Anyone using Amazon Echo, Echo Tap or Echo Dot? Or Google Home?

[LCHIEN]

Was thinking about getting one. I use OK Google a lot, Siri, Cortana when I had it.

For asking general questions, doing conversions etc.

Any experiences out there?

[atgcpaul]

No, but some of my friends have the Echo. Seems more like a novelty to them at this point and they usually use it to stream music. Google has a device noe and I think it's cheaper than the Echo. One review I read said the voice recognition is better with it, too.

I guess the Echo is to get you to place orders through Amazon. I guess I'm not well heeled enough to be constantly adding stuff to my Amazon cart with any regularity.

[jussi]

I use the Echo and a few people in my family as well and it was worth it for me. I bought Amazon music unlimited ($4 a month through echo but can only use it on one device) and can get pretty much any song. I also stream podcasts and radio stations. I also use it for reminders and grocery lists. I added an outlet to control some lamps but honestly haven't used once since I installed it. Ordered a dot for use in the bedroom as well.

I'm giving a dot to my mom for xmas so she can put it in her bedroom so she can turn off /on lights without getting out of bed (she doesn't move around so easily now a days). Plus it will serve as an alarm and to stream audio.

[jabe]

Does Google Home make something like the Amazon Dot so you can put it in other rooms? What other devices you need to add/change switches, door locks, garage door openers, outlets & sensors to make the Google Home work? Is it compatible to the SamSung smart thing?

[LinuxRandal]

I use the Echo and a few people in my family as well and it was worth it for me. I bought Amazon music unlimited ($4 a month through echo but can only use it on one device) and can get pretty much any song. I also stream podcasts and radio stations.

I am wondering how do you stream radio stations? Is this part of the music unlimited service. or do you mention the station numbers, etc? My mother bought one of these the other day, and is all impressed/showing off, but I typically get asked some technical questions (she asked me what the heck was its response from "rock, paper, scissors, lizard, spock"), and I asked it if it could stream radio. Its response was "here is some music I think you would like", instead of answering the asked question.

[atgcpaul]

I am wondering how do you stream radio stations? Is this part of the music unlimited service. or do you mention the station numbers, etc?

This appears to be the way to do it. Many of the radio stations in my area are "iHeart" radio stations and if you go to iHeart.com, I can access all of their streams online:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...deId=201640630


Back in the day before Roku, was "Roku", there was the Roku Soundbridge (http://soundbridge.roku.com/soundbridge/). I had one until the power supply died on me. I loved it. I had it setup in my shop and it was connected wirelessly to my router. Many of the stations I listened to on the radio in towns I used to live in had live streams. I could find them on the Roku and it was like I had never left.

[LCHIEN]

Yep. iHeart radio.

[LinuxRandal]

This appears to be the way to do it. Many of the radio stations in my area are "iHeart" radio stations and if you go to iHeart.com, I can access all of their streams online:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...deId=201640630


Back in the day before Roku, was "Roku", there was the Roku Soundbridge (http://soundbridge.roku.com/soundbridge/). I had one until the power supply died on me. I loved it. I had it setup in my shop and it was connected wirelessly to my router. Many of the stations I listened to on the radio in towns I used to live in had live streams. I could find them on the Roku and it was like I had never left.

Unfortunately, I know the station I want, is not on Iheart. I know it streams, but I think they use some older tech. I had read that you tell it the station call sign, but I know there is at least one other station with that sign, on the am dial.
I need to go over and try it out I guess.

[atgcpaul]

Unfortunately, I know the station I want, is not on Iheart. I know it streams, but I think they use some older tech. I had read that you tell it the station call sign, but I know there is at least one other station with that sign, on the am dial.
I need to go over and try it out I guess.

Only spitballing here. With the Roku, I could login to my Roku account and add stations through the web page instead of doing it through the device. This was helpful for situations like yours. Can you do the same thing with the Echo? Manage the content of the Echo through your Amazon account on the web rather than directly on the Echo?

[LinuxRandal]

Only spitballing here. With the Roku, I could login to my Roku account and add stations through the web page instead of doing it through the device. This was helpful for situations like yours. Can you do the same thing with the Echo? Manage the content of the Echo through your Amazon account on the web rather than directly on the Echo?

Hopefully jussi will chime back in, since he has one. I don't have one, or a clue and refuse to buy something without knowing if it will be useful or not.

[Charlie R]

My son has fun with his Echo but he got a surprise package from Amazon. His 8 year old grandson had visited and gave the Echo his wish list. The Echo placed the order and charged my son's account. Amazon accepted the return, not the first time it happened, so be careful.

[LinuxRandal]

My son has fun with his Echo but he got a surprise package from Amazon. His 8 year old grandson had visited and gave the Echo his wish list. The Echo placed the order and charged my son's account. Amazon accepted the return, not the first time it happened, so be careful.

This is one reason I asked Amazon, how to "not save" my card information. They then said that you could and they did for me, turn off "one click" ordering, but I still have to go through and manually delete the card after being done placing an order.
You might have your son see if "one click ordering" is turned on, and see if that has an effect. (still won't deal with my worry about companies being "hacked" for stored card information)