OT - Invitation to Order Amazon Echo

Hokie_Smoker

So I got my invitation to order the Amazon Echo.  Yea or Nay, it sure looks cool but do you think it is worth $100?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

buzd504

I doubt it's worth $100.  That said, I bought one anyway, just to check it out.  I figure if nothing else, I have a bluetooth speaker, which is always useful

stonedog03

I'm not sure how useful it will actually be, but I like the idea of it, so I ordered one also.  As to the price, at $199 (regular price) it is a big NO WAY from me.  At $99, it is acceptable, but still questionable.

johnkitchens

Was your invitation emailed to you?

Eggcelsior

For me, yes. With what it comes with now, it's not worth the 199 price. I would gladly spend 100 again on it. The feature to set-up a grocery/to-do list is awesome. As soon as I notice I need something, I say, "Alexa, add (insert item) to the grocery/Costco/etc list". When I finally go to the store, I just open the Echo app and there's the list. It's cut down on the annoyance of forgetting things that we would don't by on a weekly basis or need to make a second stop for. 

Also, being able to ask about conversions in recipes is great. I don't need to stop what I'm doing, wash my hands, and then access the info on my phone.

In addition, I buy a lot of my music from Amazon(CDs) because they offer an "auto-rip" feature that automatically adds the album to my mp3 library in Amazon Music that I can stream off of. This lets me keep all my CDs safe with my sound system rather than all over the place(2 cars, work, etc.) and I can just stream the music from my phone or PC. If I want to listen to music where I have the Echo(family room by the kitchen), I can just stream it. My receiver and speaker equipment are in my loft off of the master bedroom so they are not accessible. 

Just as a Bluetooth speaker, it offers equivalent sound to speakers in a similar price point. It's not as good as a Bose, but it's 1/3 the price.

More and more apps are supposed to be added to it so I only see the value improving in the future.

My biggest knock would be the lack of Google integration. That would be a game changer with an Android device for completely seamless integration. I could tell the Echo to schedule a dentist appointment and it would be added directly to my calendar on my phone with an alert - this would be my ideal scenario. Also, getting into home automation, you could tell the Echo to change the temp or turn on/off lights.

Hokie_Smoker

johnkitchens said:

Was your invitation emailed to you?

I received an email this morning.

SoCalTim

Yes, It is worth it!

I've had my Echo for a few weeks now ... yes, it's something you can live without, but if your someone who loves technology and gizmo's, the Echo is for you.

Thou it's in it's early stages with lotsa upgrades coming ... I love it! I play all my music thru it, You talk to it - it talks to you instantly.

You ask it to play a radio station on iHeart or Tunein and it plays instantly, there is no lag like on your cell phone and or your pc/laptop. It plays the station NOW.

I give it 4 stars out of 5 - I think what would be awesome is if they used Google for info, instead they are currently using Wikipedia. Hopefully that changes soon.

Tim

volfan1

It's worth the $100. I've had mine for a couple of months & we love it. Haven't tried the list function yet, but love the ability to tell it to play classical music in the morning with coffee or blues music after a long day at the office.  The sound is very good.

TheShaytoon

The $99 price is for all that have Amazon Prime!

NCSmoky

Have you actually put it in your cart and checked estimated delivery? I have heard delivery estimate now is mid April early May. I purchased mine just because I enjoy new tech and @ $99 it is worth it not so much @ $199. You also have to realize that at this point you are beta testing this device for Amazon and the feature set will be expanded over time.

buzd504

NCSmoky said:

Have you actually put it in your cart and checked estimated delivery? I have heard delivery estimate now is mid April early May. I purchased mine just because I enjoy new tech and @ $99 it is worth it not so much @ $199. You also have to realize that at this point you are beta testing this device for Amazon and the feature set will be expanded over time.

I ordered it yesterday, and I'm showing delivery in late May.

Eggcelsior

Damn, I must have gotten lucky. I received my invitation 11/10 and had it 11/12.

NCSmoky

@Eggcelsior I think they opened the invitation flood gates after Christmas. I heard that they got so burned by their Fire phone that they were doing really small production runs. I received mine in about a week after my invite in November.

SmokeyPitt

I assume it must be luck of the draw.  Surely there are not people out there who order more crap on Amazon than me!   I haven't received my invitation :(.

Botch

I've had one for about a month.  Nothing to add to what's already been said except this:  I'd love to know the logic of what's in the "Amazon Prime" library; some variations:

- "Alexa, play Tower of Power", it played for an hour, tracks from many different albums

- "Play Level 42", played all the alternate tracks from an album I've not heard of

- "Play The Police", she played Every Breath You take, and that's all, ONE Police song in Prime

- "Play Basia", she said she didn't recognize the artist "Basia" (and I have all her albums, some bought through Amazon

 

One cool thing about the Echo app, it can display every album, with cover art, you've ever bought from them, alphabetized; you can select one on your device and it'll start playing.  Gimme a stereo, or 5.1, version that plugs into my good system, and I'll be REALLY happy!  

 

EDIT:  Oh yeah, I LOVE it for setting an alarm if I have a plane to catch; instead of fumbling with Fast/Slow buttons on my damn clock radio, I just say "Alexa, set an alarm for 5:30 tomorrow morning", she confirms it, and you're done.  Also good for getting the weather report before (if) I get out of bed.  

I don't have a smartphone, so talking technology is still a lot of fun for me.  She won't respond if I accidentally call her "Alexsis", damn uppity wimmens who have to have their name correct!  

)

SoCalTim

@Botch when playing music from Prime, it's all in the way you ask Alexa what you want played. For example, The Police is not The Police .. It's 'Alexa, play Top Songs from The Police' The request had to be asked exactly the way the Playlist is titled and or say (if you want to hear a certain album ... Play Bruce Springsteen Born in the USA album. This works for me.

I wish I could make my own playlist from Prime, unfortunately for the moment, you can't.

Hungry Joe

Something about having a device that is connected to the internet and is always listening disturbs me.

I like what it can do, I just don't like how it does it.

I am now putting my tin foil hat back on.

Good Day.

Eggcelsior

Hungry Joe said:

Something about having a device that is connected to the internet and is always listening disturbs me.

I like what it can do, I just don't like how it does it.

I am now putting my tin foil hat back on.

Good Day.

It doesn't listen unless you say it's name. You can unplug it too.

Botch

SoCalTim said:

@Botch when playing music from Prime, it's all in the way you ask Alexa what you want played. For example, The Police is not The Police .. It's 'Alexa, play Top Songs from The Police' The request had to be asked exactly the way the Playlist is titled...

 

Well, I just tried that exact example, and she said there were no Police songs in my library; guess you still have to have bought the music through Amazon (and I'm sure I bought my Police CDs at a real record store before there was an Amazon).  

Hungry Joe

I checked into these weeks ago. Yes it does always listen, it won't execute a command unless its name is mentioned I suppose. If you have a secure network you may be fine but there is just to much room for abuse with this product on the server end for me to ever own one.

Unplugging kind of defeats its usefulness.

I take all those "off the grid" posts seriously, guess I'm     ~:>

I'm one of those paranoid freaks. I have a facebook account but never post, just keep up with what family is doing.

EggSpinner

Have had mine about a week and definitely think it is worth it!  

The grocery/to-do list functionality is absolutely a time saver...speak it, Alexa saves it and you access it from the app where ever you are.  The weather, alarm and timer are nice as well.  

As far as music, I agree with SoCalTim as to the way that you phrase your request (even genres) but it is a pita. If you are not fond of the way Prime works, or do not use prime for downloading music, it does link with an iheart radio or tunein account.

henapple

SmokeyPitt said:

I assume it must be luck of the draw.  Surely there are not people out there who order more crap on Amazon than me!   I haven't received my invitation :(.

Website. ..you can request an invitation.