Amazon Echo Club

[wodin]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

The Echo would need either GPS, or the ability to get its location from a cell-tower in order to automatically adjust its timezone. I doubt either of those features are going to be incorporated into a device that's not really billed as being "mobile."

Just remember to change the timezone in the Alexa app if you're travelling with your Echo.

So what'll happen when Echo Auto hits the streets?

[John F]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

The Echo would need either GPS, or the ability to get its location from a cell-tower in order to automatically adjust its timezone. I doubt either of those features are going to be incorporated into a device that's not really billed as being "mobile."

Just remember to change the timezone in the Alexa app if you're travelling with your Echo.

Wouldn't the wifi connection be enough? Don't wifi routers know their general location?

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by John F

Wouldn't the wifi connection be enough? Don't wifi routers know their general location?

In my experience, they're notoriously unreliable for that. I don't know why, but of the last 5 routers / gateways I've dealt with, only one of them would consistently provide the correct info to the connecting device when trying to use "automatically get timezone from wifi" option.

I've even had boxes that had a manual setting for it that still communicated the wrong timezone to devices. And it's not always the same incorrect timezone! I've been made fun of for anthropomorphizing electronics before, but sometimes I really do feel like they're just screwing with me.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by wodin

So what'll happen when Echo Auto hits the streets?

Seeing as how that's intended to be a mobile device that connects to the Alexa app on a smartphone, I suspect accommodations will be made to get location-based info from the phone. In all honesty, it seems to me that the Echo Auto device is little more than an interface for the Alexa phone app. It is the phone (and the phone's data) that will be doing the "dropping in" and navigating and such.

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

In my experience, they're notoriously unreliable for that. I don't know why, but of the last 5 routers / gateways I've dealt with, only one of them would consistently provide the correct info to the connecting device when trying to use "automatically get timezone from wifi" option.

That's been my experience as well. It works about as well as the location services on a wifi-only Fire Tablet does.

[John F]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

In my experience, they're notoriously unreliable for that. I don't know why, but of the last 5 routers / gateways I've dealt with, only one of them would consistently provide the correct info to the connecting device when trying to use "automatically get timezone from wifi" option.

...

Thanks, I did not know that.

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

It's a brave new world we live in. Parrots talking to computers and cats joy riding on roombas. Is this a harbinger of things to come?

Tell me you have a roomba for your cats

A Roomba-like device is on my list for the next gadget. I think it would be helpful for my Mom as well as provide more entertainment for my herd. I can picture Bartie riding along down the hall and into the entry way, turn, then go along back down the long hall. He would never tire of it. Currently, he jumps onto the seat of my brother's walker when bro is getting up so that he can ride along to the bathroom or when he makes the rounds for exercise. It's pretty funny.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Tarana

A Roomba-like device is on my list for the next gadget. I think it would be helpful for my Mom as well as provide more entertainment for my herd. I can picture Bartie riding along down the hall and into the entry way, turn, then go along back down the long hall. He would never tire of it. Currently, he jumps onto the seat of my brother's walker when bro is getting up so that he can ride along to the bathroom or when he makes the rounds for exercise. It's pretty funny.

Well, Black Friday is just 3 months off. There are bound to be some good deals then.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Tarana

A Roomba-like device is on my list for the next gadget. I think it would be helpful for my Mom as well as provide more entertainment for my herd. I can picture Bartie riding along down the hall and into the entry way, turn, then go along back down the long hall. He would never tire of it. Currently, he jumps onto the seat of my brother's walker when bro is getting up so that he can ride along to the bathroom or when he makes the rounds for exercise. It's pretty funny.

I had a Roomba for years. No cat ever tried to ride it.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Tarana

...
Currently, he jumps onto the seat of my brother's walker when bro is getting up so that he can ride along to the bathroom or when he makes the rounds for exercise. It's pretty funny.

A couple of our furbabies enjoy riding is Susie's lap as she wheels herself around in her wheelchair. Sometimes more than one at a time.

[OtinG]

Cats are definitely fun and playful and find ways to entertain themselves. One of mine runs into the bathroom when I flush the toilette so she can watch the water swirl around and disappear. Put a red laser on a Roomba and I bet they will really go wild.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

In my experience, they're notoriously unreliable for that. I don't know why, but of the last 5 routers / gateways I've dealt with, only one of them would consistently provide the correct info to the connecting device when trying to use "automatically get timezone from wifi" option.

True but even a guess based on the registered location info for the public IP might be better than nothing. Also there is (or were) geolocation services that were based on a survey database of wifi access points. I'm not taking the time to Google it right now, but I think one of the providers was called Skyhook. I always assumed that the "enhance GPS precision with wifi" option on smartphones was based on that sort of data in Google's portfolio.


On a totally unrelated topic: has anyone here tried the Hubitat Elevation home automation hub?

ApK

[cc_in_oh]

You can always just ask the time in Salt Lake City...

[Tarana]

Interesting thing I accidentally discovered. I can start and stop my Nano while playing audiobooks. The Nano is connected via Bluetooth to use the speaker. They are loaded via Itunes, but are not Audible titles. Can't go back at all without the nano, but this was handy today as I was moving about a lot while listening to an audiobook and the phone kept ringing (mostly scam robo calls).

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Well, Black Friday is just 3 months off. There are bound to be some good deals then.

Sadly, my central a/c broke yesterday and the repair guy said it is unfixable, so I think my options for fun gadgets will be on hold until sometime next year. Fortunately, we are nearly past the hot season (maybe another week or two). I have a fan.

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by Tarana

Sadly, my central a/c broke yesterday and the repair guy said it is unfixable, so I think my options for fun gadgets will be on hold until sometime next year. Fortunately, we are nearly past the hot season (maybe another week or two). I have a fan.

Ouch! Painful.