[Misc] Alexa . . . What To Do.

Cowfold Seagull · Jun 26, 2020

With several of my fioends and colleagues having an Alexa in their living rooms, I too have decided that l would like one.

The problem seems to be in the best way of going about it. Some people are saying that l need to purchase a hub or turret, some are saying l should buy it from Amazon, others from Argus, some are saying go for the £50 version, others that the £80 one is so much better.

Then l get advice saying that l need to enter a contract for £3.99 per month, whilst yet more people are advising that l don't need to pay anything at all.

Help! it's a minefield!

Just to clarify, l think l need just a very basxic version, as all l want her to do, is play some music on demand, nothing else.

Jam The Man · Jun 26, 2020

The cheap dots (£50 but cheap as chips when they go on offer every few months) are good if you’re not fussed about quality of sound. The sound is ok, but the next version up (£90) is much better.
I have the Echo Studio (£190) with the ultra HD music version but it’s not necessary for most.

If you have just one, the £3.99 subscription is good value. If you have more than one, then pay the higher amount.

Oh, and do [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] a favour and order it via the link on NSC.

Bozza · Jun 26, 2020

What NOT to do is pay the full price.

Amazon have these on offer frequently, so wait until the price drops. You're unfortunate in that you've just missed one of the price drops, but as this graph illustrates, you'll not have to wait for long...

As such, my advice would be to wait for the next promo and then buy the Echo (not the Dot) at the promo price. If you use this link, NSC will earn a few pennies: https://amzn.to/2BEAOvu

vegster · Jun 26, 2020

Cowfold Seagull said:
With several of my fioends and colleagues having an Alexa in their living rooms, I too have decided that l would like one.

The problem seems to be in the best way of going about it. Some people are saying that l need to purchase a hub or turret, some are saying l should buy it from Amazon, others from Argus, some are saying go for the £50 version, others that the £80 one is so much better.

Then l get advice saying that l need to enter a contract for £3.99 per month, whilst yet more people are advising that l don't need to pay anything at all.

Help! it's a minefield!

Just to clarify, l think l need just a very basxic version, as all l want her to do, is play some music on demand, nothing else.

Why not just ask Alexa?

Cowfold Seagull · Jun 26, 2020

Jam The Man said:
The cheap dots (£50 but cheap as chips when they go on offer every few months) are good if you’re not fussed about quality of sound. The sound is ok, but the next version up (£90) is much better.
I have the Echo Studio (£190) with the ultra HD music version but it’s not necessary for most.

If you have just one, the £3.99 subscription is good value. If you have more than one, then pay the higher amount.

Oh, and do [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] a favour and order it via the link on NSC.

The £90 version sounds ideal for me, but l presume the £3.99 per month is only payabe if l require the music from Amazon, but if l already have Spotify on my phone l don't need to pay it? Have I got that right? . . . or horribly wrong?

Cowfold Seagull · Jun 26, 2020

vegster said:
Why not just ask Alexa?

Because l have to buy the bint, before l can ask her!

schmunk · Jun 26, 2020

Personally I would* buy a Google Home instead: https://uk.pcmag.com/smart-home/852...ich-voice-controlled-speaker-is-right-for-you

*and have, twice over.

Wozza · Jun 26, 2020

Bozza said:
What NOT to do is pay the full price.

Amazon have these on offer frequently, so wait until the price drops. You're unfortunate in that you've just missed one of the price drops, but as this graph illustrates, you'll not have to wait for long...

View attachment 125367

As such, my advice would be to wait for the next promo and then buy the Echo (not the Dot) at the promo price. If you use this link, NSC will earn a few pennies: https://amzn.to/2BEAOvu

I got his from Currys eBay for £46.74 last week.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AMAZON-Echo-3rd-Gen-Charcoal-Currys-/123989816102?hash=item1cde5e7326

Wrong-Direction · Jun 26, 2020

Dont bother and just use the Google microphone..

Sent from my SM-A600FN using Tapatalk

Justice · Jun 26, 2020

Why would you willingly pay to be spied on?

zefarelly · Jun 26, 2020

Don't Omsung make a good one?

zefarelly · Jun 26, 2020

Justice said:
Why would you willingly pay to be spied on?

Exactly, whilst listening to a limited selection of music from a pisspot speaker.

Arthur · Jun 26, 2020

Cowfold Seagull said:
The £90 version sounds ideal for me, but l presume the £3.99 per month is only payabe if l require the music from Amazon, but if l already have Spotify on my phone l don't need to pay it? Have I got that right? . . . or horribly wrong?

You are spot on. I have 3 dots and an echo and don't pay a penny to Amazon. Spotify works incredibly well, you can play it on one or all devices so you can play it around the house if you want to.

As others have said the dots are ok sound wise but the Echo is very good.

schmunk · Jun 26, 2020

zefarelly said:
Exactly, whilst listening to a limited selection of music from a pisspot speaker.

Pisspot, maybe?, but what do you want for £50 or so? Hi-Fi is not the priority for these devices, and that can instead be integrated into a system using Chromecast Audio or other means. We have them in the kitchen and children's playroom, neither a place for serious beard-stroking audiophilia.

Limited selection of music? I subscribe to Youtube Music Premium for the vast sum of about £2.50/month (because, reasons) which gets me a catalogue of 10s of millions of studio recordings, plus the audio of most every Youtube video (e.g. live recordings, special shows, etc.), plus the ability to upload up to 100,000 of my own tracks into a personal library. Limited indeed.

Arthur · Jun 26, 2020

Justice said:
Why would you willingly pay to be spied on?

Well firstly what have you got to hide?

Secondly even if that is true what are Amazon going to do with that information? Use it for marketing purposes. What is the issue with that?

If you went out to buy a paper and a loaf of bread and the first two shops you came across were a newsagent and a bakers you'd think that was lucky. If you switch your computer on and the first ad you see is for the product you've been talking about at home surely you've saved time?

marcos3263 · Jun 26, 2020

I have 3 shows and a dot. A 5" show in the dressing room, the boy has an 8" show in bedroom and we have an 8" show in the kitchen, the dot is hard wired into the hifi in the living room.

The shows are excellent. great screen for displaying whatever (recipes are good, the league table etc) sound is better than a dot if using as a stand alone.

Cameras are all turned off. got all in various sales.

Have Amazon prime and Spotify Premium so dont pay the extra £3.99 or whatever.

Inlaws have a google and its not as good (in their opinion - but they are liverpool fans so what do they know)

el punal · Jun 26, 2020

As a complete technophobe I am old fashioned in these matters. That is why I use a dated and somewhat unreliable piece of kit called WIFE. An example of interaction is as follows :

Me : “WIFE, what’s for dinner?”

WIFE : “Don’t know, haven’t thought about it”

Me : “ WIFE, what time will dinner be ready?”

WIFE : “When I’m good and ready, and if you don’t like it get it yourself.”

So you see, not always reliable. A case of making the best of a bad job. :drink:

Eddiespearritt · Jun 26, 2020

Justice said:
Why would you willingly pay to be spied on?

Well it's only Saudi Arabia listening anyway. Dominic Cummings is too busy at the moment sorting his eyesight out, to be listening as well.

I do often wonder though that when Alexa is asked a direct question she'll answer one way or another - often with drivel.

And when we say "lets...a have sausages tonight" she'll join the discussion.

What's she up to when we're chatting away about incarcerating these monstrous people who leave their shilt all over the beach. That's an opinion worthy of being stored somewhere by somebody isn't it.

Justice · Jun 26, 2020

Arthur said:
Well firstly what have you got to hide?

Secondly even if that is true what are Amazon going to do with that information? Use it for marketing purposes. What is the issue with that?

If you went out to buy a paper and a loaf of bread and the first two shops you came across were a newsagent and a bakers you'd think that was lucky. If you switch your computer on and the first ad you see is for the product you've been talking about at home surely you've saved time?

Interesting statement, would you be happy with ID cards or to being chipped by the authorities just because you have nothing to hide?

Bold Seagull · Jun 26, 2020

Justice said:
Interesting statement, would you be happy with ID cards or to being chipped by the authorities just because you have nothing to hide?

You’ve not got a smart phone, smart tv, laptop then? Just because Alexa is a device you can give instructions to it’s not the only device that can listen.

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