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Amazon Echo Dot

amazon.com

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Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#41

Post by davis_m »

rdl wrote: post #37
davis_m wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah, I didn't notice that it hooks up to existing speakers. I'm curious how many people will use that however. My anecdotal experience is that most of the people that actually own an Echo are fairly tech illiterate and benefit from it being an self contained package, but that may change if the Echo API is extended.

I was just thinking "I want echo with a speaker port" 3 days ago. The thing I really really want from them is echo in the car.

I would be super interested in Echo in my car, but mostly because I don't have one of the fancy new cars that connects to my phone over bluetooth for that sort of stuff.

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#42

Post by sp332 »

monkmartinez wrote: post #31

Still too expensive, imo. I've read a lot about "Alexa" and Echo... and beside the privacy issues, in many cases the Echo quickly becomes an expensive speaker (after the kids and everyone else gets tired of asking "Alexa" questions). $89 is not in my compulsion buy price range. I may be in the minority on that though...

Yeah, almost the whole page for the Amazon Tap is just listing its musical abilities. And the price comparison chart at the end is to other bluetooth speakers.

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#43

Post by raldi »

unwind wrote: post #22
raldi wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How much was it? I can't find pricing info anywhere.

What? The price of the Echo Dot ($89.99) is clearly at the top of the article.

Weird; when I click it (I'm on mobile), it takes me to a special part of the Amazon app, and there's no price, and it says it can only be ordered by voice by people with existing Amazon hardware that can do that.

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#45

Post by sp332 »

bovermyer wrote: post #39
matthewbauer wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it needs a base Amazon echo to work if I understand correctly.

No, it needs external speakers, unlike the original Echo. However, you only need an Echo to preorder a Dot, you don't need an Echo for a Dot to work.

FTA: Includes a built-in speaker so it can work on its own

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#46

Post by leecarraher »

matthewbauer wrote: post #21
danesparza wrote: post #6

There is something delightfully ballsy about making this only available to users of Alexa Voice shopping: "Echo Dot is available in limited quantities and exclusively for Prime members through Alexa Voice Shopping. To order your Echo Dot, use your Amazon Echo or Amazon Fire TV and just ask: "Alexa, order an Echo dot" Also, this makes me sad. I'd kind of like to try this out, but I have no Alexa voice service currentl…

I think it needs a base Amazon echo to work if I understand correctly.

man that would suck. the computing internals of the echo are less impressive than a raspberry pi -0. The dot has bluetooth and apparently wifi to communicate with speakers and network devices. The real benefit of the echo over other homemade voice command devices like jasper(github.com/jasperproject) is the more proprietary far-field speaker array.

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#49

Post by ausjke »

My FireTV is also upgraded to Alexa silently recently and it's fun to play with.

Is it possible for me to upload my own content, say an audio book, some music I own etc so I can use Alexa as a voice command to fetch my own data too? be it on the cloud or my local NAS/DLNA box.

Re: Amazon Echo Dot

#50

Post by ghaff »

monkmartinez wrote: post #31

Still too expensive, imo. I've read a lot about "Alexa" and Echo... and beside the privacy issues, in many cases the Echo quickly becomes an expensive speaker (after the kids and everyone else gets tired of asking "Alexa" questions). $89 is not in my compulsion buy price range. I may be in the minority on that though...

I sorta agree. I got the original Echo for $100 when they had a special deal for Prime members. The timer is handy. The shopping list is handy. It's occasionally vaguely useful to ask it questions about the weather or other things--though it's not like my phone is that far away. I do use it for Amazon Music when I can't be bothered finding something to play on my stereo.

Potentially, the ability to interface with home automation devices will make it more useful but I'm honestly not sure how much of that stuff I will ever use.

I'm happy enough that I bought it but I probably wouldn't buy more to put in other rooms.

[Edit: I think if I lived in a small place and didn't have another music source I'd find it more generally useful.]

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