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Amazon Echo Show

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Re: Amazon Echo Show

#231

Post by mikeleeorg »

amelius wrote: post #184
pwaivers wrote: post #10

A few thoughts: - This is way less creepy-looking than the Amazon Look ( https://www.amazon.com/Echo-Hands-Free-Camera-Style-Assistan... ), but it is actually very similar. - It is great to add a screen to the Echo. Just more feedback on interacting with it, and possibility to watch YouTube, Netflix, etc. casually. - It doesn't have the same cool minimalism as the Echo. The Echo sits on my counter and looks nice when…

> This is way less creepy-looking than the Amazon Look Seriously, these boxes should have a pair of eyes drawn on them as part of the design, to remind the user that they are being watched.

I'm surprised an Amazon Echo accessories category hasn't really started yet. I could see kids loving a pair of googly eyes on their family Amazon device 8-)

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#232

Post by rckclmbr »

tonyedgecombe wrote: post #155
verytrivial wrote: post #63

I must be one of those old farts who prefers privacy over convenience. I do not want what amounts to an always-on black-box surveillance device in my home and I simply do not understand why other people think it is okay. I honestly don't. Down with this sort of thing!

I would never bring something like this into my home, I just don't trust big corporations enough for that.

A lot of people who say this still bring in the smart TV. Or the comcast remote with a Mic. Or an IP camera. Or a cellphone. What's so different about this?

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#233

Post by silvanojr »

alttab wrote: post #222
silvanojr wrote: post #134

I was battling back and forth FOR A MONTH with their skill certification approval team for a skill update that would allow customers to call people by name, where in the first version it was only by phone number. They would fail the certification because apparently people didn't know how to test, or used fake numbers to make phone calls and complained the call would not connect, or the certificate validation (that wa…

Which skill might I ask? Does it work well?

RingByName

You need to link the skill with a RingByName account in order to use it. Yes, it works well. However, Amazon's speech recognition from Alexa is a challenge for names. Works fine most of the time for American names, but it struggles with foreign names. Results also vary depending on the accent of the user, so our skill always repeats what it got from Amazon to make sure users don't call someone else. We had to do some "magic" in the backend to try to find a contact even though an exact match wasn't found, which works very nicely.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#234

Post by cptskippy »

Declanomous wrote: post #209
cptskippy wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Netflix is taking care of that for you. > When you see the Netflix Recommended TV logo, you’ll know the TV has passed a rigorous evaluation process. > TV Instant On > Your TV starts up instantly and apps are ready to use right away, just like your smartphone. https://devices.netflix.com/en/recommendedtv/2017/

The instant on feature is generally just a standby mode, which can consume a fairly substantial amount of power. I've also found that disabling the 'instant on' feature of my TV makes it perform much better. When I used the standby mode, apps would occasionally crash or stop responding after a few hours. The only way to get them to work again was to unplug the TV. I never have to unplug the TV now that I've disabled…

TV manufacturers seem to be really averse to just making an awesome display. They have to value add features that open security holes and are so poorly maintained that in a couple years you'll need to buy a new TV.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#235

Post by iampuero »

davidcollantes wrote: post #223

From a user's perspective, I think there are too many Echoes. It makes it hard to decide which to get, especially for those who can only afford (or want to deal with) one. Too much fractioning.

Really? Ignoring Echo Look (which is invite only and for fashion) there will now be three: 1. Echo Show $230 2. Echo $170 3. Echo Dot $50

These three are very different in terms of hardware and price.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#236

Post by ribs »

mikeash wrote: post #90
eclipxe wrote: post #21

People are missing this: "With the Alexa App, conversations and contacts go where you go. When you’re away from home, use the app to make a quick call or send a message to your family’s Echo. Alexa calling and messaging is free—to get started download the Alexa App." Alexa is now in the messaging and communication game. https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/09/amazon-enables-free-calls-...

Are we ever going to see unity between these services, or are we doomed to have little walled-off fiefdoms forever? A phone number works anywhere in the world, to anywhere in the world, with anyone who has a phone. All e-mail providers work with each other. I don't care who you're with, and I wouldn't even have to know except it's usually part of the address. SMS works no matter which provider we both have. It feels…

It's all still quite new, and the drive to compete and gain market share keeps them separate, as it does in all industries. There will be consolidation in time. For now, it's a mixed blessing, but mostly a blessing.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#238

Post by stingrae »

jaboutboul wrote: post #44
eclipxe wrote: post #21

People are missing this: "With the Alexa App, conversations and contacts go where you go. When you’re away from home, use the app to make a quick call or send a message to your family’s Echo. Alexa calling and messaging is free—to get started download the Alexa App." Alexa is now in the messaging and communication game. https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/09/amazon-enables-free-calls-...

Well they are definitely pushing into that space with Amazon Chime, so it only makes sense. This is also absolutely going to kill Nucleus[1] which was the first device released with Alexa Voice Service integrated and was heavily hyped by Amazon at the time. [1]: https://nucleuslife.com/

I wonder what the Amazon strategy with this is, given they invested through the Alexa fund.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#239

Post by ribs »

jaboutboul wrote: post #44
eclipxe wrote: post #21

People are missing this: "With the Alexa App, conversations and contacts go where you go. When you’re away from home, use the app to make a quick call or send a message to your family’s Echo. Alexa calling and messaging is free—to get started download the Alexa App." Alexa is now in the messaging and communication game. https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/09/amazon-enables-free-calls-...

Well they are definitely pushing into that space with Amazon Chime, so it only makes sense. This is also absolutely going to kill Nucleus[1] which was the first device released with Alexa Voice Service integrated and was heavily hyped by Amazon at the time. [1]: https://nucleuslife.com/

Damn that thing's almost $400! You're right, they'll be dead.

Re: Amazon Echo Show

#240

Post by hungtraan »

I honestly think that with the use cases the Echo Show would be much more useful had the static structure has a rotating base, which allows the Echo Show to rotate to the source of voice command (disable-able via setting for privacy concern). That would allow ultimate versatile use for its screen to offer the same hands-free experience.
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