Amazon Alexa and Echo FAQ

Pugzilla

Trying to decide between Alexa and Google Assistant.
Why did people here choose Alexa?

iamtony

Pugzilla wrote: »

Trying to decide between Alexa and Google Assistant.
Why did people here choose Alexa?

For me it's cause it was out first.

scamalert

Pugzilla wrote: »

Trying to decide between Alexa and Google Assistant.
Why did people here choose Alexa?

just decide yourself really enough info online to compare the two, it was first out, theres like gen 3 on some of the dots out already, compatible with most IoT automation, looks decent - light ring and overall design.

i know google is rated high because of follow up questions and search engine-maps etc. but in reality after using it for a while its just a nifty trick to get some answer which by now alexa does well enough. only google not sure if it does support streaming youtube for free would be massive difference in picking google one instead of alexa. overall youll be happy with whichever you pick.

Pugzilla

scamalert wrote: »

just decide yourself really enough info online to compare the two,

I've read and seen lots of reviews, but they're all from US/UK. Was hoping to get an Irish perspective.

scamalert

only con on google i can think of top of my head is saying ok google each time, not sure if that can be changed but saying alexa set etc or lights on, sounds better, just my 2c.

youcancallmeal

Was having the same issue with 2fm recently but seems fine now the last couple weeks

ILikeBoats

Yeah back working again now for me too, it's weird

flangemeistro

Guys does anyone know a work around to get Spotify working on a UE Blast?
Besides just using Bluetooth from my phone obviously.
I had the free trial with Amazon music which was great but I have Spotify premium with my phone plan so I'm not going to pay for two music steaming services purely to get it working on my blast.
It really makes no sense that it doesn't work because Spotify works no problem on my dot.

illdoit2morrow

If you have a Google Home, you can now select Alexa as the default assistant.

https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/05/07/alexa-can-now-set-default-assistant-android-heres/

Pugzilla

Anyone have the Echo Spot? It's on sale at the moment.

paulbok

8 Radio.Com have a new Alexa skill which makes it easy to use by voice.

roosterman71

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/may/24/amazon-alexa-recorded-conversation

Mint Sauce

I have a Roberts Internet Radio. Can I ask Alexia to play <insert radio name> through Roberts Radio. Or will it only play through the Echo its self or the TV via the Cromecast.

jmBuildExt

Mint Sauce wrote: »

I have a Roberts Internet Radio. Can I ask Alexia to play <insert radio name> through Roberts Radio. Or will it only play through the Echo its self or the TV via the Cromecast.

I dont know if there's a specific skill for the roberts radio but...
If your roberts radio has bluetooth you can pair the echo with it and it will play it on the radio over bluetooth. As it would with an ordinary "dumb" bluetooth speaker.

TomPetty

Hi Folks, Quick question before I purchase Amazon Dot / Echo.
Firstly - Is it possible to play Rte Radio 1 and also News Talk ?
Secondly, Is it possible using voice commands to tell it to swap from one of these radio stations to the other. That is the sum total of what I need from the device. If it cannot do this, then I am not really interested. Anybody on here know if the above is possible ?
Thanks in advance for your help.

Tom.

ILikeBoats

Yes both play

Alexa, play RTE Radio 1

Alexa, play Newstalk

TomPetty

Hi Ilikeboats, Thanks for the info.
At the start of this thread ( 1'st page ) there is the following paragraph which freaked me out ... But you reckon I should be OK ?

Will I be able to play Irish and UK radio stations?

Irish radio stations are extremely buggy and mostly don't work by voice control. It is extremely hard to get it to play the usual Irish radio stations.

UK radio stations work ok, for instance:
"Alexa, play BBC Radio 1 on tunein"

Notice that you have to specify "on tunein" for each station.

A work around for Irish stations is to select the station by the Alexa app or website and then you can pause it by voice.

If you listen to the same station every day, then you can select the station via the app or website first time and from then on use the follwoing vocie command to play it:

"Alexa, resume tunein".

jmBuildExt

This thread started when it was only "officially" supported in uk. Back then you had to fidget around abit to get things working, including downloading the app from a mirror site.

Amazon echo is now supported in ireland. So i rish radio stations now work and the app is in the android store etc etc.
Mods: Might be worth putting a note in the first post to say this?

TomPetty

Hi Jmbuild - Thanks a million for that - I can buy with confidence now :-)

Kind Regards,
Tom.

degsie

Again, 'irishradioplayer' skill works great for irish radio stations

The Black Oil

If you're handy with building stuff...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa3VVZA0e5Y

chillinpenguin

Hey so I have 2 dots in the house and love them. In the bedroom I want to get a smart light that will turn off and on via the dot.

For the moment it will be just one light but will eventually build on this.

To get me started with the one bulb do I need a Philips hue bridge and a bulb or will one bulb work without the bridge?

As I plan to build would I be better with TP Links solution or the easy to find Philips?

Plan is to be able to get in bed and have the lights turn off

ctlsleh

You need a hue bridge

d31b0y

The Xiaomi Yeelight doesn't need anything. They can be gotten on sale from time to time too.
I have one and it's grand.

Might be a cheaper way to get your toes wet...

Irish Gunner

Not responding to Spotify or tune in. Asked to play yesterday fm nothing... Maybe a good thing

jmBuildExt

Irish Gunner wrote: »

Not responding to Spotify or tune in. Asked to play yesterday fm nothing... Maybe a good thing

Funny because I have todayfm skill installed and have been using it last cpl of weeks
by saying "play todayfm" and it plays it on the todayfm skill.
Last night i set up an extra dot i had knocking about and linked them in a group. Now when i say play todayfm it plays it on tunein. Worked as of about an hour ago.

Mike1961

I'm going to bring my Echo Dot to A&E. She's having awful problems connecting to the internet and is really hit & miss with Spotify. When I turn the unit on and ask Alexa to do anything her first response is generally "Sorry I'm having problems connecting to the internet" or words to that effect. Just seconds later I repeat the request and she generally complies (i.e. connects to internet ok). When I ask her to play music, she plays "Playing music on Spotify" (or words to that effect) and then she gets in a know and I might hear some music on and off (more off than on)... no idea why this is happening.

893bet

My spotify is not working with Alexa either. Thing there must be a problem.

degsie

Mike1961 wrote: »

I'm going to bring my Echo Dot to A&E. She's having awful problems connecting to the internet and is really hit & miss with Spotify. When I turn the unit on and ask Alexa to do anything her first response is generally "Sorry I'm having problems connecting to the internet" or words to that effect. Just seconds later I repeat the request and she generally complies (i.e. connects to internet ok). When I ask her to play music, she plays "Playing music on Spotify" (or words to that effect) and then she gets in a know and I might hear some music on and off (more off than on)... no idea why this is happening.

Maybe it's because you think 'Alexa' is a persona rather than a bunch of underlying complex technologies :cool:

368100

Mike1961 wrote: »

I'm going to bring my Echo Dot to A&E. She's having awful problems connecting to the internet and is really hit & miss with Spotify. When I turn the unit on and ask Alexa to do anything her first response is generally "Sorry I'm having problems connecting to the internet" or words to that effect. Just seconds later I repeat the request and she generally complies (i.e. connects to internet ok). When I ask her to play music, she plays "Playing music on Spotify" (or words to that effect) and then she gets in a know and I might hear some music on and off (more off than on)... no idea why this is happening.

Maybe the most obvious but is your wifi stable and echo is within range?