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Gazer
28-10-2016, 01:33 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djgk6jF4aJg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtQvTirKrSU

Amazon Echo & Echo Dot are a hands-free, voice-controlled device that uses Alexa to play music, control smart home devices, provide information, read the news, set alarms and more
Connects to speakers or headphones through Bluetooth or 3.5 mm stereo cable to play music from Prime Music, Spotify and TuneIn
Controls lights, switches, thermostats and more with compatible connected devices from WeMo, Philips Hue, Hive, Netatmo, tado° and others
Hears you from across the room with 7 microphones for far-field hands-free voice control, even in noisy environments or while playing music
Includes a built-in speaker so it can work on its own as a smart alarm clock in the bedroom, an assistant in the kitchen, or anywhere you might want a voice-controlled device
Always getting smarter - Alexa updates through the cloud automatically and is continually learning, adding new features and skills.

Amazon Echo as well as the Amazon Echo Dot are finally on sale in the UK, two years after the devices were launched in the US.
The unveiling came in September, after weeks of rumours and reports, and the original Amazon Echo started shipping on September 28. The Echo Dot went on sale on October 20.

Amazon Echo review: Human-like AI is worth the money even if it does have teething problems


UK launch partners include Just Eat, Uber, and Spotify and users can order a taxi or get a meal delivered with just a few sentences of voice commands.
The price for the UK version of Amazon Echo is £149.99 and it's available now, in black and white.
A smaller version of the Echo with the same Alexa abilities, the Echo Dot, is available for £49.99 and will ship on October 20. The Dot can also be paired with smart thermostats and plugs.

What is Amazon Echo?
Amazon Echo is a voice-activated home audio speaker system with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. It's a cylindrical speaker that uses a personal voice assistant named Alexa.


The Echo is always connected to Wi-Fi, allowing you to connect it to your home network and access cloud services. Alexa is the 'wake word' for the device and acts very much in the same way Siri does on iOS. Alexa will fulfil your spoken commands, such as setting an alarm or finding the answer to a question you may have.
The Echo is always learning, to adapt to your speech patterns, vocabulary, and personal preferences.

The reason it has taken so long to get to Europe is because Alexa needed to learn enough accents.
"Alexa been in UK and Germany in over 1,000 homes learning accents - we wouldn't ship it until the experience was enjoyable.

The Bluetooth aspect means Amazon Echo and the Amazon Echo Dot doubles up as a 360-degree speaker, allowing you to play music from any Bluetooth-enabled device. It offers hands-free voice control for Amazon Music, Prime Music, Spotify and other streaming services.

Even when you're playing music, Echo can use one of its seven hidden mics and so-called 'beam forming technology' to always be able to hear your next request, in spite of how loudly you like your music.
Alexa can also learn new skills, such as enabling the device to connect to the seven-minute workout app for instance, on command. Owners can tap 'Your Skills' in the Skills section of the Alexa app to see which skills have been enabled on the device.
For customers who have multiple Echo devices within hearing distance, Amazon’s ESP technology intelligently calculates the clarity of the customer’s voice and determines which Echo is closest and should respond to the request—instantly.
This feature is smart and its performance gets better over time, so ESP will continuously improve as you use Echo. This feature is now available to customers using both Echo and Echo Dot, with a software update pushed to Echo devices already in use.

In the US, Amazon partnered with brands such as Domino's and Uber to allow you to order a pizza and request a taxi using through Alexa. At the UK launch, the firm announced it has partnered with Jamie Oliver, Spotify, JustEat, Network Rail and also Uber.
In the home, Echo will work with devices such as lights and switches from companies including Philips Hue and SmartThings.

Elsewhere, Alexa can make shopping easier. You can ask her to put items on your Amazon shopping list as well as order Prime products you’ve purchased before. After a purchase has been made, check the product and order details in the Alexa App. It is possible to turn off this setting, and input elements such as the need for a speakable confirmation code, to prevent it being taken advantage of.
The latest Echo and Echo Dot features
In addition to the features that launched with the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot, there have been a number of additions. These launched on the same day the Echo Dot went on sale in the UK.
Now, Prime members using Echo or Echo Dot can say “order paper towels,” “order dog food” or “buy some LEGO” and Alexa will find a product that ships with Prime and apply available discounts. Just say “Yes” to buy it.
Elsewhere, Echo and Echo Dot owners can manage their to-do lists, get Champions League scores and more. The Alexa Skills Kit recently added a new List Skill API, and now customers can integrate Todoist and Any.do lists with Alexa, with the ability to add items to your Alexa Shopping or To Do List.

Set the default list provider in your Alexa app, and then say “Alexa, add laundry detergent to my shopping list” and it’ll integrate directly into your preferred list service, whether that is Todoist, Any.do, or Alexa. we have been told that more list services are coming soon.

Amazon Echo's specifications
The device measures 9.3 x 3.3 x 3.3 inches (235mm x 84mm x 84mm) and weighs 37.5 oz, or 1,064 grams.
It comes with dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi for faster streaming and fewer dropped connections than standard Wi-Fi and supports 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi networks.
It does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks, though.
Elsewhere, it has a 2.5-inch woofer and 2-inch tweeter.
Out of the box, Amazon Echo comes ready to connect to Wi-Fi and its Alexa App is compatible with Fire OS, Android, and iOS devices and also via a web browser.
Every Echo sold comes with a one-year limited warranty and service included and included in the box is a power adapter, and quick start guide.

How much does it cost?
The price for the UK version of Amazon Echo is £149.99. Amazon Prime customers can get it for a limited time at a discount of £50, dropping it to £99.99.

The Amazon Echo family
Alexa comes complete with its own set of enabled-devices that will also be available:

Amazon Tap

Amazon Tap is a smaller version of the Echo and allows users to be connected to Alexa on-the-go, available in the US. The focus with the Tap is more on music quality. It has dual speakers with Dolby processing and 360-degree omnidirectional audio. Unlike the Echo, which is always ready with Alexa, you have to 'tap' the microphone button on the Tap device to access Alexa's help.
The Tap has a range of 'sling' cases in different colours to protect your device on the move, and a nine-hour battery life.
No release date has been set for the Tap in the UK.

Echo Dot

The Echo dot is even smaller than the Tap. It is a disc-shaped device that has all the elements of the Echo; connects to Alexa voice service and can connect to speakers over Bluetooth, but in a smaller space.
The new and updated Dot features a more powerful speech processor than the previous generation, to deliver improved far-field speech recognition accuracy.
The small device will be available to buy from Amazon's website as a single device or in multipacks: buy five and get one free, or buy 10 and get two free.

If you have more than one Echo-type device, or two of the same, you can set different 'wake words' in order to not confuse all your smart devices.
The new Echo Spatial Perception (ESP) in the devices means that if you have multiple Echo devices within hearing distance, the technology will detemine which Echo is closest to your voice and respond to the request. This feature will be avaiable as a free update to all Echo devices, in the coming weeks.

Gazer
02-11-2016, 01:45 PM
I'm looking at getting one or two of these over the next week or so

as anyone on here got one and if so are they any good ? seen them on youtube and they look like they can be quite interesting and useful when adding IFTTT to it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djgk6jF4aJg

berley
02-11-2016, 03:15 PM
Seen them being advertised on TV now, looks ok but dont know that I'd be in any rush to buy one.

Let us know how it is if you get one.

EDIT: Just watched the video (hadn't really paid attention to the TV ads) could be tempted if it reminds you to do things? as I'm always forgetting appointments, so if I told it to remind me of an appointment on a certain date would it ?

billy149uk
03-11-2016, 01:12 AM
Seen them being advertised on TV now, looks ok but dont know that I'd be in any rush to buy one.

Let us know how it is if you get one.

EDIT: Just watched the video (hadn't really paid attention to the TV ads) could be tempted if it reminds you to do things? as I'm always forgetting appointments, so if I told it to remind me of an appointment on a certain date would it ?

Can you not set reminders on your iphone then.I've got reminders on mine for everything,you can set them for ANY date and ANY time you require.When the time comes it sets off an alarm,which you can set to various tunes vis settings/sounds.

berley
03-11-2016, 09:41 AM
yes i could and i do but this seems a lot easier and is a good excuse for buying one :)

Gazer
03-11-2016, 09:57 AM
Can you not set reminders on your iphone then.I've got reminders on mine for everything,you can set them for ANY date and ANY time you require.When the time comes it sets off an alarm,which you can set to various tunes vis settings/sounds.

Just look at the video above billy ....... using a service called IFTTT which is free you can use this for turning on and off your house lights, heating, tv, music, window blinds ....and so on just by asking it to do it.

and you can add the amazon Dots around your house and they talk to each other so that you can tell it what to do from any room....which you can't do with the iPhone.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YDjZJkPgTM

Gazer
28-11-2016, 10:48 AM
Picked one of these up yesterday from Argos ...Got it for £114 in the end with the discounts

Will be having a play with it over the next few days and will let you know if any good :)

Gazer
28-11-2016, 11:27 AM
Here is a little video of what else you can control using a amazon echo ....this would suit nao
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmnDK5g1dIs

Gazer
05-12-2016, 11:32 AM
Well my Amazon echo is up and running now :)

not as bad as I thought it would be .......she is now working the Christmas tree lights and the lights on the snowman and polo bears in the window plus its doing the conservatory floor lamp.
I am using the Tp-link hs100 socket plugs for these which the echo can control.

I've got Spotify linked to it now so all my music works with it ...not as good as the sonos music players that I've got but it as been said that the echo will control this from next year :)

looking at getting a couple of the amazon dots for Christmas if my Mrs treats me lol which will end up in the other rooms.

notanotherone
05-12-2016, 12:54 PM
like this wouldnt mind it ,but im an idiot and wouldnt be able to do this

Gazer
05-12-2016, 01:36 PM
like this wouldnt mind it ,but im an idiot and wouldnt be able to do this

We know what you are nao pmsl

But most of the setting up is all done for you, all you need to do is put the wifi code in the alexa app on your phone ....job done .......hours of fun.

berley
06-12-2016, 03:24 PM
like this wouldnt mind it ,but im an idiot and wouldnt be able to do this

you buy it first then show me what to do then roflmao


Well my Amazon echo is up and running now :)


I am using the Tp-link hs100 socket plugs for these which the echo can control.


bloody hell just looked at the price of the plugs, it'll be a lot cheaper just getting bill to turn things off and on pmsl

Gazer
07-12-2016, 09:28 AM
bloody hell just looked at the price of the plugs, it'll be a lot cheaper just getting bill to turn things off and on pmsl

Was £16 from Argos when I got them last week :)

I might get these over the next couple of weeks which work with it as well http://www.screwfix.com/p/energenie-mihome-socket-bundle-chrome/2126r

notanotherone
27-12-2016, 01:53 AM
goona buy a couple of dots ,also looking at light switches so it can work lights ,bought a couple of plugs for it as ive also bought a few light bulbs to work with it

DessertDog
28-12-2016, 06:39 PM
Got a dot for me birthday now to sort it out lol

Gazer
29-12-2016, 09:41 AM
Got a dot for me birthday now to sort it out lol

your have some fun with it DD ...... It's better than a women for doing as it's told pmsl

DessertDog
29-12-2016, 02:01 PM
yeh i like telling her to stop lmao

alanjg007
31-12-2016, 12:33 PM
Across at energenie4u.co.uk you can get 20% off if you use pisave as the voucher. Might only work if you buy raspberry pi related items!

Edit only works when buying pi related stuff!

thelostone
03-01-2017, 08:05 PM
My daughter has one of these it sounds ok when it works , tho my son-in-law doesn't like it , another woman to ignore him pmsl @gaz does it remind you to feed the fish