Amazon Echo Club

[booklover6]

I pre ordered, I didn't realize the warranty was different, but I don't think it matters.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by booklover6

I pre ordered, I didn't realize the warranty was different, but I don't think it matters.

Yep, it only has a 90-day warranty. A 2-year warranty will cost you $10.

Amazon's new cheaper devices are only getting 90-day warranties. I don't like that.

90-Day Warranties

• $90 -- Fire HD 8 --> 2-year warranty = $20
• $50 -- Fire 7 Tab --> 2-year warranty = $18
• $50 -- Echo Dot --> 2-year warranty = $10

[ApK]

Originally Posted by booklover6

I pre ordered, I didn't realize the warranty was different, but I don't think it matters.

Not adding the extra warranty amounts to definitely pay less now, and risk maybe pay more later.

Probably not much a concern, given the quality of Amazon's customer service.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Adding up the stuff Amazon excluded from Echo Dot 2, the price is $65.

• $50 -- Echo Dot 2
• $10 -- 2-year warranty
• $5 --- 4 ft audio cable

Another con is the missing twist ring volume control. Twisting the volume is quite a bit faster than using buttons. I thought I was going to jump on this immediately. Now I'm left wondering what else Amazon has done to cut costs. I certainly don't want a weaker speaker (hey, that rhymes)

It's lighter, for one.
They took off about 80 grams.
A few milimeters in height.
Same width.

I'm thinking it's all from the ring.
The warranty? I'd rather have the $10. If I can't break it in 90 days I won't break it in 9 years.
I just need to see if the Bluetooth works while connected to the stereo. I vaguely remember it was changed but I'm not sure.
I may move my music to the Amazon cloud if I get one.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

It's lighter, for one.
They took off about 80 grams.
A few milimeters in height.
Same width.

I'm thinking it's all from the ring.
The warranty? I'd rather have the $10. If I can't break it in 90 days I won't break it in 9 years.
I just need to see if the Bluetooth works while connected to the stereo. I vaguely remember it was changed but I'm not sure.
I may move my music to the Amazon cloud if I get one.

My main concern is the sound; to see if it's the same or weaker than the previous Dot. It'll either go in the kitchen or bedroom and it won't have speakers hooked up to it.

[booklover6]

It's not like a tablet that you might take and drop. Mine will probably never move. I'll put it in my bedroom. I have a speaker/dvd system in there, and already have an audio cable there. As for the ring, don't care, I'll use voice. I never know which way to turn the ring, anyway. Buttons will be better for me.

[tubemonkey]

I found this comment over at Nate's blog -- The Digital Reader

Patrick Grote // 14 September, 2016 at 10:48 am // Reply

If you bought a dot previously, you get a discount. From an email this morning:

“Something just for you As a customer who purchased the previous–generation Echo Dot, you can get a $10 Alexa Shopping credit when you order the All-New Echo Dot using Alexa Shopping. Order today through October 20 and a $10 Alexa Shopping credit will be applied to your account within one week after your new Echo Dot has shipped.”

[tubemonkey]

New feature coming to 1st gen Echos and Dots:

ESP (Echo Spatial Perception)—Put an Echo or Echo Dot in Every Room

For customers who have multiple Echo devices within hearing distance, Amazon’s new ESP technology intelligently calculates the clarity of the customer’s voice and determines which Echo is best to respond to the request—instantly. This feature is smart—performance gets better over time, so ESP will continuously improve as you use Echo. In multi-Echo households, ESP resolves the problem of two Echo devices answering you at the same time. This new feature will be available as a free update for all Echo devices—including Amazon Echo and the first generation Echo Dot—starting in the coming weeks.

[tomsem]

The ring is gone, but has + - buttons for volume. If you have it hooked up to external sound system you may be better to forego using volume on Dot and use sound system controls instead (particularly if Dot is one of several audio sources). And in addition to voice control there's the Alexa app or optional remote.

Also interesting are the starter kits:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KWCIMHI/

[Purple Lady]

I just ordered a six pack

We currently use four very old Roku SoundBridge music streaming devices that will need replacing at some point. My husband will use the remaining as gifts or for raffle items at work.

[tubemonkey]

Another comment I found about discounts is this one over at AFTVnews:

Note: he's referring to the new Echo Dot.

Robert Simandl says:

September 14, 2016 at 7:22 am

But I did order one, through my existing Echo, and got a $5 discount off of the $49.99!

[tubemonkey]

Black Friday is just two months away. I plan to wait until then to see if it goes on sale (provided the sound quality hasn't deteriorated from Dot 1).

[wodin]

My two pack of Alexa enabled Nucleus video intercoms shipped today, so I need to rethink my Alexa deployment strategy. Now with the new cheaper and smaller Dots, there's another factor for consideration.

Experience so far with my current Echos and Dot indicate that if there's a fan in the room Alexa is virtually deaf to the Timbre of my voice (she hears Susie just fine). So if I saturate the house with AAP's (Alexa Access Points) maybe I can get her to listen to me.

Spoiler:

As wodin wanders around talking to himself, saying "Sure I talk to myself, I'm the only one who listens to me!"

Originally Posted by tomsem

The ring is gone, but has + - buttons for volume. If you have it hooked up to external sound system you may be better to forego using volume on Dot and use sound system controls instead (particularly if Dot is one of several audio sources). And in addition to voice control there's the Alexa app or optional remote.

Also interesting are the starter kits:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KWCIMHI/

I saw the $69 smartplug kit and might order one. It might be kind of nice to be able to turn on or off a lamp or something. I'm getting lazy in my old age.

[booklover6]

Has anyone here ordered through the Echo and gotten a $5 discount?