Thinking about getting Alexa......

Mizmo

Mizmo

Well-known Member
Location
Ontario, Canada
I would like some feedback from you , my friends, who have Alexa.

I do not have a smart phone but assuming it can be installed with computer and I do have WIFI
My sis in US had it installed as a Xmas gift and likes it for music , opening her door when she takes her doggie
out and she says 'other stuff' ..............

Thanks for any comments ..likes, dislikes.
 

You need a smartphone or a tablet or a functional Android subsystem on a PC. There is a PC Alexa app, but it is pretty minimal.
 
I suppose a relative could set up Echo devices but you won't be able to manage them without your own phone, etc
 

We have 2 echo's & one echo show. We can access Alexa from all 3. Echo show we video call our sons. Echo in the bedroom is for a variety of reasons but most useful for setting an alarm. Kitchen mainly for music while prepping meals. Not a tech object used every day but often enough to be happy with how it works.
 
I have a couple of Echo Dots and mostly use them as a kitchen timer, calendar reminder, updated weather report, alarm clock, and general task reminder. Like this:

Alexa, set a timer for 20 minutes. If decide to adjust the timer I'll say: Alexa, add (or deduct) 5 minutes from my timer.
Alexa, in 30 minutes remind me to move the laundry to the dryer.
Alexa, what's the temperature right now?
Alexa, at 3:30 pm remind me to get ready to go to the doctor.
Alexa, next Monday at 3 pm remind me I have a zoom meeting.
Alexa, every day at 6 pm remind me to feed the dog.

I don't use it for music nor do I manage it with my phone - I actually deleted the app.
Although a smart phone is needed for setup, unless you change it to a different house the phone is no longer necessary.

I find it very helpful.
 
Mr. Ed said:
Getting Alexa to do what?
Click to expand...

I am interested to know how it can open a door.
I find it is getting more difficult for me to get my walker out through the main door of my apartment which is heavy and hey if I could tell Alexa to open I could just walk on through. I would imagine something would have to be attached to door. My sister in US can tell Alexa to open door and she and her dog can walk on through easily . She is clueless about anything to do with computers and phones so no point in asking her for info.
Her grandchildren did all for her but I am not in touch with them.
 
StarSong said:
I have a couple of Echo Dots and mostly use them as a kitchen timer, calendar reminder, updated weather report, alarm clock, and general task reminder. Like this:

Alexa, set a timer for 20 minutes. If decide to adjust the timer I'll say: Alexa, add (or deduct) 5 minutes from my timer.
Alexa, in 30 minutes remind me to move the laundry to the dryer.
Alexa, what's the temperature right now?
Alexa, at 3:30 pm remind me to get ready to go to the doctor.
Alexa, next Monday at 3 pm remind me I have a zoom meeting.
Alexa, every day at 6 pm remind me to feed the dog.

I don't use it for music nor do I manage it with my phone - I actually deleted the app.
Although a smart phone is needed for setup, unless you change it to a different house the phone is no longer necessary.

I find it very helpful.
Click to expand...

All very handy notifications.
So sounds like I have to buy these echo dots..speakers I presume.
The app, download according to amazon is available for Mac os
 
Mizmo said:
I am interested to know how it can open a door.
I find it is getting more difficult for me to get my walker out through the main door of my apartment which is heavy and hey if I could tell Alexa to open I could just walk on through. I would imagine something would have to be attached to door. My sister in US can tell Alexa to open door and she and her dog can walk on through easily . She is clueless about anything to do with computers and phones so no point in asking her for info.
Her grandchildren did all for her but I am not in touch with them.
Click to expand...
Alexa physically opening a door is a new one on me. Perhaps it can unlock a door in a "smart house" but the danger is that Alexa doesn't only respond to an owner's commands. Anyone who yelled through a window, "Alexa, open the front door" could then gain entry.

When I go out of town, I unplug my Alexas in areas that I keep a radio on because I've had the experience of radio stations saying, "And you can tell Alexa, 'Alexa play My Heart Radio' and it will. Which is exactly what happens. I come home to realize Alexa has been playing a radio 24/7 since hearing that disc jockey's instruction.

As soon as "Alexa" is uttered, it will follow the instructions given, no matter who gives them.
 
StarSong said:
@Mizmo, it would probably be a hassle to have Alexa open doors because it appears other systems need also be involved. For the basics that I described in post #5 (above), it can be surprisingly handy.
Click to expand...
Agreed, too much hassle ....basics sound good but right now I can do without Miss Alexa

I need a maid, chief cook and bottle washer and a chauffeur...gotta start buying those lottery tickets again:D:D:D
 
Marie5656 said:
I have Alexa. Along with usual things like telling me the weather, and notifications of possible stormy weather, she tells jokes, puns, and sings. She will also speak in other languages..including Klingon. Something to watch for, if someone on TV activates their Alexa, mine will respond
Click to expand...
That's what I meant about leaving her plugged in when the radio is on. I've come home from trips with my radio playing one station and a few feet away Alexa was playing another. Aack!
 
I can't even get my phone to always respond to me when I call out for Siri, so I will not be adding more Robot Pseudo-People to my life. I have to yell really loud and when I ask her why she can't hear me, she can't tell me why.

If you cannot help me fix the device in which you exist, then what good are you?

I would hate to become dependent on an Echo, Alexa or whatever. TECHNOLOGY FAILS. That is a forever promise. It will always fail us sometimes and it doesn't take that much to mess it up.
 
Many devices operate in a different vendor's ecosystem using their own cloud services. Amazon's Alexa system has a feature called "skills" to extend its reach into those. The 3rd party normally provides such skills and you add those plugins to Alexa to bridge over to them.

I try to stick to the Tuya ecosystem. That way most of my devices can use one Alexa skill.

Smart light bulbs, hallway night lights, plugs for other appliances like lamps with regular bulbs, temperature and humidity sensors, cameras, motion sensors, the list goes on and on. Even an essential oil mister.

You can create multi-device lighting "scenes" controlled via a single command. Or Echo speaker groups, including the basic Everywhere group. When cleaning I'll say "Alexa, play Bossa Nova Everywhere." For cooking I can ask my Kitchen Dot "Alexa, play Fleetwood Mac." Or sometimes when I'm reading and wandering around I'll say "Alexa, play ambient jazz Everywhere." Or even "Alexa, play Star Trek by Michael Giacchino."

It is also possible to bind two Echo devices as a stereo speaker pair.

I even have Portable Dot which is a 2nd generation Echo Dot mounted on a rechargeable battery base. This can be taken out on the patio, or even down to the basement when working down there or cowering during tornado warnings.

Then there are Routines, where an event (motion sensor triggered?) can trigger actions (turn on a given set of lights?).
 

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