Amazon Echo Club

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by ApK

Like the thread title says, we're a club, and membership has it's privileges! No Alexa? Can't be in our club.

Seriously though, it's just an introductory exclusive, similar to when Echo itself was limited to Prime members at first.

No, it apparently isn't per this page.

Important: Echo Dot is available in limited quantities. When we sell out of Echo Dot devices, they will no longer be available. You can only order this device using Alexa. You can't order Echo Dot on the Amazon website or Amazon shopping apps.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Catlady

No, it apparently isn't per this page.

I don't believe Amazon one bit. Why go to all the trouble to develop a new device and then limit its production to one small run? Makes no sense to me.

[ApK]

Yeah, that's just bizarre if it's true.
It must be some sort of ploy to make people want one because it's special.

And it's kind of working on me.

But if it is true, what is Amazon up to lately?
Making member sales at Audible unavailable to LL members , making these new devices unavailable to...almost everyone...? Did Bezos go on vacation and put an evil robot* in charge for a month?

ApK


*I'm struggling to find something appropriate and funny to put here. Evil robot? Dim-witted cousin? Catbert? Tim Cook? I'm open to suggestions.

[Tarana]

I used my Echo to order an Echo Dot on both my account and brother's (he's prime, I'm subprime, but we have a shared account as well). Both say delivery on March 31.

I am assuming that, like the Echo, you you have to PLUG IT IN to something - no battery power. Mine is going into the kitchen and I have no shortage of plugs plus several speakers that I will use. It's the voice command for doing audiobooks, news and music that I really like about the Echo. I also enjoy the TTS I can use for my ebooks.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I don't believe Amazon one bit. Why go to all the trouble to develop a new device and then limit its production to one small run? Makes no sense to me.

When I saw that, I thought maybe the Dot was an Echo add-on, and not a standalone device. But in rereading the description, it doesn't seem to need the Echo. So I am baffled.

What I would be most tempted by is a Dot with the tap feature--no constant listening--at an under $100 price point. I did reject the Echo at $100, but now it can do more than just function as a speaker and a novelty. So if it didn't eavesdrop on me, I would maybe try to rustle up some bananas and apply for membership in the club.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Catlady

When I saw that, I thought maybe the Dot was an Echo add-on, and not a standalone device. But in rereading the description, it doesn't seem to need the Echo. So I am baffled.

What I would be most tempted by is a Dot with the tap feature--no constant listening--at an under $100 price point. I did reject the Echo at $100, but now it can do more than just function as a speaker and a novelty. So if it didn't eavesdrop on me, I would maybe try to rustle up some bananas and apply for membership in the club.

Echo does have a mute button. But I must ask, if you're really that paranoid about supposed eavesdropping, how could you trust that even the Tap Mic is REALLY off when it claims to be? If you trust that, why don't you trust them when they say that echo is merely locally monitoring for a wake word, and not storing or transmitting anything, just like a high tech version ofl how a Clapper monitors for a hand clap?

[ApK]

So about 3 hours after convincing me that the Dot was too expensive for us just to have a kitchen gadget, and it'd be foolish to buy it, my wife says "Now I kind of want one." So I ordered one.
Hey, we had to act fast, there's a limited number!
About that, maybe it's a limited run because these really ARE squished Echoes. They gathered up all the echoes that had damaged speakers, cut them down....

My Dot delivery date is the first week in April, by the way.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by ApK

Echo does have a mute button. But I must ask, if you're really that paranoid about supposed eavesdropping, how could you trust that even the Tap Mic is REALLY off when it claims to be? If you trust that, why don't you trust them when they say that echo is merely locally monitoring for a wake word, and not storing or transmitting anything, just like a high tech version ofl how a Clapper monitors for a hand clap?

It's not really paranoia. It's just that I don't see any point for the device to be constantly listening. It annoys me that so much I what I do is already being tracked and stored; I don't feel like adding to it. Is it a dealbreaker? No, not if I really really really was convinced that I couldn't live without Echo--but I'm not convinced, and when I tote up the pros and cons, the eavesdropping is a big con.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I would hope it could be left in the charger for always on power.

The Tap holds no appeal to me since there is no voice command option.

To me, the Dot is what I have my eye on. If they lower the price to $50~$60, I'll consider getting one.

Having to physically tap the microphone button on the Tap itself in order for it to hear you is a bit of a drawback. There's no always on and always listening feature as there is with the original. Portability seems it's only real selling point. And, of course, you need to be within range of an available Wi-Fi source.

[ApK]

I must say, my enjoyment of the echo (and my compulsion to get a dot) is a bit hard for me to understand. They are certainly not 'must haves' and it's not like I have extra cash I need to get rid of.
I think I'm starting to understand how Apple fanboys feel.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Having to physically tap the microphone button on the Tap itself in order for it to hear you is a bit of a drawback. There's no always on and always listening feature as there is with the original. Portability seems it's only real selling point. And, of course, you need to be within range of an available Wi-Fi source.

Don't think of the Tap as a portable Echo, think of it as a Bluetooth speaker with Alexa added in.

[mlewis78]

I wonder how the speaker on the Dot is. The description doesn't even mention listening to music. Sounds more like an alarm clock. Hope I am wrong. I would like to use it in the bedroom if I could listen to music and tune-in (radio and podcasts). I may need to get the Tap for that. I will wait and see how the user reviews are.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by mlewis78

I wonder how the speaker on the Dot is. The description doesn't even mention listening to music. Sounds more like an alarm clock. Hope I am wrong. I would like to use it in the bedroom if I could listen to music and tune-in (radio and podcasts). I may need to get the Tap for that. I will wait and see how the user reviews are.

From the video, we didn't get a Bluetooth pairing until the third scene. I'm going to assume the first two scenes were from the built-in speaker, in which case, the sound is loud enough for music. It just won't have the same quality as the Echo.

Won't know for sure until it gets into the hands of consumers or Amazon releases more details.

[tubemonkey]

Stack 6 Dots on top of each other and it's the same size as the Echo. 3 Dots weigh as much as an Echo.
.

[tubemonkey]

Didn't know there was a third wake word (Echo) until just a bit ago.

Amazon Alexa App --> Settings --> Alexa Devices --> Amazon Echo (or the name you assigned it) --> Wake Word --> Change your wake word (Alexa, Amazon, Echo)
.