Alexa and Google digital assistants?

Sunny

Sunny

SF VIP
Location
Maryland
Does anybody have one of these neat little gadgets? I just got an Alexa Echo as a gift from my daughter, haven't set it up yet, but am about to. She has one, and when I visited her a few days ago, I had a lot of fun with it.

You operate them by talking to them. "Alexa, play something by the Rolling Stones." "Alexa, play Beethoven's 9th." Etc.

Also, "Alexa" show me a recipe for Creole shrimp and rice. Alexa, who was king of England during the American Revolution? Alexa, what is the capital of North Dakota? Alexa, turn on the lights. (You can connect it to various appliances.)

And I'm sure that's just scratching the surface of what it can do! Anybody else have one of these?
 

@Sunny I have had Alexa for almost a year and I love it. You can set her up to read you local and national news, local weather and the like. You install the app manager on your phone or tablet, and manage her from there. I had set up Amazon music, until I realized they were charging me $7.99 a month. More than I wanted to spend as I hardly used it.
You can ask her to sing you a son (Alexa, sing me a song, Alexa, sing a rap song). She will tell you a joke or pun. She speaks Klingon. (Say something in Klingon)
When you set up the manager, look over her skills. There is a word of the day, question of the day, 20 questions, stuff like that.
Some times I ask "How are you today" or "What did you do today?" Her birthday is in November, so you can ask how old she is, or when her birthday is. Posibilities are endless.

I like when I am watching a show, and hear a word, or recipe ingredient I have never heard of, I can ask her what it is.
 
OK, it's set up, and it's really fun! So far, music, news and weather, but I'm going to try out other things now. Thanks for all the info Marie. I didn't know you can play 20 questions with it; I think I'll try that next. I feel like a kid with a new toy! 😆
 
Sunny said:
Does anybody have one of these neat little gadgets? I just got an Alexa Echo as a gift from my daughter, haven't set it up yet, but am about to. She has one, and when I visited her a few days ago, I had a lot of fun with it.

You operate them by talking to them. "Alexa, play something by the Rolling Stones." "Alexa, play Beethoven's 9th." Etc.

Also, "Alexa" show me a recipe for Creole shrimp and rice. Alexa, who was king of England during the American Revolution? Alexa, what is the capital of North Dakota? Alexa, turn on the lights. (You can connect it to various appliances.)

And I'm sure that's just scratching the surface of what it can do! Anybody else have one of these?
Click to expand...
I LOVE my Alexa! We have set her up so that she can control our lights , tv and alarm system. She also is great for keeping your shopping list and other to-do lists. She also has all my favorite music and can connect to my bluetooth or read my audio books. When I get up in the morning, I have her programmed so that when I say, "Alexa, good morning." She replies, "Good morning," and turns on my dresser lamp at 20% brightness, gives me the weather forecast, turns on my kitchen cabinet light and turns off my outside lights, all with that one command! At night I say, "Alexa, goodnight." She replies, "Goodnight," and turns off any lights, tv, that may still be on. When I want to turn on my outside lights in the evening I say, "Alexa, it's dark out." She turns on my programmed lights.
Yes, it took some time to set everything up but it is so worth it. She can also answer my phone for me and make phone calls if I am busy cooking, etc. Gosh, there is so much she does around here. I wish she could cook and clean, lol.
 
@ Sunny, I forgot that we also have a Skill set up where if I am in any kind of trouble, medical or whatever, I can ask her to contact My Buddy List. An emergency call for help goes to those on my list by email, text and phone.
It's also great that you can give command from your phone app so that if you are maybe coming home at night and forgot to leave on outside lights she can do that remotely.
Oh yes, I also live the Alexa Find My Phone command!
 
LindaB said:
@ Sunny, I forgot that we also have a Skill set up where if I am in any kind of trouble, medical or whatever, I can ask her to contact My Buddy List. An emergency call for help goes to those on my list by email, text and phone.
It's also great that you can give command from your phone app so that if you are maybe coming home at night and forgot to leave on outside lights she can do that remotely.
Oh yes, I also live the Alexa Find My Phone command!
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yes that's a good idea...but we prefer ''Hive'' for that , and we can control the lights and heating from the other side of the world, and we do whenever we're away, we randomly turn the lights on at different times throughout the day and night rather than have them come on and off at a set time..with Alexa.. :)
 
hollydolly said:
yes that's a good idea...but we prefer ''Hive'' for that , and we can control the lights and heating from the other side of the world, and we do whenever we're away, we randomly turn the lights on at different times throughout the day and night rather than have them come on and off at a set time..with Alexa.. :)
Click to expand...
Good idea!
 
I’ve got either an Alexa or Echo Dot in every room of the house for the purpose of playing the freeeee Amazon Prime music. (I don’t subscribe to the unlimited $7.99 plan). For what it is, i get a not too shabby full house stereo sound & remain pleased with it.

On Black Friday/Prime Day, Amazon almost gives this stuff away so it was an inexpensive way to get some decent sound in the house - and a huge bonus is that i was able to get it up and running myself without having to hire someone to come in and set up a more sophisticated system for me.
 
I have one on my bedside table. She plays relaxing music for me every night. We have another in the living room, and we use it for shopping lists, cooking timers, reminders, and oddball questions of all sorts.
We like it but it is a little creepy to think it's always listening.
 
I have one of these Google things. I got it, without wanting it , as part of my broadband deal. It's still in it's box. For one, my broadband is so slow, I might as well have a carrier pigeon, and two, having spent my career in electronics and IT, I now do without as much technology as possible.

A lot of these gadgets are, IMO, technology for technology's sake. They are solutions to non existing problems. While I'm capable of getting up off my butt and switching on the light, I'll do without all this stuff. My high tech shopping list uses a notepad and pencil!
 
I have four.

I have vision problems so I have one in the kitchen, multiple timers, one in the entrance lobby, general morning music, one in the lounge, entertainment, and one in the bedroom, alarm and clock.

They all read my audiobook from wherever I left off, turn the lights and heating on or off and have vast libraries of music including my own album collection.
 
I have smart speakers of both, but prefer Alexa. I'm surprised that there are not voice options, for example, male voice or British accent...maybe someday! Alexa is beginning to evolve as an artificial intelligence; you can chat interactively with her if you give the right command. There's an Alexa app that will keep you updated on the latest new programs for the smart speaker, and you can even devise and run your own "skills," at least to an extent. Alexa will learn and respond to you; try thanking her after she responds, and she may say, "You bet" or "it's a pleasure!"
 
OK, here are two (probably dumb) questions. Remember, I'm a novice. :)

1. Carol, I can see how to get shopping lists on the Alexa, but how do you get them to the store? Transfer to your phone? Or is there a way to send the list to your printer?

2. I keep hearing about the Alexa app, but have no idea how to get it. Do I download it from the app store on my phone, or do I give Alexa herself a command to get it?

Thanks for your help.
 
Fyrefox said:
I'm surprised that there are not voice options, for example, male voice or British accent...maybe someday!QUOTE


I haven’t tried this but allegedly:

“You can change the voice of Alexa to one with a regional accent, a celebrity, and even a different language altogether. ... But here's a fair warning: Changing Alexa's voice will also make it harder for the device to understand your voice if you don't speak in the particular accent in question.“

How to Change Alexa's Voice
  1. Open the Alexa app.
  2. Go to Devices. This is the house-shaped icon on the bottom right of your screen.
  3. Choose your device.
  4. Scroll down to the Language section.
  5. Choose your language/dialect.
  6. Tap OK.
  7. Wait while the device switches to a new language/accent.
  8. Alexa will now speak English with a regional accent.
Click to expand...
 
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Sunny said:
OK, here are two (probably dumb) questions. Remember, I'm a novice. :)

1. Carol, I can see how to get shopping lists on the Alexa, but how do you get them to the store? Transfer to your phone? Or is there a way to send the list to your printer?

2. I keep hearing about the Alexa app, but have no idea how to get it. Do I download it from the app store on my phone, or do I give Alexa herself a command to get it?

Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...

You have to download the Alexa app to your smart phone from the app store. Open the app store on your phone and do a search for Amazon Alexa. There you can view your lists, alarms, etc. They automatically appear on your phone. The menu is 3 lines in the upper left corner. Tap that and you can figure it out from there.

One feature I love is that, even if my hands are full or covered in flour, I can just say, "Alexa, add butter to shopping list." So easy.

You can verbally make to-do lists, and shopping lists, and reminders. For example, I have a reminder set to remind me to take the garbage out the evening before our pick-up day.

Hope this helps.
 
Sunny said:
OK, here are two (probably dumb) questions. Remember, I'm a novice. :)

1. Carol, I can see how to get shopping lists on the Alexa, but how do you get them to the store? Transfer to your phone? Or is there a way to send the list to your printer?

2. I keep hearing about the Alexa app, but have no idea how to get it. Do I download it from the app store on my phone, or do I give Alexa herself a command to get it?

Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
To set up your Alexa you must first install the Alexa app on your phone. There you will also find your different lists like Shopping or any other lists you create. When you add an item by Alexa to your shopping list it automatically is added in the Shopping List on your Alexa app. So when you go to the store you have it at hand. I also like that hubby has the app on his phone and also has access to the Shopping List.
Download the Alexa app from the Play store on your Androud phone or from the Apple store on Iphone.
 
I'm with many of you. Started with a Google Nest, and it came with a Google Mini.....Have enjoyed them totally.
This past Black Friday last November, came across an unbelievable deal on line for the Nest Hub, got two of them for less than the price would be for one. So thrilled.
Have Google Nest on my table in the kitchen, Google Mini in my spare/sewing room, Google Hub in my bedroom, and Google Hub in the living room by my desktop.
Love what you can have them do......Still learning and playing......Haven't done the light, tv, etc. , on and off things yet.
Getting them on such good deals made me happy.
Only started this computer world, 10 or 11 years ago, was a bit scared at first, but so do enjoy.
Wonder what's being invented next.:)
 

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