Amazon Echo

[djt100]

VEX said:

Even better as I arrive home, sonos annouces to the whole house ' "hohoho, quick look busy, daddy's home!' Hours of endless fun!

How do you do this is it sonos specific or an alexa skill ? Could have hours of fun with this.

[PrancingHorses]

I sent mine back in 24 hours as it seemed pointless....someone tell me why this is not just another Siri?

[anonymous-user]

I guess 150 quid from Amazon vs 500 quid apple tax.

[GetCarter]

...and the speaker is way better than my iPhone.

[smn159]

PrancingHorses said:

I sent mine back in 24 hours as it seemed pointless....someone tell me why this is not just another Siri?

What did you expect it to do when you bought it?

[geeks]

So lighting for me resolved itself.. sorted out boiler cover as we have bought the house, part of that gave us a free hive lighting setup.. well two free bulbs and an extra hub. Dont need the hub as the thermostat came with one but the bulbs will be useful to play with

[Digitalize]

I've been slowly looking in to this. I only use Siri when driving despite having it on my phone and computer, but I think just buying an Echo or Echo Dot and expecting it to revolutionise your life isn't the right thing, it's more what you can control with it, or at least that's what it seems to me.

Highly considering getting a Dot, Harmony Hub and some Philips Hue lights, then being able to use Alexa to set change the lights, or turn on the TV and say set the lights to a dim warm colour for films, or a brighter blue for games etc.

Of course I could do all that without Alexa, and save myself a bit of cash, or even probably use Siri to do it, but I think it's the always on always listening ready to go thing that intrigues me, that and it seems a lot better at recognition than Siri.

Also I've just spotted Amazon are doing the Harmony Hub, Companion remote and an Echo Dot for £129, which saves you £20 over buying just the Hub and Dot, and you get the Companion remote as well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Harmony-Companio...

[geeks]

Digitalize said:

I've been slowly looking in to this. I only use Siri when driving despite having it on my phone and computer, but I think just buying an Echo or Echo Dot and expecting it to revolutionise your life isn't the right thing, it's more what you can control with it, or at least that's what it seems to me.

Highly considering getting a Dot, Harmony Hub and some Philips Hue lights, then being able to use Alexa to set change the lights, or turn on the TV and say set the lights to a dim warm colour for films, or a brighter blue for games etc.

Of course I could do all that without Alexa, and save myself a bit of cash, or even probably use Siri to do it, but I think it's the always on always listening ready to go thing that intrigues me, that and it seems a lot better at recognition than Siri.

Also I've just spotted Amazon are doing the Harmony Hub, Companion remote and an Echo Dot for £129, which saves you £20 over buying just the Hub and Dot, and you get the Companion remote as well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Harmony-Companio...

Thats a smart deal and essentially gives you an echo dot for £10. But pisses me off a little, those of us already with a dot dont have access to a decent deal

[pmanson]

We're certainly using it more since I purchased the lights/Harmony box.

Well worth it...


Too much?? - https://goo.gl/photos/PquvZ9Bk38m8B7Xu6

Edited by pmanson on Wednesday 11th January 19:45

[sybaseian]

I've now managed to get Alexa to be able to announce my iCal appointments.

a bit of linking iCal to google calendar and then, google linked to Alexa.

[s2000db]

sybaseian said:

I've now managed to get Alexa to be able to announce my iCal appointments.

a bit of linking iCal to google calendar and then, google linked to Alexa.

How have you done that, I've got my iPhone calendars imported on to a google one, but Alexa just doesn't see them??

[dmsims]

pmanson said:

We're certainly using it more since I purchased the lights/Harmony box.

Well worth it...


Too much?? - https://goo.gl/photos/PquvZ9Bk38m8B7Xu6

Edited by pmanson on Wednesday 11th January 19:45

How did you get it to do the lights/TV in one command ?

[SystemParanoia]

it connects nicely to IFTTT too

https://ifttt.com/amazon_alexa

have fun

[sybaseian]

s2000db said:

How have you done that, I've got my iPhone calendars imported on to a google one, but Alexa just doesn't see them??

Setting up syncing between Apple Calendar (iCal) via google Calendar to Amazon Alexa.

First, you need to set up a readonly link in google calendar. This means you have to publish your Apple calendar and copy the link into your google calendar. Once this has been done, you then need to set up Amazon Alexa to point to your google calendars (there should be TWO, your normal default google calendar and a new READ ONLY calendar)

http://www.everythingicafe.com/add-view-icloud-cal...

this is easy to set up. It will sync the apple calendar to google calendar as a new "Read Only" calendar. That means you can only update/add/delete events from your Apple iPhone/iPad/Mac or iCloud web page.

Follow the instructions above to link the Apple Calendar to Google Calendar. Once that stage has been completed, you need to add the google calendar to Amazon Alexa via the iOS phone app.

Amazon Alexa should be able to READ the entries in your published apple calendar via the google calendar now if you point Alexa to your google calendar. This will mean that you need to add the new READ ONLY calendar via the Alexa APP :-

Open the Alexa App and go to HOME

Then SETTINGS

Then CALENDAR

now create a link to google Calendar and add both calendars (one of which is the READ ONLY Apple Calendar)

[pmanson]

dmsims said:

pmanson said:

We're certainly using it more since I purchased the lights/Harmony box.

Well worth it...


Too much?? - https://goo.gl/photos/PquvZ9Bk38m8B7Xu6

Edited by pmanson on Wednesday 11th January 19:45

How did you get it to do the lights/TV in one command ?

I've created a scene using Yonomi:



Within Harmony 'Watch TV' is setup to switch the TV and Sky box on and the Amp to the correct input.

[s2000db]

sybaseian said:

s2000db said:

How have you done that, I've got my iPhone calendars imported on to a google one, but Alexa just doesn't see them??

Setting up syncing between Apple Calendar (iCal) via google Calendar to Amazon Alexa.

First, you need to set up a readonly link in google calendar. This means you have to publish your Apple calendar and copy the link into your google calendar. Once this has been done, you then need to set up Amazon Alexa to point to your google calendars (there should be TWO, your normal default google calendar and a new READ ONLY calendar)

http://www.everythingicafe.com/add-view-icloud-cal...

this is easy to set up. It will sync the apple calendar to google calendar as a new "Read Only" calendar. That means you can only update/add/delete events from your Apple iPhone/iPad/Mac or iCloud web page.

Follow the instructions above to link the Apple Calendar to Google Calendar. Once that stage has been completed, you need to add the google calendar to Amazon Alexa via the iOS phone app.

Amazon Alexa should be able to READ the entries in your published apple calendar via the google calendar now if you point Alexa to your google calendar. This will mean that you need to add the new READ ONLY calendar via the Alexa APP :-

Open the Alexa App and go to HOME

Then SETTINGS

Then CALENDAR

now create a link to google Calendar and add both calendars (one of which is the READ ONLY Apple Calendar)

Many thanks for your help, I'll give that a try!

[Podie]

A new wake word has been added....

[Shaw Tarse]

Have any car manufacturers joined in yet?
"Alexa defrost the car"

[Podie]

Shaw Tarse said:

Have any car manufacturers joined in yet?
"Alexa defrost the car"

I believe BMW i models can be locked / unlocked, check battery level etc

[Shaw Tarse]

Podie said:

I believe BMW i models can be locked / unlocked, check battery level etc

I'd have thought JLR would be on the case.