Amazon Echo

YosemiteSam

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So, I just got an Amazon Echo. Amazon put it up on the pre-Black Friday sale for $30 off.

I've got to say, this thing is pretty damn cool. I really couldn't justify the $179 it normally cost. Actually, even $149 that I paid for it still seems a little high, but it's all Star Trek Computer like hah.

Generally the only broadcast TV I watch besides sports is the morning news while I'm making/eating my breakfast. You can just ask "Alexa" for the news and you get NPR radio news. This may eliminate all broadcast TV except sports now. They say it can turn on and off your lights too, but I'm going to guess that requires some device. I will look into that also.

Anyhow, it's very cool and if you like gadgets and have some spare incoming. This thing is worth it.

Anyone else have one?


https://lh4.***BROKEN***/-4PTT-Wh0Cmc/VkdkWCwUD6I/AAAAAAAANIA/82CynVjOYcs/w667-h889-no/IMG_20151114_113930.jpg
 
Sasquatch

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Sam I Am said:
So, I just got an Amazon Echo. Amazon put it up on the pre-Black Friday sale for $30 off.

I've got to say, this thing is pretty damn cool. I really couldn't justify the $179 it normally cost. Actually, even $149 that I paid for it still seems a little high, but it's all Star Trek Computer like hah.

Generally the only broadcast TV I watch besides sports is the morning news while I'm making/eating my breakfast. You can just ask "Alexa" for the news and you get NPR radio news. This may eliminate all broadcast TV except sports now. They say it can turn on and off your lights too, but I'm going to guess that requires some device. I will look into that also.

Anyhow, it's very cool and if you like gadgets and have some spare incoming. This thing is worth it.

Anyone else have one?


https://lh4.***BROKEN***/-4PTT-Wh0Cmc/VkdkWCwUD6I/AAAAAAAANIA/82CynVjOYcs/w667-h889-no/IMG_20151114_113930.jpg
Click to expand...

How is it for listening to music.(I.e. sound quality)?
 
YosemiteSam

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Sasquatch said:
How is it for listening to music.(I.e. sound quality)?
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For being a single speaker it's actually very nice. I have a Jabra Solemate blue tooth speaker that I use to listen to my phone at home and it's substancially better than it. It's omni-directional too. I just place it as close to the middle of the room. My office is a room away from it, but I still listen to it from my office rather than my PC speakers. (the door way shown behind it in the picture is my office)

I have Amazon Prime so I can stream their music for free. If you want it for music, you definitely want Amazon Prime with it.
 
YosemiteSam

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Sam I Am said:
I have Amazon Prime so I can stream their music for free. If you want it for music, you definitely want Amazon Prime with it.
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86 this comment. You don't need Amazon Prime. It can use iHeartRadio, Pandora, etc. You can also connect to it Bluetooth and stream your music from your phone/tablet/PC.
 

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I've had mine for about a year. They did a prime only release for 99.00 and i thought what the heck lets give it a try. My family loves it.

Heck I'd probably pay 300 for it as we all like it that much. Not top notch sound but still very good.

My kids like asking her to tell jokes.

My wife uses it as a timer when she is cooking. No need to wash hands to set timer...just tell her what you want.

You can also plan your route to work, and ask about traffic and she'll let know know based on the route you set.

I would recommend having prime though, as it really opens up the music options and being able to play on command what artist/song/album you want.
 
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YosemiteSam

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numnuts23 said:
I've had mine for about a year. They did a prime only release for 99.00 and i thought what the heck lets give it a try. My family loves it.

Heck I'd probably pay 300 for it as we all like it that much. Not top notch sound but still very good.

My kids like asking her to tell jokes.

My wife uses it as a timer when she is cooking. No need to wash hands to set timer...just tell her what you want.

You can also plan your route to work, and ask about traffic and she'll let know know based on the route you set.

I would recommend having prime though, as it really opens up the music options and being able to play on command what artist/song/album you want.
Click to expand...

Music and listening to the morning (NPR) news are probably my biggest uses so far.

I've only just got it and haven't figured out all the ways I will use it yet, but the timer part has been awesome. I usually use my stove's timer and that really sucks. This is so much better! I also love the fact that you can ask her how much times left and even pause the timer. The "lists" are awesome too. Just tell her add whatever to my list and boom, the list of whatever is on your phone for when you're at the store or whatever.

Managing your schedule is cool too especially if she is aware of other peoples schedule too. Really good stuff.

At some point I will have her control devices in my house, but the reviews on many of the products that she is compatible with get terrible reviews. I think I will wait until someone comes out with a "better" product before I go in that direction. I'm sure I'm going to have Alexa for years to come.

I would definitely consider the Echo for a family or friend Christmas gift.
 
speedkilz88

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http://lovemyecho.com/2015/10/07/the-secret-undocumented-audio-equalizer-in-amazon-echo/

“The current Echo firmware allows adjustment of at least three EQ bands: bass, midrange, and treble.”

“Alexa responds to “Alexa, turn [up/down] the [bass/midrange/treble]” or “Alexa, [increase/decrease] the [bass/midrange/treble]”. Also, “woofer” and “tweeter” can be substituted for “bass” and “treble” in either form. In the first form, the article “the” seems to be required by Alexa only when adjusting the midrange! The Echo will then display the current setting of the given EQ band by lighting in white the appropriate percentage of the circle.”

Then I issued the command, “Alexa, turn up the bass,” and both the bass and volume did go up, and I could feel vibration in my hand. However, after I used the remote to turn the volume back down to where it was at the start of the experiment, the Echo cylinder was still vibrating. Since I’d turned the volume back down to where it was before, when it wasn’t vibrating at all, I concluded this was a sign that the bass had been increased when I issued the command.
Click to expand...
 
JoeyBoy718

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Sam I Am said:
Music and listening to the morning (NPR) news are probably my biggest uses so far.

I've only just got it and haven't figured out all the ways I will use it yet, but the timer part has been awesome. I usually use my stove's timer and that really sucks. This is so much better! I also love the fact that you can ask her how much times left and even pause the timer. The "lists" are awesome too. Just tell her add whatever to my list and boom, the list of whatever is on your phone for when you're at the store or whatever.

Managing your schedule is cool too especially if she is aware of other peoples schedule too. Really good stuff.

At some point I will have her control devices in my house, but the reviews on many of the products that she is compatible with get terrible reviews. I think I will wait until someone comes out with a "better" product before I go in that direction. I'm sure I'm going to have Alexa for years to come.

I would definitely consider the Echo for a family or friend Christmas gift.
Click to expand...

Can you manipulate your schedule (schedule events, move events, remove events, etc) or can you only get it to tell you what's on your schedule? I read an article from a few months ago that you can only ask what's on your schedule (Google Calendar) but you still have to go onto your Google Calendar app to control your schedule. Perhaps it's changed.
 
YosemiteSam

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JoeyBoy718 said:
Can you manipulate your schedule (schedule events, move events, remove events, etc) or can you only get it to tell you what's on your schedule? I read an article from a few months ago that you can only ask what's on your schedule (Google Calendar) but you still have to go onto your Google Calendar app to control your schedule. Perhaps it's changed.
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I believe it still isn't capable to edit your calendar. Probably a future update will do that.
 
morasp

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JoeyBoy718 said:
Can you manipulate your schedule (schedule events, move events, remove events, etc) or can you only get it to tell you what's on your schedule? I read an article from a few months ago that you can only ask what's on your schedule (Google Calendar) but you still have to go onto your Google Calendar app to control your schedule. Perhaps it's changed.
Click to expand...

Under skills, quick events let's you add events to your Google calendar. It will let you know of any conflicts. Another neat skill is trove which gives headlines on topics such as the Dallas cowboys.
 
YosemiteSam

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morasp said:
Under skills, quick events let's you add events to your Google calendar. It will let you know of any conflicts. Another neat skill is trove which gives headlines on topics such as the Dallas cowboys.
Click to expand...

In the Alexa app, I set my sports teams and now if I ask for a Sports update, it will only give updates on those teams. Though if I just ask for news, it gives me all sports udpates from ESPN.
 
morasp

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Sam I Am said:
In the Alexa app, I set my sports teams and now if I ask for a Sports update, it will only give updates on those teams. Though if I just ask for news, it gives me all sports udpates from ESPN.
Click to expand...

I'll have to try that. Right now I just have the news set to the default NPR.
 
speedkilz88

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morasp said:
Amazon has it marked down to $150 for black Friday.
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Staples has it also. They are running an offer for $25 off $100 if you use visa checkout. Visa Checkout also had an offer in my email for my Chase Freedom card for $15 off first purchase for new signups. (I hope I can double dip there)

Some may also be able to find some Staples codes or already have them. I tried to use two from email ($10 off $50) and text ($5 off $25) offers but they would not work. Although exclusions only mentioned Amazon Kindle.

So far I got it for $134.23 w/tax ($124) and hopefully I'll get that $15 back from Visa Checkout/Chase. Also should get around $5 from befrugal cashback. Probably around another $1 from chase cashback.

Back Nov 11, some with the amazon store card (and prime I think) got it for $95. I was hoping that deal would come back but not looking good for it. So I jumped on this one.
 
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