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Amazon Echo

Passepartout

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Probably time to start a new thread about Echo as the one about just getting or ordering one has about run it's course.

I asked Alexa to play my favorite internet radio stream this morning and 'she' said, "I don't know how to help you.", so I asked basically the same question in different ways, and then response was pretty much the same. It seems that my Echo was unable to connect with TuneIn, which seems to be it's portal to internet radio.

It would be good if Amazon would build a bit of redundancy into the system. If one stream is down, it should fall back to another.

Jim
 

WinniWoman

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Mine keeps coming on without us calling her name. I was watching TV this morning and she suddenly lit up and said she was going to play music from my Prime Music Collection.

Other times she comes on and says she doesn't have the answer to the question- which, of course, we never asked! I think the TV being on somehow wakes her up.
 

Passepartout

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Mine has awakened when someone on TV addresses another person as 'Alex' or similar that it 'thinks' is it's wake-up name. We just chuckle when it happens.
So far, no spontaneous music playing though.

Re: my OP above- I asked for my usual TuneIn internet radio station a little while later and it came right on as usual. I'd speculate that the connection between TuneIn.com and Amazon's Echo servers was down for a while. It would still be nice if there were more redundancy.

Jim
 

PamMo

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...I asked Alexa to play my favorite internet radio stream this morning and 'she' said, "I don't know how to help you.", so I asked basically the same question in different ways, and then response was pretty much the same. It seems that my Echo was unable to connect with TuneIn, which seems to be it's portal to internet radio.

It would be good if Amazon would build a bit of redundancy into the system. If one stream is down, it should fall back to another.

Jim

Thanks for posting this, Jim - I thought it was just me. I asked Alexa to play a Pandora station and got the same response today. My phone says the Alexa app is offline. The Amazon website was no help. :annoyed:
 

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My wife bought Echo for my upcoming b-day....I told her please send it back cuz I have no interest since cell will do almost the same thing(s)...But I was curious; so I set it up....After playing with it for a couple days, I think I'm gonna keep it....I'm a big music buff...I have music throughout the house; not to mention "outside".......Pretty cool to ask "Alexa" to play anything I ask for; without having to grab a device or turn on receiver.. AND she will answer most questions...This is not for everyone, especially younger folks....But I think this old dude is gonna keep it..
 

Passepartout

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Happy B-Day to you! I like just asking for music. I like when one of those moments like, Gee, I wonder what the score of the (insert sports team here) game is? or What time does (store) close? or What's the weather today in (wherever)? Or Alexa, play the News Flash.

Greatest thing ever? Probably not, but Alexa has become a valued source of information and entertainment.

Jim
 

Carta

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Happy B-Day to you! I like just asking for music. I like when one of those moments like, Gee, I wonder what the score of the (insert sports team here) game is? or What time does (store) close? or What's the weather today in (wherever)? Or Alexa, play the News Flash.

Greatest thing ever? Probably not, but Alexa has become a valued source of information and entertainment.

Jim

Hey Jim, Thx 4 happy b day... 65 (Medicare) lol...Yeah, I like sports scores, weather, and general info...I'm pretty sure they will add new software..That's another reason I'm keeping...Take Care
 

WinniWoman

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That is cool! I am trying to figure out how to exactly ask the question about a restaurant. She doesn't seem to be getting it so far.

She is starting to get my asking for a specific song; but she only recognizes some names and not others- especially long complicated names.

We still have the issue of her occasionally waking up by herself and rambling about something or another. LOL!
 

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I'm worried about the excessive amount of screen time my 4 yr old gets and was thinking the Echo might go some ways towards reducing that.
What are your thoughts about buying this for a 4-yr girl?
 

Passepartout

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I was thinking the Echo might go some ways towards reducing [screen time].
What are your thoughts about buying this for a 4-yr girl?

I'm not a parent, but don't think an Echo would be helpful for a pre-schooler. Maybe to help with language skills, but perhaps later in the child's development would be better. As to limiting screen time, there is a 'child's' Kindle with 'FreeTime' that can be set by the parent. Then when the child has played for however long the parent decides for a day, it simply says, 'See you Tomorrow' and shuts down. Even better, it has a no questions asked, unlimited guarantee. If the kid destroys it, and you return it, Amazon replaces it. And it's cheaper than an Echo.

Anyway, those are my thoughts.

Jim
 

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I was thrilled when I put something in the oven and asked her to set the timer for 25 minutes. As I was busy doing other things, I realized I didn't hear her timer go off, so I asked her how much time was left on the timer and she said "There is approximately 5 minutes left"!

And- I am enjoying her jokes- they are so goofy they are funny!

She is taking some of my song requests, but she many times does not understand when I ask for a specific song. I keep trying to ask it in different ways. She doesn't seem to get it when I ask her to play a whole specific album/CD. She might play a song from it but not the whole album.
 
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VegasBella

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I'm not a parent, but don't think an Echo would be helpful for a pre-schooler. Maybe to help with language skills, but perhaps later in the child's development would be better. As to limiting screen time, there is a 'child's' Kindle with 'FreeTime' that can be set by the parent. Then when the child has played for however long the parent decides for a day, it simply says, 'See you Tomorrow' and shuts down. Even better, it has a no questions asked, unlimited guarantee. If the kid destroys it, and you return it, Amazon replaces it. And it's cheaper than an Echo.



Anyway, those are my thoughts.



Jim


Well I am a parent and I agree 100%
My kindergartener loved his kindle, which he's had since he was 3.
 

Passepartout

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WinniWoman

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This link is not working for me. It comes up as $149.99. I have the Amazon store credit card but it is not accepting the discount code for the $50 off when I try to check-out- says it's invalid.
 
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Elan

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This link is not working for me. It comes up as $149.99. I have the Amazon credit card, but for some reason it doesn't show when I try to check out and no way to enter the card #. Very strange.
Never mind. I might have been posting erroneous info.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
 

ace2000

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This link is not working for me. It comes up as $149.99. I have the Amazon credit card, but for some reason it doesn't show when I try to check out and no way to enter the card #. Very strange.

I just looked out there and the deal is now dead. The message I saw out there had a timestamp of 4:30pm. So you had to be earlier than that, at the least.
 

WinniWoman

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I just looked out there and the deal is now dead. The message I saw out there had a timestamp of 4:30pm. So you had to be earlier than that, at the least.

Wouldn't you know it?! I got off work at 4:30! Waited until I got home. Oh, well.....:( Thanks anyway, though.
 

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FYI.....I found the Echo App has been very helpful.There so many things u can program and there's also a HELP section...

One problem I had: I asked Alexa to give me the 7 day forecast. She gave me the forecast for a town 65 miles away....So went to "settings" and changed location..I put in my zip code and now things are fine..

Also, read the updates sent to ur email...
 

GrayFal

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FYI.....I found the Echo App has been very helpful.There so many things u can program and there's also a HELP section...

One problem I had: I asked Alexa to give me the 7 day forecast. She gave me the forecast for a town 65 miles away....So went to "settings" and changed location..I put in my zip code and now things are fine..

Also, read the updates sent to ur email...
How do you get the update emails. I have not received any?
 

Carta

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How do you get the update emails. I have not received any?

I received at least 3 updates...Last one Oct 30....Don't believe I did anything special..They just came to my email..

Check ur Echo App....Click HELP.....Maybe u can find an answer
 

WinniWoman

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I received at least 3 updates...Last one Oct 30....Don't believe I did anything special..They just came to my email..

Check ur Echo App....Click HELP.....Maybe u can find an answer

I never get any either.
 

Sandy VDH

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I ordered mine months ago (for the $99 offer), but finally today got around to setting the Echo device up. I had been traveling, so that is why I didn't get it set up.

But I set it up today and am having some fun with music and audio books as I am cleaning up and doing laundry.

I went and signed up for the Audible trial membership because I wanted a few books that are not available with the Whispersync option. I do like whispersync option, as you get the eBook and the Audio and the ability to switch back and forth or do both at the same time. Echo found my Whispersync books just fine too, so that was good surprise. It just moved my whispersync book into Audible automatically.

So the Audible is a new option for me, So far so good. But it won't forward the Audible Book to the location that I am in the actual book. I did discover that if you go to the Echo app on your phone you can force it to the chapter you want. So that was a good discovery.

The Music Streaming for Amazon Prime works awesomely as well. Had fun with that today as well. Great to not have to locate songs and just have them available by voice commands.

I am happy with Alexa so far, except my real name is Alexandra. If someone calls me by my real name and not my nick name, Alexa may perk up and expect to do something.
 
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Audible

I ordered mine months ago (for the $99 offer), but finally today got around to setting the Echo device up. I had been traveling, so that is why I didn't get it set up.

But I set it up today and am having some fun with music and audio books as I am cleaning up and doing laundry.

I went and signed up for the Audible trial membership because I wanted a few books that are not available with the Whispersync option. I do like whispersync option, as you get the eBook and the Audio and the ability to switch back and forth or do both at the same time. Echo found my Whispersync books just fine too, so that was good surprise. It just moved my whispersync book into Audible automatically.

So the Audible is a new option for me, So far so good. But it won't forward the Audible Book to the location that I am in the actual book. I did discover that if you go to the Echo app on your phone you can force it to the chapter you want. So that was a good discovery.

The Music Streaming for Amazon Prime works awesomely as well. Had fun with that today as well. Great to not have to locate songs and just have them available by voice commands.

I am happy with Alexa so far, except my real name is Alexandra. If someone calls me by my real name and not my nick name, Alexa may perk up and expect to do something.

Can you pause and re-start the book? I guess you can't "fast forward" or "rewind." Hmmmm...
 
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