Amazon Alexa onboard

FlyWright · Jun 26, 2017

I've been living with an Amazon Echo voice-controlled home system for 18 months and have become accustomed to having the shopping list, to-do list, music and data search capability controlled with the spoken word. We added an Amazon Tap which is basically an Echo with a rechargeable battery for mobility. We carry it around house and yard when we want voice-controlled music. Both of these units have respectable speakers for their size and can accept a Bluetooth (BT) input for content from phones or tablets. They cannot, however, BT out to another stereo or speaker input.

I recently expanded to an Amazon Dot onboard FlyWright and it's been a great addition. It's powered by a 1A USB from a 12V power plug source.

Unlike the other units, the Dot is small without respectable speakers. It's fine for nearby voice but no good for music. Also unlike the other units, it can BT out to another stereo or speaker system but cannot receive BT signals. On the boat, the Dot connects to my stereo via BT and gets its data through WIFI from either my marina WIFI signal or my tablet WIFI hotspot.

I am really enjoying the voice-control features. Music selection and control has never been easier. If I want to hear some Tom Petty music, I just ask Alexa and Tom serenades me from my stereo.

If I need to remember to buy something, I ask Alexa to put it on the shopping list. She verbally confirms it through my stereo and when I'm home, there it is.

If I want to listen to an audiobook, no problem accessing my Audible account.

If I want to listen to podcasts, streaming music, news....it's all there at the tip of my lips.

I haven't incorporated any accessory remote controls and don't plan to at this point. I have a voice-controlled lamp at home but if I lose the internet connection, the light is inop until I physically bypass the remote. I don't want that on the boat.

Is anyone else trying this aboard? Any good skills or useful functions to recommend?

kthoennes · Jun 27, 2017

A few months ago we installed a touch faucet in the kitchen. I don't mean one of those optical things you find in public bathrooms that never work properly. It's a Delta touch. You just touch the faucet with a finger and it turns on. Doesn't sound like a big deal in this day and age, but it's so easy and natural that now every faucet I want to use I touch without thinking - and get annoyed when it doesn't magically turn on like the one at home.

In other words, even relatively simple technology is warping my brain so fast that I get annoyed at having to actually operate a lever on a faucet. Run away, it will eat your brain.

gaston · Jun 27, 2017

My wife is a master of voice control she tells me what to do and I do it

BandB · Jun 27, 2017

FlyWright said:
I've been living with an Amazon Echo voice-controlled home system for 18 months and have become accustomed to having the shopping list, to-do list, music and data search capability controlled with the spoken word. We added an Amazon Tap which is basically an Echo with a rechargeable battery for mobility. We carry it around house and yard when we want voice-controlled music. Both of these units have respectable speakers for their size and can accept a Bluetooth (BT) input for content from phones or tablets. They cannot, however, BT out to another stereo or speaker input.

I recently expanded to an Amazon Dot onboard FlyWright and it's been a great addition. It's powered by a 1A USB from a 12V power plug source.

Unlike the other units, the Dot is small without respectable speakers. It's fine for nearby voice but no good for music. Also unlike the other units, it can BT out to another stereo or speaker system but cannot receive BT signals. On the boat, the Dot connects to my stereo via BT and gets its data through WIFI from either my marina WIFI signal or my tablet WIFI hotspot.

I am really enjoying the voice-control features. Music selection and control has never been easier. If I want to hear some Tom Petty music, I just ask Alexa and Tom serenades me from my stereo.

If I need to remember to buy something, I ask Alexa to put it on the shopping list. She verbally confirms it through my stereo and when I'm home, there it is.

If I want to listen to an audiobook, no problem accessing my Audible account.

If I want to listen to podcasts, streaming music, news....it's all there at the tip of my lips.

I haven't incorporated any accessory remote controls and don't plan to at this point. I have a voice-controlled lamp at home but if I lose the internet connection, the light is inop until I physically bypass the remote. I don't want that on the boat.

Is anyone else trying this aboard? Any good skills or useful functions to recommend?

Wifey B: Good morning. On the way to the marina so....yes, we use lot's of voice crap, including typing this right now. The more you do it the more you like it. We've used Echo and Google Home and like both ok. Google Home is smarter, better at answering questions, looking up stuff but then that makes sense. Alexa has her own special talents though. Just be careful around them and that's one reason we don't use them a lot. They remember and if there are things you don't want remembered or repeated, might not be the best answer. Sort of solved a problem we didn't know we had and still not sure we do.

Now

Benthic2 · Jun 27, 2017

I have an Echo Dot that I use through a pair of old computer speakers...sounds OK and is super convenient. I have a few items....light, window fan etc that I can turn on and off with voice control and I can also turn them on and off with my cell phone....anywhere I have a cellular connection. If you get the app on your phone, you can use your cell phone as a remote too.

john61ct · Jun 27, 2017

Jeff Bezos: "Alexa, buy me something at Whole Foods."

Alexa: "OK, buying Whole Foods."

Amazon Alexa onboard

FlyWright

Guru

kthoennes

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gaston

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BandB

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Benthic2

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john61ct

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