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Re: Amazon Echo and Dot
[Re: bockers]
#1584648
15/09/2016 20:58
15/09/2016 20:58
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,144 Southampton, Hants
Roadking
Club member 1809
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Club member 1809
Forum is my life
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,144
Southampton, Hants
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Anyone else tempted to try an Echo. Only £100 if you have a prime account. There is also the Echo dot at £50. Prime offer finishes today.
I'm going to try both, the dot can by plugged into my Sonos system and is a greta way to control Amazon Prime music and the Phillips Hue lighting. Well that is the theory!
In the States they sell out fast so if it fails to impress it will soon be sold on. 5 O'clock 16th Sept, bockers
"RK's way seems the most sensible to me". ali_hire 16 Dec 2010
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Re: Amazon Echo and Dot
[Re: bockers]
#1590358
15/12/2016 07:33
15/12/2016 07:33
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852 Cambridge & Cotswolds
MeanRedSpider
Je suis un Coupé
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Je suis un Coupé
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
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Update. Have the latest Colour Hue Bulb and it is very vibrant and works well. Set up lounge lights via Lightwave and they are working well after a day of issues. Also got aquainted with out Nest Thermostat and I must still it is the biggest pile of shite to emerge from the Internet swap i have ever used. Don't go near it. Overpriced poorly supported rubbish. Got my first data rich monthly report, we just shows the number of hours heating was used for, no dates or breakdown that is clearly all sent to google, my conclusion is it is a fancy Google spy and as such is on its way to eBay. Nest was bought by Microsoft as far as I know and I believe they've stopped all development on it whilst they use the technology in their own products. Certainly I wouldn't go near it. Did you find anywhere that sells Hue bulbs with any sort of discount? They seem to be never discounted when I look.
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Re: Amazon Echo and Dot
[Re: MeanRedSpider]
#1590383
16/12/2016 10:00
16/12/2016 10:00
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 21,071 Chertsey in the Thames
bockers
OP
Hon Club Member 007
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OP
Hon Club Member 007
Forum Fossil
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 21,071
Chertsey in the Thames
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Did you find anywhere that sells Hue bulbs with any sort of discount? They seem to be never discounted when I look. Amazon, set up a camelcamelcamel watch. Got my new "Enhanced Colour" one for £29 It is a big improvment, especially the green.
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Re: Amazon Echo and Dot
[Re: came2dance]
#1591014
29/12/2016 21:28
29/12/2016 21:28
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,144 Southampton, Hants
Roadking
Club member 1809
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Club member 1809
Forum is my life
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,144
Southampton, Hants
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So this sounds like a vital bit of kit we can't live without. i'll postpone my purchase until JimC tells us how to use it properly. Makes an ideal paperweight, which can be found in the dark..
"RK's way seems the most sensible to me". ali_hire 16 Dec 2010
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Re: Amazon Echo and Dot
[Re: bockers]
#1594052
12/02/2017 17:20
12/02/2017 17:20
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,617 SE Essex
charlie_croker
I need some sleep
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I need some sleep
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,617
SE Essex
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I think the Dots are great, wet ave three of them, the Echo? Nope save your money, we have one on them and a Dot could do what it does better. Combined with TP-Link Smart plugs, Philips Hue Bulbs, Nest Thermostat, Sonos (with Spotify and Apple Music and a 3.5mm cable ) and a Logitech Harmony , we are moving towards a smart home. There are still too many competing standards (HomeKit anyone?) but my test is how the wife and daughters react and, I have noticed they use "Alexa" all the time. Oh and combined with Sonos and Hue Disco, its brilliant at parties
Happy
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Re: Amazon Echo and Dot
[Re: charlie_croker]
#1594084
13/02/2017 00:00
13/02/2017 00:00
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 13,200 england
came2dance
I AM a Coop
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I AM a Coop
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 13,200
england
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I think the Dots are great, wet ave three of them, the Echo? Nope save your money, we have one on them and a Dot could do what it does better. Combined with TP-Link Smart plugs, Philips Hue Bulbs, Nest Thermostat, Sonos (with Spotify and Apple Music and a 3.5mm cable ) and a Logitech Harmony , we are moving towards a smart home. There are still too many competing standards (HomeKit anyone?) but my test is how the wife and daughters react and, I have noticed they use "Alexa" all the time. fccuk me is there an on line translation service for this lol Oh and combined with Sonos and Hue Disco, its brilliant at parties Fccuk me. Can anyone recommend an on line translation service for this
www.chrisdoyle-photography.co.uk
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Re: Amazon Echo and Dot
[Re: bockers]
#1594169
14/02/2017 11:30
14/02/2017 11:30
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,676 Didcot - Oxon
RusH
My life on the forum
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My life on the forum
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,676
Didcot - Oxon
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I've just purchased an Echo Dot and am doing quite a bit of research before i invest in other IOT capabilities to ensure im happy with the route im going.
Hue systems looks to be my next step.
Interesting to hear the feedback on the nest - I was all set to get a complete system with the connected smoke alarms throughout the house. Why is it not that good? I'd be interested in hearing opinions....?
Anyone tried or seen the smart door bells? Ring (albeit it does not connect to Alexa) looks pretty cool.
Last edited by RusH; 14/02/2017 20:50.
Coupe now sold!
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Re: Amazon Echo and Dot
[Re: RusH]
#1594170
14/02/2017 11:52
14/02/2017 11:52
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 353 Leicester
Dan
Club member 1124
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Club member 1124
Making a profit
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 353
Leicester
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Interesting to hear the feedback on the nest - I was all set to get a complete system with the connected smoke alarms throughout the house. Why is not not that good? I'd be interested in hearing opinions....?
I'd also be interested in feedback on the Nest. I already have Nest cameras and smoke alarms.
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Re: Amazon Echo and Dot
[Re: bockers]
#1594179
14/02/2017 13:38
14/02/2017 13:38
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 21,071 Chertsey in the Thames
bockers
OP
Hon Club Member 007
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OP
Hon Club Member 007
Forum Fossil
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 21,071
Chertsey in the Thames
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Nest, promised so much delivers so little. Here are my ramblings/feedback etc. And some woners may not be affected by this stuff... The smart features are no so smart. House heating coming on at 2 am because the cat has moved onto the sofa for example. Or setting thermostat heating timers only to find the nest Geo fencing technology has overridden it. Heating going off at weird times with no explination. In fact I have just checked my nest and it is busy heating an empty house for no reason!!!! In a house with multiple occupants one of whom works less than a mile away means the geo fence is useless anyway, plus it assumes you all have the app on your phone, and your phone is with you. Leave it at home and the heating comes on!!! So geo fence turned off, but you have to check it as it does turn on again without user input. Support is crap, the user forum was taken down to be rebuilt. That was over 6 months ago. Phones support is rubbish and email takes 2 days to respond. Then they have no answers anyway. Then there is the wonderful Monthly usage (useless) report. It just tells you how many hours your heating was on for, add some unfathomable eco points rubbish and that's it. Why? I expected a full day by day, minute by minute, breakdown. They collect all that stuff so why can't I see it. Yes I can see it on the app but I cant get to that info to compare with smart meter readings for example. So it looks great, except why can't it display current AND set temp all the time on screen, and maybe time too. Oh yes and the stat must be plugged in all the time. Why not have a decent battery instead like every other system? It has so much potential but as MRS says it seems Google have just lost interest. The security camera feature is laughably expensive too. As for Smoke alarm, I'm not sure I'd trust Google that far. After all it seems to be doing its best to torch my joint by setting the heating on all the time. It is very close to going on ebay. It works for me at present (although today's home check has worried me) but just as a dumb thermostat... which is really what I need now. Alexa integration is handy but again limited to just temp changes. It would be handy if there was a Nest boost heating function, you know the one that our 20yr old heating had that boosted temp for an hour and stopped. That would be very simple to add.. but no. And another thing. There has been little development but what has been done involves screwing up most of the users as the QA and testing is so poor. I think Hive or some of the Honeywell systems look a better option in retrospect. I was too smitten with Nests looks. It's not just me:- Rant 1Rant 2May fave if only i'd read this before being seducedAnd there are loads more. I admit it may work for some but I hate it with a passion. An impulse buy, yes we've all done it, and I regret it deeply. Currently researching for it's replacement as keen not to make the same mistake twice. I feel better now and finally, yes this is a 1st world problem
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Re: Amazon Echo and Dot
[Re: bockers]
#1594222
14/02/2017 17:33
14/02/2017 17:33
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,094 highlands
jimboy
Club Member 857
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Club Member 857
Forum is my life
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,094
highlands
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No doubt about it, lots of gadgets about these days, some are just clever toys, some can be very useful, while others are just a lazy means to an end. Whether you need or want any of these devises are obviously two entirely different questions. One of my brother in laws works with computers as a programmer for a well known company up here. Every time I go see him for something I'm always bemused how much tech' devises & gadgets he's accumulated, played with & then onto the next thing. He admits he's a geek when it comes to this.Each to their own.
I'm an old git & happy with it,most of the time
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