Amazon Echo Club

[OtinG]

On the Home page a few days ago they ran a promotional ad for a 3-Month Trial of Amazon Prime Music Unlimited. I had already had a trial way back after buying my first Echo device, so I assumed I would not qualify, but one never knows so I figured why not try and see. I clicked the links and went through the subscribe pages and was never told I did not qualify for this offer. Instead I was told that I was signed up and could start listening. A couple of days later I saw a charge for one month of Music Unlimited had been applied to my CC. Okay, I understand that concept of one trial only during your lifetime, but I also understand that Amazon did not properly warn me that I no longer qualified. Some companies do extend more than one trial if you buy subsequent devices, Amazon apparently doesn't do that. I thought perhaps that since I had stopped using Music Unlimited a while back, perhaps they were trying to lure me back with a new trial. Again, no messages popped up stating I did not qualify, and no message stated I was being billed. Instead I was simply told I now had a Music Unlimited subscription. To me that is a bait and switch technique, if done purposely. I will give Amazon the benefit of the doubt though and say they likely just didn't program their website properly to notify us if we don't qualify. Long story short, I immediately called CS to cancel the Music Unlimited subscription and get a refund. They cancelled it, but refused to give me a refund. I bumped the level of CS up to a second tier and was finally able to get the refund as well as have them submit a report requesting that they add a clear message box stating that the customer does not qualify for the offer so they can back out of the subscription process without getting charged.

Amazon's lack of intelligent programming, whether for FW or website code, never ceases to surprise me. This same company is planning to put people on the Moon by 2024, I hope they hire better programmers for that undertaking!

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by OtinG

On the Home page a few days ago they ran a promotional ad for a 3-Month Trial of Amazon Prime Music Unlimited.

Amazon screwed you over. I frequently sign up for free trials from Amazon/Audible even though I've had them (that's plural) in the past. Most of the time I get rejected because I've already had the trials before. But every now and then I get them again and am not charged. Amazon does offer repeats of their free trials but their algorithm for determining who qualifies is one of the Universe's great mysteries and is not meant for mere humans to understand.

Amazon should not have charged you and I'm glad you were refunded.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by OtinG

Hey Monkey, this is way off topic, but this is my favorite SciFi movie of all time—very thought provoking...

That was a cool movie. My fav was 2001: A Space Odyssey.

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

That was a cool movie. My fav was 2001: A Space Odyssey.

I've never been able to sit through an entire viewing of 2001: A Space Odyssey without nodding off, even when I was young! It has great special effects, but the dialog and action seems to just drag on and on. Forbidden Planet is the opposite as it had lackluster special effects but it had great dialog and set the bar for future SciFi movies and TV shows with its technology devices. Star Trek used the portable communicator idea, Lost in Space had a robot similar to Robbie, and several use the idea of intelligent dialog, especially Star Trek. Now a days SciFi movies and TV shows concentrate on CGI special effects and fail to have any meaningful dialog or plot. Forbidden Planet was ahead of its time for the 1950s. In the 1950s most of the SciFi movies were so bad, and actually stupid, that I laugh when I watch them now.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by OtinG

I've never been able to sit through an entire viewing of 2001: A Space Odyssey without nodding off, even when I was young! It has great special effects, but the dialog and action seems to just drag on and on.
...

Finally someone who agrees with me, I remember all the great reviews, and everyone else raving about it and I was like meh.

Of course being young and very much subject to peer pressure, I either raved along with them or more likely just shut up.

[wodin]

what? wait! I think we're in the wrong thread Otin. This belongs in the Blast from the past thread.

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Amazon screwed you over. I frequently sign up for free trials from Amazon/Audible even though I've had them (that's plural) in the past. Most of the time I get rejected because I've already had the trials before. But every now and then I get them again and am not charged. Amazon does offer repeats of their free trials but their algorithm for determining who qualifies is one of the Universe's great mysteries and is not meant for mere humans to understand.

Amazon should not have charged you and I'm glad you were refunded.

A few minutes ago I received an email from Amazon with the following message:

Dear Amazon Customer,

As a thank you for your recent Amazon purchase, you are eligible for an exclusive 90 day free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited.

Join today and get:
Unlimited access to 50 million songs
New releases
Hands-free listening with Alexa
Always ad-free
Offline listening

To activate your Amazon Music Unlimited subscription, click the button below and select the “Individual Plan” on the signup page.

I haven’t bought any Echo device recently, so my guess is this was sent as a “sorry we tried to screw you with a bait and switch ad” apology offer. I’ll definitely take it though!

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by wodin

Finally someone who agrees with me, I remember all the great reviews, and everyone else raving about it and I was like meh.

Of course being young and very much subject to peer pressure, I either raved along with them or more likely just shut up.

I hear you. I remember all the hype over the first Star Wars movie, but when I finally saw it I was unimpressed by the plot and the acting. It felt like a cartoon being played out with live actors wearing the worst costumes I ever saw. The special effects though were awesome for the 1970s, but over all the movie, and all of its sequels, fall short of good SciFi IMO. I get a lot of flack for my view, even today. I think the Star Trek series and early 1st generation movies were way better than Star Wars, but as Captain Kirk said, there would never have been a Star Trek movie without the popularity of the first Star Wars movie. It jump started the renewed popularity of SciFi in the 1970s. Personally, I like the Mel Brooks parody movie of Space Balls much better. May the Schwartz be with you! Gotta love a rusted old Winnebago with rocket engines piloted by a giant dog...

[ApK]

Originally Posted by OtinG

A few minutes ago I received an email from Amazon with the following message:



I haven’t bought any Echo device recently, so my guess is this was sent as a “sorry we tried to screw you with a bait and switch ad” apology offer. I’ll definitely take it though!

My wife and I both got the same email the other day. I actually reported it as suspicious because we didn't order anything we thought should have triggered it, and because it says 'amazon customer' and not our real names.

But I also went to the music site and saw the offer on the landing page, too, so I signed up. The kids like it.

Oh, and you're freakin' nuts for not liking the original Star Wars.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by ApK

...
Oh, and you're freakin' nuts for not liking the original Star Wars.

Oh, I liked the original Star Wars just fine, and Star Trek too for that mater. It was "2001, A Space Odyssey" that I found boring. 2010 too.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by wodin

Oh, I liked the original Star Wars just fine, and Star Trek too for that mater. It was "2001, A Space Odyssey" that I found boring. 2010 too.

I was responding to OtinG actually. But on the subject of 2001,.Otin mentioned not caring for the action and dialog. I was thinking "there was action and dialog??"

But seriously, I like the dialog involving HAL, other than that l fall asleep.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by HAL 9000

I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.

!!!!!

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by wodin

Oh, I liked the original Star Wars just fine, and Star Trek too for that mater. It was "2001, A Space Odyssey" that I found boring. 2010 too.

Star Trek: TMP is basically 2001 with a weaker script. (This coming from a diehard trek fan)

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by Dylrob

Star Trek: TMP is basically 2001 with a weaker script. (This coming from a diehard trek fan)

That is why I like the older Star Trek series and movies, but not so much the newer stuff. After Roddenberry died the Star Trek enterprise quickly lost its way. (Pun intended!) Now a days nearly all action-adventure and SciFi movies rely on computer graphics and they no longer seem to care about dialog or plot.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by OtinG

That is why I like the older Star Trek series and movies, but not so much the newer stuff. After Roddenberry died the Star Trek enterprise quickly lost its way. (Pun intended!) Now a days nearly all action-adventure and SciFi movies rely on computer graphics and they no longer seem to care about dialog or plot.

They're TV shows, not movies, but have you tried:
The reimagined Battlestar Galactica
The Expanse
Firefly
(and for that matter, the Firefly movie, Serenity).

All indisputably and unarguably awesome on all fronts.
(So don't dispute or argue.)