Amazon Echo Club

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Catlady

But I'm never able to keep up a calendar when I have to type in the info. I would like to just tell Alexa to remind me to do X on such-and-such a date. Is there a skill to do that?

Someone who's done it more with Alexa will need to comment, but I do it though my Android phone (OK Google) all the time, with spooky ease.

[KimberlyFDR]

Originally Posted by Catlady

But I'm never able to keep up a calendar when I have to type in the info. I would like to just tell Alexa to remind me to do X on such-and-such a date. Is there a skill to do that?

That's what she already does natively with Google Calendar: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...deId=201810470

To add an event, you can say "Add an event to my calendar." (she takes you through step by step) or "Add [event] to my calendar for [day] at [time]."

Then you can just ask her to review the events each day. I think she does the next 4 events before asking if you'd like to hear more. I tend to ask her about nightly scheduled events to know when I need to start a certain task.

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

In case anyone else is interested in getting a protection plan for their new Echos, it's not too late to do so. You have 30 days after it ships to sign up. The Dot plans are currently on sale. Remember, the Dot only comes with a 90-day warranty. The Echo and Tap both have 1-year warranties.



Protection Plans

• Amz Echo
  
• Amz Tap
  
• Echo Dot

So I'm starting to wonder about this. I ordered two plans for both the Dots I purchased. Order for plans placed on December 5. The expected delivery date was December 14. That is puzzling enough since all that is being shipped is a letter or postcard. So anyway here it is the 16th and still not delivered.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by KimberlyFDR

That's what she already does natively with Google Calendar: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...deId=201810470

To add an event, you can say "Add an event to my calendar." (she takes you through step by step) or "Add [event] to my calendar for [day] at [time]."

Then you can just ask her to review the events each day. I think she does the next 4 events before asking if you'd like to hear more. I tend to ask her about nightly scheduled events to know when I need to start a certain task.

But I would have to ask for the events each day? Alexa wouldn't just tell me on the days when I had something I wanted to be reminded of?

Say my friend X's birthday is January 30; I want to be able to tell Alexa, "Remind me (e-mail me?) on January 23 that X's birthday is coming up." Can I do that with Google calendar or some other way?

[KimberlyFDR]

Originally Posted by Catlady

But I would have to ask for the events each day? Alexa wouldn't just tell me on the days when I had something I wanted to be reminded of? Say my friend X's birthday is January 30; I want to be able to tell Alexa, "Remind me (e-mail me?) on January 23 that X's birthday is coming up." Can I do that with Google calendar or some other way?

Sorry for the lateness of this response (battling a pre-Christmas cold).

You could indeed set a reminder for a certain day and she would read it out on that day's schedule. So, you could say "Add Friend X Birthday Reminder to my calendar for January 23." and when you asked her January 23rd's schedule she would say "Friend X Birthday Reminder is ongoing and lasts all day." (And you could make the event more descriptive to help clarify the reminder.)

[tubemonkey]

Here's some holiday cheer for Alexa customers:

Holiday favorites from Audible -- exp 03 Jan 2017

This season, gather with friends and family to listen to beloved holiday stories. From now until January 3, Alexa customers can listen to three free audiobooks from Audible: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, performed by Walter Matthau; A Christmas Carol, performed by Tim Curry; and Holiday Classics by O. Henry. Just ask:

* Alexa, read How the Grinch Stole Christmas from Audible.
* Alexa, read A Christmas Carol from Audible.
* Alexa, read Holiday Classics by O. Henry from Audible.

Audible audiobooks on Alexa let you get lost in a story while cooking or enjoying family time. While listening, you can go back 30 seconds or skip to the next chapter. Just ask:

* Alexa, go back.
* Alexa, next chapter.

[issybird]

I worked up a Christmas playlist, but even though it's on shuffle, Alexa seems to play the same few songs over and over. I know by the nature of shuffle that there will be some repetition, but this is outside the bound$ of probability. Anyone else experience this?

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Here's some holiday cheer for Alexa customers:

Holiday favorites from Audible -- exp 03 Jan 2017

I listened to the O Henry stories last night when I couldn't sleep. Actually it's three short stories, including Gift of the Magi.

I'll wait until I've time for a longer listen for A Christmas Carol.

I had been periodically listening to Ocean Sounds for white noise. I would say, "Alexa play Ocean Sounds" and she would respond by playing Ocean Sounds by Ocean Sounds, a 1 hour long album. This morning I tried it and she substituted Ocean Sounds of Newport by Ocean Sounds which is a buy to play album. I tried saying, "Alexa play Ocean Sounds by Ocean Sounds" to get the original album to play, but apparently Prime will no longer include that one.

I finished off by saying, "Alexa tell Bezos to go @#$% himself"! I'm so @#$%ing tired of Amazon taking away Prime things.

[AnemicOak]

I assume Prime Music is the same as Prime Video in that they license stuff for set periods and it comes and goes?

Anyway, maybe one of these would be a replacement? You can "buy" them for free and then Amazon couldn't pull a switcheroo on you again...

https://www.amazon.com/Ocean-Waves-M.../dp/B01CBIRDK8
https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Sounds.../dp/B00LAK2KW0

Originally Posted by jswinden

I had been periodically listening to Ocean Sounds for white noise. I would say, "Alexa play Ocean Sounds" and she would respond by playing Ocean Sounds by Ocean Sounds, a 1 hour long album. This morning I tried it and she substituted Ocean Sounds of Newport by Ocean Sounds which is a buy to play album. I tried saying, "Alexa play Ocean Sounds by Ocean Sounds" to get the original album to play, but apparently Prime will no longer include that one.

I finished off by saying, "Alexa tell Bezos to go @#$% himself"! I'm so @#$%ing tired of Amazon taking away Prime things.

Happened to me last night. I was going to ask if I find a fairly long recording of something suitable [ocean sounds, humpback whale calls, . . . ?] and added it to My Music on my prime membership that I could tell Alexa to just play that over and over? Until the competing command to shut down after a time internal?

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I assume Prime Music is the same as Prime Video in that they license stuff for set periods and it comes and goes?

Anyway, maybe one of these would be a replacement? You can "buy" them for free and then Amazon couldn't pull a switcheroo on you again...

https://www.amazon.com/Ocean-Waves-M.../dp/B01CBIRDK8
https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Sounds.../dp/B00LAK2KW0

Sorry did not look at your post before my previous. The question about a repeat cycle still stands.

Originally Posted by Hamlet53

Sorry did not look at your post before my previous. The question about a repeat cycle still stands.

I'm not sure about the Alexa voice command, but if you open the Alexa companion app on your smartphone or tablet you can press the Loop icon to make an album or song repeat. I have no clue how many times it will repeat, but I have had it repeat hour long albums several times.

ETA: According to this Amazon CS page, just say "Alexa Loop the music queue."

[Blossom]

Ask Alexa to sing you a Holiday song. It's amusing at least to me.

I no longer have Prime. Just couldn't swing it right now. Feels weird seeing I've had Prime since 2010. Now Amazon is pushing their Unlimited Music I see Prime Music's selections getting slimmer.

Sent from my XT1528

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by KimberlyFDR

Sorry for the lateness of this response (battling a pre-Christmas cold).

You could indeed set a reminder for a certain day and she would read it out on that day's schedule. So, you could say "Add Friend X Birthday Reminder to my calendar for January 23." and when you asked her January 23rd's schedule she would say "Friend X Birthday Reminder is ongoing and lasts all day." (And you could make the event more descriptive to help clarify the reminder.)

Sorry about your cold.

I think Alexa should be able to tell me without my asking that specific day. As a test, I tried telling Alexa in the morning to remind me to pill my cat at a certain time that evening, and the response I got was that it was added to my to-do list (or maybe it was my calendar; I don't remember). When the appointed time rolled around, Alexa did nothing. Bah.

On another front, I've been having some trouble lately with Alexa hearing me. In a silent room, with me maybe ten feet away, directly across from the Dot, it doesn't wake up when I say "Alexa" in a normal speaking voice. I've had to repeat several times. This is becoming annoying; it's even worse if I'm listening to music at a moderate volume.