google it).

clintondaly

Nelbert wrote: »

Just an FYI my echo dot seems to have pulled in the "computer" wake word update (I didn't change anything to try to force any update) so likely means it's rolling out (I could be first or last on said roll out, who knows).

Mine has updated to it also,it happened within the last 2 days

My time zone seemed to change too as did my temperature setting, that was in Celsius and changed back to F

underwaterdog

bk wrote: »

Use a laptop or pc or simply set your mobile browser to desktop mode (google it).

Thanks for this. I've been struggling to get an iPhone 4 to connect to the Dot through the app but this should work. Will try it later.

bittihuduga

got dot (from US) into my hands yesterday. set it up. didn't bother to change it to UK amazon for now. i dont have any home automation stuff yet. this is the first one from the big pending list of HA.
as of now, just checking news, weather and shop list :-)

mrcheez

The "Morning Alexa" message this morning is interesting... got me googling

duffer247

garbeth wrote: »

107.6 works.

I noticed when I asked for RTE Radio 1 I got 2fm, but 88.5 got me Radio 1. Someone mentioned adding the station to your favourites.
So on PC version of website I went to "Now playing" and on the down arrow/chevron I was able to add Radio 1 to my favourites and it works on voice command now

Jayop

My dot was delivered to my parcel motel this morning according to Amazon, no notification from PM yet that they have it but looking back on old orders I think they only email you when they get the parcel down to the sorting office in Dublin. Hopefully I'll get it on Wednseday.

Jayop

Jayop wrote: »

My dot was delivered to my parcel motel this morning according to Amazon, no notification from PM yet that they have it but looking back on old orders I think they only email you when they get the parcel down to the sorting office in Dublin. Hopefully I'll get it on Wednseday.

And just after I posted this I got an email to say it's in the pm Depot I'm Dublin.

clintondaly

Got email this evening from mastermind saying I had got onto the Beta program,sure enough the skill is now working
I can ask(and have done to check) Alexa to make and receive calls,read out texts,dictate texts,missed calls etc. it will also call out battery status and other info from phone,says it will also launch apps on phone by asking Alexa,haven't tried this yet.

degsie

Weird one this, when I play anything through my FireTV the audio also plays through my echo dot! They have never been paired and there are no paired devices showing on the FireTV, can't figure it out.

Just after I posted I figured it out
I have a bluetooth xmitter connected to the tv audio out and it somehow got picked up by the dot. Technology huh? :P

wexfordman2

clintondaly wrote: »

Got email this evening from mastermind saying I had got onto the Beta program,sure enough the skill is now working
I can ask(and have done to check) Alexa to make and receive calls,read out texts,dictate texts,missed calls etc. it will also call out battery status and other info from phone,says it will also launch apps on phone by asking Alexa,haven't tried this yet.

Wow, that's impressive, google have a lot of catching up to do.

Would be cool to see Skype and what's app integration into these devices next.

GristlyEnd

DarrenG wrote: »

Got an Echo Dot today from Amazon. I've set it up and partnered it with my Harmony hub but I'm having issues where on quite a few occasions it can't find the hub. I've read up online and it seems to be a recent issue. Anyone else have the same problem?

Apart from that I'm loving it. Hue bulbs are next on the shopping list.

Finally got the Harmony Hub and Echo dot working flawlessly thanks to some suggestions on the Logitech community forum. If anybody else is getting the dreaded "I was unable to reach your Logitech Harmony Hub", changing the TCP session timeout on your router from 60 (or 120 in my case) to 3600 fixes the issue.

Every command now works and connecting through the cloud to my hub always works every time.

clintondaly

Update on the "Mastermind skill"
Just an update for anyone that might be interested,I mentioned in a previous post about getting on the Beta program for the app and have been using it since yesterday,first impressions fairly good
Alexa will now read out viber messages etc. and any message from any messaging app it seems,as well as the other items I mentioned in the previous post ,I have sent an sms etc too by asking, but a bit of a teething problem with the whom it needs to go to when I say their names,maybe A.I. hasn't broached the area of "Irish" names yet.
The Skill will cast to Chromecast(not tried),It will ring my phone by asking Alexa(tried,and handy),activate Bluetooth etc.

This seems a promising start in terms of app progression on Alexa,currently to be honest the skills are ****e(not all) and we are at a stage similar to when the first iphone came out and the apps that accompanied it at the time were limited and bad,there seems to be no approval system for skills as of yet before they are published as a skill like you'd get on the play store or apple store.

I would think there are some money making opportunities here for someone with the right idea for a "skill" or "skills and get in early, like the earlier days in either of the other app stores.

"Further update" Just installed the mastermind browser extension for Chrome and all my phone notifications appear in the corner of my laptop screen as they arrive on the phone

2nd Row Donkey

Thanks Clintondaly... Keep the updates coming.

clintondaly

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/amazon-echo-wake-up-to-any-song-on-spotify/

Instructions above to get Alexa to wake you up with Spotify as the alarm.

londonred

Coming to end of 3 month Spotify trial is it worth keeping or is Amazon music better for the Echo ?

mrcheez

clintondaly wrote: »

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/amazon-echo-wake-up-to-any-song-on-spotify/

Instructions above to get Alexa to wake you up with Spotify as the alarm.

Before going to bed, ensure that the mobile device is connected to the Echo via Bluetooth and open the Alarmify app. Tap Sleep when you're ready to doze off and wait for the alarm to sound in the morning.

So it relies on your phone being setup and charged and within proximity of the Echo. Plus requires you to setup an app every time you go to bed.

eh.. pass .. I'll wait for the skill to be added.

Bluefoam

mrcheez wrote: »

So it relies on your phone being setup and charged and within proximity of the Echo. Plus requires you to setup an app every time you go to bed.

eh.. pass .. I'll wait for the skill to be added.

Agreed, the system just isn't natural yet. I got the Echo last week & am confident in saying that I haven't even interacted with it in at least 4 days... Everything I want to do is just too forced...

clintondaly

Bluefoam wrote: »

Agreed, the system just isn't natural yet. I got the Echo last week & am confident in saying that I haven't even interacted with it in at least 4 days... Everything I want to do is just too forced...

My daily interaction with Alexa is
Walk into kitchen in the morning and greet her(yes I Know its a machine/product/whatever) and get a random fact or something which can be interesting.
I ask for the News/Sports(including Liverpool news)/Weather updates while the kettle is boiling and I'm pottering about.

First thing when I come back after work in the evening,I open the door and ask for the lights to be turned on
I will then either ask for the radio or spotify to be played.

I add to the shopping list during the week and when I do get to the shop I open the To do list on my phone and all the items I asked to be listed are there.

I mentioned in an earlier post about the whole thing still being in its infancy and comparable to the first iphone that came out and the accompanying apps.
Having had it for almost 2 weeks now I don't feel awkward anymore asking questions etc. which I did initially.

The kids have taken to it too and use the "Magic Door" skill for self determining stories,they have even played Rock/Paper/Scissors with her and more often than not have lost to her.

As it progresses it will become the hub of the home Eco system
Alexa is now being integrated into everyday items including cars, so time will tell.

Updated list of compatible items below.

https://www.cnet.com/uk/news/whats-alexa-up-to-at-ces-heres-a-running-list-ces-2017/

mrcheez

Bluefoam wrote: »

Agreed, the system just isn't natural yet.

Not really what I was saying. The system *is* natural. It interferes with the flow to have to rely on a 3rd party device just to get the alarm working.

Everything should be controllable using your voice alone, including setting up a Spotify tune as your alarm.

So I can see a "skill " being added for this.

BobPresto

Deleted User wrote: »

After more research I think I'm going to go with one of these TP Link LB110 bulbs when they're back in stock coupled with one of these adapters.

Amazon UK will have these bulbs in a few weeks:D Pre-order now and if the price reduces between now and dispatch you'll pay the lowest price. Heres hoping they drop in price;)

http://tinyurl.com/tpbulbs

Bugger. I dropped €73 on one of the Lifx bulbs last week.

flangemeistro

BobPresto wrote: »

Deleted User wrote: »

After more research I think I'm going to go with one of these TP Link LB110 bulbs when they're back in stock coupled with one of these adapters.

Amazon UK will have these bulbs in a few weeks:D Pre-order now and if the price reduces between now and dispatch you'll pay the lowest price. Heres hoping they drop in price;)

http://tinyurl.com/tpbulbs

From someone with 4 Philips Hue colour and 5 white what are the main advantages of these?

BobPresto

I suppose they would suit someone who doesnt want the hub.

frash

Can people try to play ACDC?

It never understands me!!

BobPresto

frash wrote: »

Can people try to play ACDC?

It never understands me!!

Just tried it, works for me.,

d31b0y

DarrenG wrote: »

Finally got the Harmony Hub and Echo dot working flawlessly thanks to some suggestions on the Logitech community forum. If anybody else is getting the dreaded "I was unable to reach your Logitech Harmony Hub", changing the TCP session timeout on your router from 60 (or 120 in my case) to 3600 fixes the issue.

Every command now works and connecting through the cloud to my hub always works every time.

Just wanted to mention that this fix worked for me too. I was having trouble with a TP-Link plug, the HS110. Making this change on my router seems to have sorted the issue. So this may be a fix for even more devices too.
Thanks DarrenG for the pointer!

frash

BobPresto wrote: »

Just tried it, works for me.,

Keeps playing songs by ABC when I try!