Amazon Alexa and Echo FAQ

fionny · 21-02-2017 10:35am

googled eyes wrote: »

fionny wrote: »

iOS and Mac folks might be interested to know there is a free app called Reverb available which gives access to Alexa on Mac or iOS....

https://www.macrumors.com/2017/02/19/reverb-app-amazon-alexa-mac-ios/

Reverb is also available for android. Its handy if you want to do lights, etc. when you're not in the same room but it wont access amazon music, tunein or spotify, probably because of copyrighting

It doesnt stop timers set on an echo either, and timers started on reverb dont sound on echo

FrDougalMcguire · 25-02-2017 3:29am

During the week I completed a questionnaire online from amazon. Was all about my shopping experience and how they could improve it. I have a feeling that amazon might be thinking of setting up a .ie site and perhaps fingers crossed native support for the echo

ethernet · 25-02-2017 11:09am

Not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere but I find I need longer need to explicitly ask Alexa what the weather is like in Dublin, Ireland, anymore (address set to O'Connell St). It works as expected when just asking what's the weather like.

I noticed this when she responded "tomorrow in Dublin" instead of the "tomorrow in Dublin, Ireland".

clintondaly · 25-02-2017 11:21am

ethernet wrote: »

Not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere but I find I need longer need to explicitly ask Alexa what the weather is like in Dublin, Ireland, anymore (address set to O'Connell St). It works as expected when just asking what's the weather like.

I noticed this when she responded "tomorrow in Dublin" instead of the "tomorrow in Dublin, Ireland".

Just tried and you're right,I guess we don't need Big Sky anymore so

A quick google on "amazon echo ireland" show it as being available on littlewoods.ie which wouldn't be the case unless something has changed

mrcheez · 25-02-2017 5:05pm

ethernet wrote: »

Not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere but I find I need longer need to explicitly ask Alexa what the weather is like in Dublin, Ireland, anymore (address set to O'Connell St). It works as expected when just asking what's the weather like.

I noticed this when she responded "tomorrow in Dublin" instead of the "tomorrow in Dublin, Ireland".

This started this weekend.

Also you can now ask "Alexa play RTE Radio 1"

garbeth · 25-02-2017 7:27pm

Seems like all the national Irish stations work now. Tried Newstalk FM( had to add fm to get it too play Newstalk instead of my flash briefing) and Today Fm

Zascar · 26-02-2017 1:34pm

Great news. Does that mean its officially supported here? What other things can we now do?

garbeth · 26-02-2017 4:27pm

No don't think so as you can set local address. It's a step in the right direction though

adox · 27-02-2017 3:39pm

Yep all the Irish stations seem to be working now with TuneIn.

Also "how's the weather" gives me a report on Dublin as mentioned, although I think I'll still use Big Sky as you can get a much more detailed report.

27-02-2017 3:43pm

Got one at the weekend. Anybody recommend a podcast skill? Ideally I want to wake up and tell it to start playing a podcast.

degsie · 27-02-2017 4:05pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Got one at the weekend. Anybody recommend a podcast skill? Ideally I want to wake up and tell it to start playing a podcast.

TuneIn supports many podcasts.

Jayop · 27-02-2017 9:22pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Got one at the weekend. Anybody recommend a podcast skill? Ideally I want to wake up and tell it to start playing a podcast.

Great bit of kit aren't they PJ!!

27-02-2017 11:19pm

Jayop wrote: »

Great bit of kit aren't they PJ!!

How can I be sure that this isn't a triple bluff and your actually an Amazon shill

Jayop · 28-02-2017 4:43am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

How can I be sure that this isn't a triple bluff and your actually an Amazon shill

I'm a Ryanair shill and a SF shill* so I may as well be an Amazon one.

According to some on here.

dfdream · 28-02-2017 9:16pm

My Echo dot seems to have thrown a wobbler.

I have 4 TP Link sockets with KASA skill installed in Alexa App.

All worked fine but today I get the xxx device is not responding.

I tried from the KASA app and its fine.

When I try to forget a TP socket i get "An error has occurred. The appliance was not forgotten."
Its the same on the web page as the app.
Does that mean its an amazon cloud issue or does it point to the Dot.
Does the dot send command from phone directly to tp link socket or is the command to the web and the TPLINK listens to its cloud page...

Commands to the alexa (time etc) work fine.

I restarted the echo but no difference.

Its like back in the days of x10 home automation is not reliable and is decades away from any meaningful function.

Anyone have any idea to get the plugs back running.

Hellrazer · 28-02-2017 9:20pm

dfdream wrote: »

My Echo dot seems to have thrown a wobbler.

I have 4 TP Link sockets with KASA skill installed in Alexa App.

All worked fine but today I get the xxx device is not responding.

I tried from the KASA app and its fine.

When I try to forget a TP socket i get "An error has occurred. The appliance was not forgotten."
Its the same on the web page as the app.
Does that mean its an amazon cloud issue or does it point to the Dot.
Does the dot send command from phone directly to tp link socket or is the command to the web and the TPLINK listens to its cloud page...

Commands to the alexa (time etc) work fine.

I restarted the echo but no difference.

Its like back in the days of x10 home automation is not reliable and is decades away from any meaningful function.

Anyone have any idea to get the plugs back running.

I have the exact same problem with my Hs100s aswell.Only since around 5.00 pm today.
I was actually just logging in here to ask the exact same question as yours.

I get Alexa saying "the device is not responding"
I think its kasa that's acting up.Ive reinstalled,uninstalled deleted the Hs100s and still the same.

28-02-2017 9:21pm

Try disabling the KASA skill and then re-enabling it. Then scan again. Worth a try.

bk · 28-02-2017 9:23pm

Amazons cloud infrastructure is down. Seems it is effecting sites all over the internet (lots of sites use it behind the scenes).

http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/28/14765042/amazon-s3-outage-causing-trouble

Cabaal · 28-02-2017 9:33pm

bk wrote: »

Amazons cloud infrastructure is down. Seems it is effecting sites all over the internet (lots of sites use it behind the scenes).

http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/28/14765042/amazon-s3-outage-causing-trouble

Indeed, FireTV, Kindles Services and Echo's all effected in different ways

dfdream · 28-02-2017 9:46pm

Ah.

At least now I don't need to get the hammer out to "FIX" it. LOL

dfdream · 28-02-2017 10:43pm

Its back..

Good one amazon...

Irish Gunner · 01-03-2017 12:28am

dfdream wrote: »

Its back..

Good one amazon...

Still getting device not responding using via Harmony App...

Repeated it a few times to turn off the TV... then finally did

So response times gone slower

Just checked groups in Alexa app and everything is offline from Hue lights to kasa plug and TV???

Using Philips app to turn off the lights??

mrcheez · 01-03-2017 11:43am

bk wrote: »

Amazons cloud infrastructure is down. Seems it is effecting sites all over the internet (lots of sites use it behind the scenes).

http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/28/14765042/amazon-s3-outage-causing-trouble

Thermostats and lightbulbs were affected too.

My first thought was that it won't be long until the Amazon Echo is hacked and everyone's thermostats are set to 90 C while they are out of the house.

bk · 01-03-2017 12:06pm

mrcheez wrote: »

My first thought was that it won't be long until the Amazon Echo is hacked and everyone's thermostats are set to 90 C while they are out of the house.

Good that my Netatmo Theromostat can only be set to 30c or something like that and that the boiler will also limit the max. Also good that it has physical controls and can easily be cut off from the internet and continue to be used locally if needed.

This is why I've purchased devices which can be controlled locally, at least in a basic way, if something like this goes down. This is why I wouldn't buy Lifx bulbs and I'm not crazy about the wifi nature of the TP Link and Wemo plugs.

Roen · 01-03-2017 12:39pm

mrcheez wrote: »

Thermostats and lightbulbs were affected too.

My first thought was that it won't be long until the Amazon Echo is hacked and everyone's thermostats are set to 90 C while they are out of the house.

I asked Alexa to set my house to 1,000,000 C one day. She replied she could only set it to 32 C. That said if someone did hack it to set the house to 32 while you were on hols you'd have some hell of a bill!

mrcheez · 01-03-2017 4:07pm

Roen wrote: »

I asked Alexa to set my house to 1,000,000 C one day. She replied she could only set it to 32 C. That said if someone did hack it to set the house to 32 while you were on hols you'd have some hell of a bill!

Or set the bulbs to "party mode" non-stop

bk · 01-03-2017 4:23pm

mrcheez wrote: »

Or set the bulbs to "party mode" non-stop

Unplug the hub from the internet and then set them to do whatever you want.

Again this is why I prefer devices that can be locally controlled.

dfdream · 01-03-2017 4:36pm

I have a question that someone might be able to help.

I have 4 energenie sockets with RPi adaptor that I was selling but now see that they may be controllable from alexa.

Approaches are a bit mixed and there is no place to ask questions.

Ive seen energienie controllable by python on the PI and then Ive seen home assistant controlled from alexa with tons of options. (some using HA Bridge etc)

I cant find anything to link the lot together though.

Anyone have anything like this going ???

londonred · 02-03-2017 11:12am

Thanks to whoever created the 4NextBus skill for Dublin Bus nice to be able to ask for the bus times in the morning.

degsie · 02-03-2017 1:02pm

ebook: 'Amazon Echo Dot: A Complete User Guide (2017 Edition)' free kindle edition. Limited time.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06X9NVF3N/

Amazon Alexa and Echo FAQ

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