Shard

Anyone got one of these Alexa type devices? Echo dot or Google Home etc? I occasionally use Google (Assistant) or Siri on my devices, but I don't have the stand alone home version. Other than asking the weather/time or playing a song is there any use to them? Or should I wait till they can cook breakfast etc ?

CanadaJimmy

Imo they only make sense if you combine them with other smart home products - e.g. Alexa, turn the temperature up to 24 degrees, Alexa, turn on the living room lights, etc.

dbd33

and you're bedridden.

Oakvillian

I agree with CanadaJimmy. We've recently got one (Amazon Echo Plus, with some of the home automation goodies built in). The app we probably use most is the Radio Player - we have no other functioning radio in the kitchen so use it to stream CBC and BBC radio shows. But it's also connected to an Ecobee thermostat, to a handful of lightswitches and smart outlets, a window blind, and a door opener on the door to the back deck. I don't think we'd have bothered if we didn't need a convenient way to link a bunch of disability/accessibility functions, but even for the able-bodied amongst us it's convenient (not to mention laziness-enabling) to be able to say "Alexa, close the family room window blind" if the sun is glinting off the TV screen, or even "Alexa, open the back door" to let the dog out for a pee.

It's also a fairly good bluetooth speaker for streaming music from other devices.

Oakvillian

or a wheelchair-user

dbd33

Indeed. People with some types of disabilities could certainly benefit from the technology. Others, not so much, I should think one of those things in a house with an autistic person would lead to the garage door flying open and closed and the lights flashing like there was a poltergeist.

Shard

Not very PC dbd33 but

Shard

How efficient is it...say you're listening to live radio (eg. BBC) can you just ask it to switch to a podcast or do you need to guide it through menu steps? Can you say things like, Alexa start playing X at 7pm or do the commands have to be immediate?

scrubbedexpat091

My wife wants one but then can't tell me what it would do. Lol

I don't see a point to them but I can see how others would find then useful.

BristolUK

It all sounds a bit Demon Seed

We have a Fire Stick for the TV with Alexa. The DAZN app is pronounced Dazone or Duhzone but she doesn't recognise it when I say it.

Zoe Bell

have a series of google homes ( one in most rooms)
smart lights and smart hub for the blinds.
useful , not essential. we are teck geeks though so we play with this stuff
some fun to be had by altering lights/music etc when the other person is in the bathroom
occasionally randomly triggered by the TV
now that we have them I can see the use for them but i don't think our quality of living would be significantly impaired if they went.
They are good for spotify streaming etc , and the fact that they can distinguish between my music tastes and Bens

JamesM

You need to extenuate your vowels when you say them. Like those North Americaaaan types dooooo!

When you say Dazone- say it more like Daaaaazooooone!

Shard

I have a Fire Stick on the TV too. Rarely use it though as it seems to always head towards Amazon content.

BristolUK

Yeah, like that's going to happen.
Sometimes I say LAWTONS to a taxi driver and it takes about 5 repeats before he realises I want to go to LAHT'NS. I can't bring myself to say it so they get it first time. I did try it once and it didn't work.

I've heard that but I've not really noticed it. We have a few apps we put on it and they seem to be the ones that come up on screen, possibly because it 'remembers' them first?
For the moment I'm only using it for the football (and cricket) but the plan is to migrate away from TV package. So far, though, I think I'll be pressing buttons instead of speaking to her.

beckiwoo