Tipps69 Posted June 12, 2017 Report Share Posted June 12, 2017 Has anyone got one? Have you got any good add-on's / Skills for it? Would you recommend it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTone Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 16 hours ago, Tipps69 said: Has anyone got one? Have you got any good add-on's / Skills for it? Would you recommend it? I would like to know also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SARJ Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 47 minutes ago, BigTone said: I would like to know also Same. See the adverts all the time but don't understand or 'get' what this thing is supposed to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipps69 Posted June 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 I have plumped for getting one but apart from asking what the news is or what's the time & now using it to put things on my calendar, I just don't know what else it's supposed to do or what I can really do with it. It's ok for playing music but it's difficult to play music if you have it on your iTunes library (from what I can tell) & if you really want to utilise the music side of it you seemingly have to subscribe to Amazon Music which means that iTunes is kind of obsolete & it's just a pain. I just wonder if anyone really uses it or not? I don't have fancy light switches or thermostats so can't use it turn anything on although I do have a fairly new tv but that seemingly can't be controlled by it. And to get sports news or on a particular team is very limited, there is something that's supposed to give you the scores or information for Bristol City but you seemingly can't get any news on England football, cricket or rugby or anything to do with Gloucestershire cricket club. To explain a bit, from what I can tell, you have to enable 'skills' which are kind of like 'apps' & to use those 'skills' you have to say "Alexa ask 'whatever skill you have enabled' & then your question"!! It all seems very limited & like you are waiting for different people / companies to develop a new 'skill' so you can use / ask for me information. In general Alexa is very quick & doesn't tend to mistake what you ask & I guess it'll only get better over time as people develop more things for it (I hope so anyway). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTone Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 My Mrs had a nasty accident a few years back and suffered a very bad head injury. These days she forgets pretty much everything so all I want is something that will help reminder her of appointments etc. Is it Ok for that ? Does it have to be connected to the internet to do this ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipps69 Posted June 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 Mines connected via the WiFi & I guess you need it to be to get the news, music or information & I'd guess it's needed for the calendar / appointments as well. The thing is you also need a phone or tablet that you can download the App to, so you can then enable these 'skills'. It is easy to use & it's easy to put your appointments on to by just saying "Alexa (which wakes it up), can you put on (say the date)", Alexa then asks you "for what time on that date", you reply & she asks you "what you'd like to call the appointment", you answer & she then repeats the date, the time & what you have said the appointment is for & asks you if "this is correct", you say yes (if it is) & it's put onto your Alexa calendar. That makes it sound very long winded but it literally takes 10 seconds to do. And then all you have to is say "Alexa, what do I have on for today" & she tells you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTone Posted June 13, 2017 Report Share Posted June 13, 2017 34 minutes ago, Tipps69 said: Mines connected via the WiFi & I guess you need it to be to get the news, music or information & I'd guess it's needed for the calendar / appointments as well. The thing is you also need a phone or tablet that you can download the App to, so you can then enable these 'skills'. It is easy to use & it's easy to put your appointments on to by just saying "Alexa (which wakes it up), can you put on (say the date)", Alexa then asks you "for what time on that date", you reply & she asks you "what you'd like to call the appointment", you answer & she then repeats the date, the time & what you have said the appointment is for & asks you if "this is correct", you say yes (if it is) & it's put onto your Alexa calendar. That makes it sound very long winded but it literally takes 10 seconds to do. And then all you have to is say "Alexa, what do I have on for today" & she tells you. Ok, thanks for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter1450 Posted June 15, 2017 Report Share Posted June 15, 2017 Just to hijack the thread .....in a similar vain are all these Hive type gadgets that control your heating and electrical switches whilst your out from your phone. Don't really get it, especially with my crappy wi fi that seems to drop out on a regular basis! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipps69 Posted June 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2017 Just now, Peter1450 said: Just to hijack the thread .....in a similar vain are all these Hive type gadgets that control your heating and electrical switches whilst your out from your phone. Don't really get it, especially with my crappy wi fi that seems to drop out on a regular basis! As far as I'm aware yes but don't quote me on it as I don't actually use any of these home control things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted June 15, 2017 Report Share Posted June 15, 2017 On 13/06/2017 at 11:54, SARJ said: Same. See the adverts all the time but don't understand or 'get' what this thing is supposed to do. They are for morons, and make tech company's millions. They don't do anything, and will end up in the cupboard within 12 months. Shell suits were 'must have' once. Mark my words tfj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter1450 Posted June 15, 2017 Report Share Posted June 15, 2017 I can honestly say I never owned a shell suit................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erithacus Posted June 15, 2017 Report Share Posted June 15, 2017 Did anyone see the recent stuff about connected devices? The point was that these silly little bits of tech are usually without any security and could be an easy entry for cyber criminals; even a modern kettle could leak important personal details, rather than water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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