at a hundred bucks this thing is a no brainer just as a bluetoof speaker

3/19/2015 9:17:52 PM

Is the sound quality that much better than a $20 bluetooth speaker?

3/20/2015 12:15:32 AM

i got this for $20 and it's fantastic...i'd love to compare it to this (since i'm pretty sure it's just as good)

http://www.amazon.com/ARCTIC-Bluetooth-Speaker-Microphone-Hands-Free/dp/B00F4EONWS/

3/20/2015 11:03:24 AM

Yea but can it add something to your Amazon shopping cart.

3/20/2015 11:18:43 AM

Its not portable but its pretty powerful. I think they are holding back on their purchasing and advertising but the function is there. I wouldn't call it a techie toy. Its seemless enough for my kid to ask for the gummy bear song or dance playlist

[Edited on March 20, 2015 at 12:19 PM. Reason : .]

3/20/2015 12:14:09 PM

Got mine today. Speaker less impressive than I was hoping, but keeping it for the Phillips Hue integration. Please2Bring Spotify support.

4/16/2015 7:53:29 PM

^There's a real API/SDK for it, so I'm pretty sure this thing is going to quickly become the defacto voice controller for home automation nerds.

4/16/2015 11:19:47 PM

got mine yesterday. was a bitch to get it registered. haven't used it much.

review so far: same as pre-purchase... nifty

[Edited on May 8, 2015 at 8:53 AM. Reason : -]

5/8/2015 8:53:12 AM

Saw an email the other day that there's an IFTTT channel for it now. Anxiously awaiting mine.

5/10/2015 6:34:26 PM

the sound quality is pretty good. it's obviously no audio system, but at least it's far from the cheap, no range, boxy sound of most small speakers.

5/14/2015 8:48:01 AM

Really really good device. The sensitivity is excellent. The mobile app needs a bit of work, however. But for what i use it for, i hardly ever open the mobile app at all.

5/26/2015 8:47:21 AM

Can you use this as a bluetooth speakerphone?

5/26/2015 9:39:03 AM

Probably. Haven't tried.

5/26/2015 6:06:49 PM

I rejected my first invite but you all have me wanting one. I however almost need the sdk to fulfill my needs, and the development is closed now.

[Edited on May 27, 2015 at 12:18 AM. Reason : ]

5/26/2015 11:49:02 PM

Just got my invite today. Ordered.

Estimated Delivery Date: 7/10/15.

5/27/2015 12:06:23 AM

I've had mine since December, and it still gets a ton of use in our house still. Voice recognition is best ive ever used, and its nice to not have to search for a remote to access your media.

Has spoiled us to point where its annoying to have to turn on the TV with a button still.

5/27/2015 10:45:19 AM

I'm piggy backing off someone else's prime so I kind of wish they'd support Spotify (which I subscribe to) and not make me listen to i<3radio or buy pandora or prime.

I moved it to master bath for a shower speaker, but I don't like keeping my phone paired to it. I guess I could pair it to ipad but i'd rather just tell Alexa to play from my Spotify playlist.

5/27/2015 8:18:35 PM

Got sdk access, just need the hardware now...

Nothing too surprising with the sdk. Only thing noteworthy is that it's https only, and needs a recognized CA, so to connect directly to a local server, you need to bounce connections through a hosted system with valid ssl certificate.

6/10/2015 11:37:39 PM

We have had echo for a couple of weeks. I actually think the speaker is incredible impressive for its primary function, speaking. It has a large amount of 'presence'. It feels like it is a real speaker in the room. Music playing is 'ok' for background.

For me, the device will be amazing when it is properly integrated. But it needs a lot of work. You can ask it a question like "Who was the King of England during the American Revolution" and it will not understand the question. If you say "Who was the King of England in X year" it will.

[Edited on June 11, 2015 at 11:32 AM. Reason : .]

6/11/2015 11:31:26 AM

Got the echo today, seems pretty well made device so far. Integration with Hue lights is seamless. Pretty slick how they have it integrated with Prime Music playlists... i've never used Prime but can just say "play <music playlist/genre/artist>" and it "just works".

6/30/2015 4:37:46 PM

Strongly considering this. Looks like there's already some integration with some of Google's stuff as well.

Any reason not to get it? Being able to listen to Audible and Pandora while cooking or working out without earbuds is reason enough for me.

[Edited on July 5, 2015 at 10:15 PM. Reason : sds]

7/5/2015 10:10:05 PM

I got an Echo for Christmas and have mostly been using it for its shopping list functionality, and integration with IFTTT to control my home entertainment system (Logitech Harmony).

I just picked up a SmartThings hub and a couple Cree connected bulbs, and now have the HES, Sonos and lights integrated with the Echo via SmartThings.

So far, it's a much cleaner integration than IFTTT. Rather than having to say, "Alexa, trigger watch TV," I can just say, "Alexa, turn on the TV."

What other integrations have you all found fun or helpful? Any SmartApps in particular that I should try?

3/30/2016 11:48:15 AM

I have converted almost all the light switches in my house to Insteon. Alexa integrates well with Insteon. When I go to bed, I just tell her to 'turn off x lights' and it happens. Really nice. I never hit a light switch anymore.

4/1/2016 4:07:13 PM

^^ SmartThings hub seems pretty slick, that's a better solution that writing your own Alexa Skill to control your home...

4/1/2016 4:42:07 PM

4/1/2016 4:46:35 PM

I have hue and my biggest gripe with it is "Alexa turn off my lights" always ends up "I'm sorry I don't have a device called 'All Lights' in your profile" or I don't have a device called Bar Lights in your profile.

4/1/2016 8:43:56 PM

Do you guys just have multiple echos throughout the house to control all these things? Seems like if you have a 2 or 3 story house you would at the very least need one on each floor.

4/4/2016 8:46:58 AM

Bump. Anybody played with Google Home yet? Or are you using Echo vs Dot and can give a comparison? I was thinking a Dot in our bedroom and an Echo in our living room/kitchen area, but could do with one Dot connected to speakers. Looking at some home integration stuff for Christmas and trying to decide what is most useful. Thinking a few smart LED lights (probably Hue but any suggestions?) and a couple of TP-Link Smart Plugs to start off with. Once we buy a place I will start looking at swapping in a Nest and changing out wall switches, but would like to use Alexa or Google Home and IFTTT to setup some automation now, and some of the equipment would be good Christmas gift ideas.

11/12/2016 11:41:17 AM

I just got a Google home for my birthday. I'll report back after I've had a chance to test it. From what I can tell. Echo is a little better. I have one echo and 2 dots. I highly recommend smartthings. It integrates well with echo. It will also integrate with home but I haven't set it up yet. With smartthings I have the majority of my lights hooked up/thermostat/security cameras. It is actually on sale at this time. https://shop.smartthings.com/#!/sale

11/14/2016 8:50:28 AM

just got a dot last night and integrated with my harmony hub and it worked - seemed gimmicky so far

11/14/2016 10:35:28 AM

Quote :

"Do you guys just have multiple echos throughout the house to control all these things? Seems like if you have a 2 or 3 story house you would at the very least need one on each floor."

We have an Echo on our main floor, and two Dots on our second floor.

Eventually, I'd like to add a Dot in every room and have a different profile on each device. That way when I walk into a room, I don't have to say "Alexa, turn on/off xxxx room lights." To each Dot, the devices in the room where it originates would simply be "lights" or "fan" or "blinds," etc.

Each Dot would also have the other rooms tied to its unique profile, but generic terms would be unique to rooms.

11/14/2016 4:20:44 PM

Does anybody use IFTTT to turn on/off the lights when you come home? I have had all these cool ideas to make up stuff that automatically initializes when nobody it detects everybody has left or when it detects you coming home.

Slightly off topic, but just pissed that the new IFTTT applets don't allow multiple numbers to be texted. I really want to set automated texts with the geofences for my kids when they get to school, get home, etc. But to set it up to text the applet only allows one number, sadly.

11/15/2016 8:32:32 AM

if it can do email, just email it to an address and set up multiple auto-forwarding rules to go to XXXYYYZZZZ@vtext.com or whatever domain your carrier's SMS relay is set up for.

[Edited on November 15, 2016 at 9:26 AM. Reason : ]

11/15/2016 9:25:34 AM

Stupid device thinks there are 312 calories in a chicken wing

12/4/2016 3:53:01 PM

Quote :

"Any reason not to get it?"

Like, besides not having an always-on listening device in your house, who's whole purpose is to transmit those recordings out to, at a minimum, Amazon's servers (and most likely the NSA and some third-party companies), any of whom can store all of it forever?

12/4/2016 4:34:39 PM

^ your phone is literally the exact same hardware and capabilities (ok google, hey siri).

Unless you edward snowden your phone, that ship has sailed.

12/5/2016 1:12:46 AM

and your PC and Mac (Hey Cortana / Siri)

12/5/2016 10:23:32 AM

I don't use Siri, and at least by normal design, you have to press the button to activate Siri to listen.

Also, a smartphone is indispensable; unless you're the Unabomber, you just keep strict settings and mitigate how you can. Echo is both worse and much more easily avoided.

12/5/2016 6:22:53 PM

Quote :

"you have to press the button to activate Siri to listen"

You sweet summer child.

12/5/2016 6:25:21 PM

Ok, I see that changed maybe a year ago. No matter, I keep Siri disabled altogether.

12/5/2016 7:38:51 PM

^We are still listening to you Chris. Turning off Siri is futile.

12/5/2016 11:15:50 PM

if theDuke ever joins Secret Santa, I know the perfect gift.



[Edited on December 6, 2016 at 8:38 AM. Reason : LOL, THAT SHIT SAYS DONG XING. HO LEE FUK. BEST DISCOVERY EVER.]

12/6/2016 8:37:28 AM

So the wife told me she wants an Amazon Echo for the house.

I'm all about buying tech gadgets, but we have iPhones, iPads, and a couple Mac laptops and an iMac.... so we're in the iOS/OSX world.

Last month I bought a new Sony 4K TV that has AndroidTV on it... which is the only non-Apple OS.

I've read some reviews on the Echo, but I'm curious to know why Apple has ignored this space and do they plan to release some type of competitor to the Echo or Google Home?

12/17/2016 3:00:05 PM

It's been rumored for a while they would.

But even if Apple does, voice assistants are a product you can have in multiple rooms, especially if you use them largely for home automation.

12/17/2016 11:50:34 PM

Apple will release a similar device with a little bit of iConnectivity and sell it for 3-4x the price. People will buy it.

12/21/2016 7:46:55 PM

iLife

12/22/2016 12:00:42 PM

Quote :

"^ your phone is literally the exact same hardware and capabilities (ok google, hey siri). Unless you edward snowden your phone, that ship has sailed."

I am not going to willingly add newer, better listening devices to my home. I like my technology like I like my fashion, outdated

I don't care, it creeps me out. I'm sure I will make do

12/22/2016 4:22:32 PM

I just got one for my bday. I wasn't expecting it so I am catching up on all of its capabilities.

I would like to be able to stream my music stored on my laptop or external hard drive that is connected to the same wifi. I going to go research that now but if anyone else has done it I'd like to know how.

12/23/2016 12:55:14 PM

^ i think your only choice is bluetooth, unless you use Amazon's music service, then you could ask alexa to stream from the cloud.

12/24/2016 1:33:16 AM

That's what it looks like. I don't think my laptop has Bluetooth unfortunately.

12/25/2016 12:46:51 AM