Amazon Echo Club

[CRussel]

Got the update and enabled calling. Then actually got a call from the only person that showed up in my list of contacts. Predictably, the person was my ultimate geeky friend who always has the newest stuff. And yes, she's pre-ordered the new Echo Show. Personally, i'm having a hard time figuring out where the benefit of it is that I can't get from my Fire tablet for 1/3rd the price.

[Catlady]

I have the Alexa app on my Fire tablet, not my phone, and I have no contacts stored on the tablet--none of Amazon's business, and I don't like how app permissions always require access to my contact lists. I don't know if I got the update. I gifted one Dot, so there's at least one friend I could potentially contact through the new feature, I guess.

But I'm not seeing much reason for it, when it's easy enough to call or text anyway. And I already reluctantly use Facebook Messenger, since a few people I know like to communicate that way.

I think I'm fundamentally an old fuddy-duddy.

One major question about the Show's screen remains unanswered: What resolution will it have? Given Amazon's history of decreasing screen resolutions on newer Fire tablets, I have to wonder if that will be the case with the Show. They have the Echo on sale now, but normally it is priced at $180. Since the Show is priced only $50 more at $230, I think it will likely have a lower resolution screen. I read it will be a 7" screen, so I bet it has way less than 1920x1080 resolution. My guess is it will be no more than 1280x800 like the HD 8. That really isn't very good for watching videos.

[tubemonkey]

Why doesn't Amazon just make a box containing two speakers that will allow you dock a Fire Tab at several different angles?

[issybird]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Why doesn't Amazon just make a box containing two speakers that will allow you dock a Fire Tab at several different angles?

The Dot has turned out to be the most interesting of all the Echo devices, IMO. I don't see why anyone but the most technically averse wouldn't put together a combination of Dot, tablet, and speakers. Better specs and the advantage of being able to port any individual component as the situation warrants. Much more bang for the buck.

I have an Echo which I got at the Prime presale price and a Dot which cost $40. I wouldn't pay full (or sale) price for an Echo (or Look, or Show). But the Dot is nifty and there's always another sale.

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Why doesn't Amazon just make a box containing two speakers that will allow you dock a Fire Tab at several different angles?

Better still, why don't they just build a decent Fire tablet with competitive specs and create the FW inside it to turn it into a Show type of device. Then let people provide whatever stand they like. Considering that the Kindle Oasis costs more than the Show, and considering how cheap and crappy the current generation of Fire tablets are spec-wise, and considering how dumb Alexa is, and considering how limited Fire OS is, I cannot imagine this Show being worth $50, much less $230. A person is better off buying a decent tablet, not a Fire one, and using the voice control systems that will work with it. Smart home technology and voice control do not require a specific, highly limited in functionality device like a Show/Echo/Tap/Dot or Google Home. Those devices are too limited to do much other than initially wow you then in a few weeks make you wonder why you threw your money away on them, at least once you realize just how little they do and how poorly they do it. Seriously, a fixed screen orientation device with a small 7" screen, probably very low resolution, that only can be used for a few tasks, and it won't allow you to use it like a real tablet to run whatever apps you want to?!? And yet a lot of people will buy this thing and soon thereafter relegate it to a shelf to collect dust.

[tubemonkey]

"Alexa, what's 1 divided by 3?"

[DreamWriter]

Do you really need to have a cell phone number in order to use Alexa calling and messaging? This help page implies that you do: About Alexa-to-Alexa Calling and Messaging. And does Echo Show also require a cell phone number?

Umm...I don't own a cell phone.

I got this email yesterday. I had to laugh at the instructions.

"Alexa, call mom."

1. Download the updated app (iOS, Android)
2. Complete set‑up including importing your contacts.
   [Yes, your contacts will LOVE you for giving their info to Amazon so that Amazon can now inundate them with spam!]
3. Forward this email to your friends
4. Enjoy those non-existent calls from your contacts. Also enjoy the nasty FU responses you will get from your contacts.
5. Buy lots of stuff on Amazon.
6. Buy lots of stuff on Amazon.
7. Buy lots of stuff on Amazon.
8. Buy lots of stuff on Amazon.
9. Buy lots of stuff on Amazon.
10. Buy lots of stuff on Amazon.

Okay, so I added steps 4-10, but you get the idea.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by DreamWriter

Do you really need to have a cell phone number in order to use Alexa calling and messaging? This help page implies that you do: About Alexa-to-Alexa Calling and Messaging. And does Echo Show also require a cell phone number?

Umm...I don't own a cell phone.

They do seem to require it:

This free feature provides calling and messaging between supported Echo devices and the Alexa app on compatible iOS and Android phones.

This feature is available to Alexa customers in the United States. All you need to sign up is an Amazon account, the Alexa app, and a cell phone number.

I don't have a smartphone. My phone is the old school flip phone, so I'm not sure it would work.

I really have no desire to use this feature, because I can call or text easily from my cell phone.

[wodin]

Well I enabled calling, and went home last night to test it, I said "Alexa; call wodin" and wallah - she called my cell phone!

NOT WHAT I WANTED!!!

I wanted her to ring all the Echos in my house, and establish a voice connection (video if I buy some Shows) between the calling one and the answering one. In other words a whole house intercom.

Is that too much to ask for?

By the way, of the several hundred contacts in my address book, only one showed up as being enabled. That was a former boss I had whom I never expect to talk to again. I don't even know why I didn't delete her from my address book.

Originally Posted by wodin

Well I enabled calling, and went home last night to test it, I said "Alexa; call wodin" and wallah - she called my cell phone!

NOT WHAT I WANTED!!!

I wanted her to ring all the Echos in my house, and establish a voice connection (video if I buy some Shows) between the calling one and the answering one. In other words a whole house intercom.

Is that too much to ask for?

By the way, of the several hundred contacts in my address book, only one showed up as being enabled. That was a former boss I had whom I never expect to talk to again. I don't even know why I didn't delete her from my address book.

I think you will be better off just buying a dedicated whole house intercom if that will be the primary use of a Show if you buy it. Actually you would need at least two Shows for that, and even with $100 off for buying two, the cost will still be $360. I don't know how much whole house intercoms cost, but I bet you can get a better deal with a dedicated device and not have to fret over what the heck Amazon is doing with your contact list. I won't even give Google my contact list for gmail. I don't trust either of those companies.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by issybird

The Dot has turned out to be the most interesting of all the Echo devices, IMO. I don't see why anyone but the most technically averse wouldn't put together a combination of Dot, tablet, and speakers. Better specs and the advantage of being able to port any individual component as the situation warrants. Much more bang for the buck.

I have an Echo which I got at the Prime presale price and a Dot which cost $40. I wouldn't pay full (or sale) price for an Echo (or Look, or Show). But the Dot is nifty and there's always another sale.

The more I think about it, I can see the Show catching on, as an upgrade to the Echo, especially for new buyers. Having both the speakers and the screen in a little desktop unit that can perch on a kitchen counter might be worth the extra bucks for someone who was already wanting an Echo.

The Look, though--that one has me shaking my head.

Other than the Dot, the only other such device I would consider purchasing is the Tap, for the portability, if the price point came down to $75 or so.

[copyrite]

I have a cellphone and well we still have a landline if I want to make calls.

It'd be nice if there was an intercom feature so I could annoy someone on a different level of the house than myself since there's at least one iteration of Echo on every floor. Course hubby would probably just unplug it. YMMV

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

[wodin]

Originally Posted by copyrite

I have a cellphone and well we still have a landline if I want to make calls.

It'd be nice if there was an intercom feature so I could annoy someone on a different level of the house than myself since there's at least one iteration of Echo on every floor. Course hubby would probably just unplug it. YMMV

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

LOL, yes that's always a risk.

Now we use cell phones as sort of a make shift intercom system, but an always on AI system would be oh so much more convenient.