Amazon Echo (2 Viewers)

[DavidJ]

Did y'all see the new Echo lineup that was announced recently? I'm trying to decide what I think. The Spot looks interesting and the upgraded sound on the Echo and the improvement of the Echo Plus could be nice, but I don't really have room for or need another one since I bought Dots.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

They looked interesting to me, as well, but we have three Echo's now - an original in our kitchen, a Dot in our bedroom and a Tap to use on our back deck. We really do not need another one, and the original Echo sounds good enough for our use. The models with video do nothing for us in how we use them.

The model with the integrated home automation may be useful as a replacement for the one in our kitchen, but then I would need to find a place for the old one.

 

[TonyD]

I looked for an amazon Alexa/Echo topic but this seems to be it.
Did Amazon change the Alexa to Echo?
Or am I just thinking the device was called an Alexa when it was an Echo all along?

Looks look the Echo Dot is essentially an Alexa/Echo just smaller and a small speaker.
Apparently I could use it to control the newer Denon receivers too.
Seems like a good pair.

 

[Malcolm R]

I'm pretty sure it's always been the Echo.

 

[Tino]

Echo is the device.

Alexa is the wake word (which can be changed to Amazon or Computer too).

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Yes, the devices have always been called Echos. I ordered the original Echo as part of a half price offer for Prime members several months before the first device was available, and it was called an Echo even then. We also have an Echo Dot and Echo Tap.

 

[dpippel]

Alexa is the name of the AI that runs Amazon's Echo devices. It's also one of the wake words that initiates a voice recognition session.

 

[TonyD]

Ok. figured that.

These were $30 on black friday last year I think.
Maybe we'll grab a couple if they go down again tis year.

 

[TonyD]

Well, I bought two from amazon on black friday.
Got it synced to my Harmony remote hub.

Now I just need to figure out all the commands that work with Harmony and the Dot.

Apparently Dot doesn't allow for opening one of the music or radio apps as an alarm.

Ordered 2 more for the bathrooms.

Also and not sure how much longer it will be there you can add a tp-link smart wifi plug for only $5 for each Dot.