Discussion
RaymondVanDerDon said:
Echo is compatible with Philips Hub v2 but not v1 - you end up in a constant cycle of playing catch up.
Nope. It works fine with my 3.5yr old round Hue bridge. Also works with my 3yr old Nest v1.I think the open API nature makes it less of a walled garden App Store so less likely to fall behind - in my experience.
MrOrange said:
Nope. It works fine with my 3.5yr old round Hue bridge. Also works with my 3yr old Nest v1.
I think the open API nature makes it less of a walled garden App Store so less likely to fall behind - in my experience.
Sorry but I didn't understand a word of that but I do know it doesn't recognise the song "three wheels on my wagon" I think the open API nature makes it less of a walled garden App Store so less likely to fall behind - in my experience.
I am having a good experience using my Amazon Echo to control my SmartThings smart devices for lights and sockets and also my Honeywell Evo Home central heating and to play my Spotify playlists.
I have 34 Samsung Smart Devices (some are virtual). In the living room I have Z-Wave Aeotec Micro Smart Switches and Dimmers (wired into standard light switches) for the overhead and wall lights and also power outlets plugged into mains sockets for corner lights. All are controlled and sequenced using SmartThings automations for different lighting patterns called "Living Room Lights On", "Living Room Lights Off", "Watch TV" and "Movie Time". I have added the SmartThings skill to the Amazon Echo so that when I speak the command "Alexa Turn On Movie Time" the overhead lights turn off, the corner lights turn on and the wall lights dim to 40%. Perfect :-)
There is less scope to control my Honeywell Evo Home central heating however the Evo is also integrated with SmartThings and both are also compatible with IFTTT so when Echo supports IFTTT then I may take it further. Even with IFTTT it probably won't be practical to have automations using multiple condition combinations (KISS Keep It Simple Stupid)
Spotify works as expected.
I have 34 Samsung Smart Devices (some are virtual). In the living room I have Z-Wave Aeotec Micro Smart Switches and Dimmers (wired into standard light switches) for the overhead and wall lights and also power outlets plugged into mains sockets for corner lights. All are controlled and sequenced using SmartThings automations for different lighting patterns called "Living Room Lights On", "Living Room Lights Off", "Watch TV" and "Movie Time". I have added the SmartThings skill to the Amazon Echo so that when I speak the command "Alexa Turn On Movie Time" the overhead lights turn off, the corner lights turn on and the wall lights dim to 40%. Perfect :-)
There is less scope to control my Honeywell Evo Home central heating however the Evo is also integrated with SmartThings and both are also compatible with IFTTT so when Echo supports IFTTT then I may take it further. Even with IFTTT it probably won't be practical to have automations using multiple condition combinations (KISS Keep It Simple Stupid)
Spotify works as expected.
Edited by Actual on Sunday 4th December 00:31
essayer said:
You know there's a dedicated Evohome ("Honeywell") skill? You can arrange zones into groups, I believe, haven't tried it though
I just mean that for my Honeywell Evohome Central heating I have setup extensive room temperature profiles for different rooms and time of day and I don't really see much need to augment the standard automation using SmartThings or Alexa. I guess Evohome is already smart enough for me at the moment :-)I bought the dot first and, having been suitably impressed, went out yesterday and bought the echo and netatmo thermostat which is sold as a bundle by john lewis et all.
Very cool invention.
Will be asking for the WeMo plugs for xmas from family to start the home automation process.
Youtube has a few very interesting videos of the capabilities of the echo when in the hands of geeks. You've been warned.
Very cool invention.
Will be asking for the WeMo plugs for xmas from family to start the home automation process.
Youtube has a few very interesting videos of the capabilities of the echo when in the hands of geeks. You've been warned.
gadgetmac said:
I bought the dot first and, having been suitably impressed, went out yesterday and bought the echo and netatmo thermostat which is sold as a bundle by john lewis et all.
Very cool invention.
Will be asking for the WeMo plugs for xmas from family to start the home automation process.
Youtube has a few very interesting videos of the capabilities of the echo when in the hands of geeks. You've been warned.
Links please? Very cool invention.
Will be asking for the WeMo plugs for xmas from family to start the home automation process.
Youtube has a few very interesting videos of the capabilities of the echo when in the hands of geeks. You've been warned.
gadgetmac said:
I bought the dot first and, having been suitably impressed, went out yesterday and bought the echo and netatmo thermostat which is sold as a bundle by john lewis et all.
Very cool invention.
Will be asking for the WeMo plugs for xmas from family to start the home automation process.
Youtube has a few very interesting videos of the capabilities of the echo when in the hands of geeks. You've been warned.
I strongly suspect the Echo/Dot will be a gamechanger for home automation - an awful lot of people will, like you, buy one for 50 quid to try it out and will end up with hive/hue/smartthings etc when they may not have previously considered it. Very cool invention.
Will be asking for the WeMo plugs for xmas from family to start the home automation process.
Youtube has a few very interesting videos of the capabilities of the echo when in the hands of geeks. You've been warned.
Justayellowbadge said:
I strongly suspect the Echo/Dot will be a gamechanger for home automation - an awful lot of people will, like you, buy one for 50 quid to try it out and will end up with hive/hue/smartthings etc when they may not have previously considered it.
Well I'm definitely in this camp. £40 for the capabilities of the Dot is amazing in my book and I would love to get into all the home automation too.However, in comparison, the price of the auto stuff is still extortionate. Waiting for a restock to pay £30 for one plug to turn your kettle or electric blanket on is nowhere near as compelling. Nor is £50 for one bulb that changes colour.
Perhaps Amazon should have bought out one of these companies so they could sell the plugs/bulbs for a fiver as well (how much can they be to make?). Hopefully prices will now tumble with more mass market take up.
Justayellowbadge said:
gadgetmac said:
I bought the dot first and, having been suitably impressed, went out yesterday and bought the echo and netatmo thermostat which is sold as a bundle by john lewis et all.
Very cool invention.
Will be asking for the WeMo plugs for xmas from family to start the home automation process.
Youtube has a few very interesting videos of the capabilities of the echo when in the hands of geeks. You've been warned.
I strongly suspect the Echo/Dot will be a gamechanger for home automation - an awful lot of people will, like you, buy one for 50 quid to try it out and will end up with hive/hue/smartthings etc when they may not have previously considered it. Very cool invention.
Will be asking for the WeMo plugs for xmas from family to start the home automation process.
Youtube has a few very interesting videos of the capabilities of the echo when in the hands of geeks. You've been warned.
Justayellowbadge said:
I strongly suspect the Echo/Dot will be a gamechanger for home automation - an awful lot of people will, like you, buy one for 50 quid to try it out and will end up with hive/hue/smartthings etc when they may not have previously considered it.
Maybe but I think they need to improve the voice recognition. I tried about 6 or 7 times to get it to play the album Moon (from the film of the same name) using different variations. It would play an individual song but not the whole of the album, gave up and ended up picking the album via the phone app. Even speaking a clear as I can it still struggles with the basics. My favourite fail was “beef mints”, it also struggled with Bovril.
Stu-nph26 said:
gadgetmac said:
I bought the dot first and, having been suitably impressed, went out yesterday and bought the echo and netatmo thermostat which is sold as a bundle by john lewis et all.
Very cool invention.
Will be asking for the WeMo plugs for xmas from family to start the home automation process.
Youtube has a few very interesting videos of the capabilities of the echo when in the hands of geeks. You've been warned.
Links please? Very cool invention.
Will be asking for the WeMo plugs for xmas from family to start the home automation process.
Youtube has a few very interesting videos of the capabilities of the echo when in the hands of geeks. You've been warned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIP50LYd-rI&t=...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmnDK5g1dIs&t=...
It would make a perfect Christmas present if only it could be disassociated from your account before the box was opened.
Does anyone know how to do that? I bought one when they first came out with exactly that in mind (and one of those plugs when they were cheap). Both are still in their boxes unopened because I didn't realise the account issue until I set up my own.
Worst case is that I wind up another one, but if it's possible, I'd like to give it to someone...
Does anyone know how to do that? I bought one when they first came out with exactly that in mind (and one of those plugs when they were cheap). Both are still in their boxes unopened because I didn't realise the account issue until I set up my own.
Worst case is that I wind up another one, but if it's possible, I'd like to give it to someone...
Smiti said:
I've found these. In the first one do try to ignore the presenters rather obvious assets. In the 2nd the bloke certainly knows how to use an echo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIP50LYd-rI&t=...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmnDK5g1dIs&t=...
Bit disappointed that she didn't do that workout :/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIP50LYd-rI&t=...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmnDK5g1dIs&t=...
dxg said:
It would make a perfect Christmas present if only it could be disassociated from your account before the box was opened.
Does anyone know how to do that? I bought one when they first came out with exactly that in mind (and one of those plugs when they were cheap). Both are still in their boxes unopened because I didn't realise the account issue until I set up my own.
Worst case is that I wind up another one, but if it's possible, I'd like to give it to someone...
???? serious, I am just about to order 3 (too many family got hooked from adverts)! Back to google to find out!Does anyone know how to do that? I bought one when they first came out with exactly that in mind (and one of those plugs when they were cheap). Both are still in their boxes unopened because I didn't realise the account issue until I set up my own.
Worst case is that I wind up another one, but if it's possible, I'd like to give it to someone...
edit
1st website came up with this! Anyone can buy anything using your Amazon Echo, here's how to stop it!
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/139360-anyone-can-...
And, it turns out, that if you've already bought one and didn't spot the "gift" option, you can go into "Manage Your Content and Devices" in your account and deregister it there to disassociate it. Make sure you get the right serial number, though!!!
Anyway, that saved me £50 this evening.
Anyway, that saved me £50 this evening.
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