topic Re: Echo Advice in Electronics

Echo Advice

Ainhisg — Tue, 01 May 2018 14:41:49 GMT

Amazon has refurbished second generation Echos (84.99) and Echo Pluses (109.99) on sale today. We do have a Prime account. Several questions:

1) Is a refurbished Echo safe/okay to buy?

2) We do not have any smart devices in our home (yet). Can the regular Echo be set up to run a smart device if/when we get one, or is the Echo Plus the one to get for *possible* future use? (We do have a Fire TV stick.)

4) I have no idea what I'm doing (as you can tell) but think I might want one of these. I'm not even sure what all it can do. I'm reasonably tech saavy, but is the device pretty intuitive?

Thank you for all advice and help!

ETA: Is there a website or "place" where I can find commands or learn how to use it to its extent?

Re: Echo Advice

Deb665 — Tue, 01 May 2018 13:09:21 GMT

First let me say I love my Echo!

I see no reason that a refurbished Echo wouldn’t be just fine.

The regular works with the smart devices.

I have the Alexa app on both my iPhone and my iPad. The iPad is easier for me to use when going through the set up.

in my opinion, the device is intuitive. Easy to set up. Fun to use.

My favorite use for the Echo is streaming music. I stream music from Pandora, I Heart Radio and SiriusXM. The sound - even on my original - is really good.

I hope this helps!

Re: Echo Advice

dex — Tue, 01 May 2018 13:40:07 GMT

@Ainhisg@I don’t trust her...who knows what kind of info she is collecting and what type of hacking there will be.

Re: Echo Advice

Ainhisg — Tue, 01 May 2018 13:49:27 GMT

@Deb665...thank you so much for answering all my questions!

Re: Echo Advice

patbz — Tue, 01 May 2018 14:24:52 GMT

I wouldn't hesitate to get refurbished. I was in original group that was offered Echo (didn't really understand what it did but trusted Amazon and thought I can always return it). We started with alarms and streaming and I promise it will change your life!

Re: Echo Advice

Ainhisg — Tue, 01 May 2018 14:42:34 GMT

@patbz wrote:
I wouldn't hesitate to get refurbished. I was in original group that was offered Echo (didn't really understand what it did but trusted Amazon and thought I can always return it). We started with alarms and streaming and I promise it will change your life!

@patbz, so you think the regular Echo is fine for my needs?

Re: Echo Advice

ValuSkr — Tue, 01 May 2018 14:58:11 GMT

@Deb665 Is Alexa better than Siri? Just wondering why someone would use Alexa on an Apple device. Thanks!

Re: Echo Advice

patbz — Tue, 01 May 2018 15:43:35 GMT

@Ainhisg: Any of the devices will work for you (but in mho the Dot needs a small auxiliary speaker. One good reason to use Allexis over Siri speaker is the price (I think Apple's version is 3x cost of Echo).

Re: Echo Advice

Alison Wonderland — Tue, 01 May 2018 16:15:32 GMT

1) Is a refurbished Echo safe/okay to buy?

Yes. The Echo does not store any information on the device and once it is disconnected from a user's account, it has no connection to the user.

Yes. Make sure you check to see if devices are compatible and if they need a 'hub' to run. The Echo Plus has a hub built in, but you will still need to check for compatibility with other items because there isn't (yet) one universal system to connect all smart devices. It works with Philips Hue lighting devices, which previously needed a separate hub, and things that work with a ZigBee hub.

3) This may be a stupid question. lol In everything I've read, they say to download the Alexa app to your phone. I assume I could download it to my iPad? (I rarely use my android phone.) Or is there some reason you have to download it to a phone? Can it be downloaded to both?
Yes, the guy on QVC last weeked had his on an ipad. Yes, you can connect it to more than one device. Most people carry their phones with them at all times, not an ipad, so the default device is a phone.

4) I have no idea what I'm doing (as you can tell) but think I might want one of these. I'm not even sure what all it can do. I'm reasonably tech saavy, but is the device pretty intuitive?
Yes and no. The device itself is pretty easy to use. You can download aditional apps to make it do more and the Apps are mostly created by third parties, which means that some are more intuitive than others. Some are awkward because you have to tell Alexa to open/start the app, then use the command to accomplish the task you wanted in the app. I think it will get easier over time, but some apps are.... not good.

Sometimes Alexa will say she can't do something, but the truth is she CAN, you just did not ask the right way. That can take some getting used to. I've had her connected to my Nest thermostat for 5 months now and just this week learned the proper way to ask her what the temperature is inside my house.

Here's what I use it for most often and what it's really good at:

Telling me the time, weather, humidity levels while I'm in the shower and can't see a clock or a window
Playing music
Playing my Audible audio books. (It can also rewind if I miss something. I listen in the shower, so that's handy.)
Play NPR
Connecting to my iPhone. All my music and podcasts are on my iPhone, so I can pair the two and then just tell Alexa to connect to my phone, then play whatever I want on my phone. When I finish, I can tell Alexa to disconnect from my phone.
Controlling some of my lights (I use Philips Hue bulbs, but there are others available)
Controlling my thermostat (I have a Nest, but it also works with other brands - just check compatibility first).
Setting hands-free timer functions. It can both set a timer and tell you how much time is left on the timer. It can also set multiple timers.
Getting me inforamtion. This morning I asked it who wrote a movie and it was able to tell me.

Amazon introduces new things all the time.You can sign up for an email alert that comes out every Friday and tells you some of the new things Alexa can do.

Re: Echo Advice

Ainhisg — Tue, 01 May 2018 17:00:49 GMT

@Alison Wonderland, you are my new best friend. lol That is the kind of detail I needed; thank you! Do you think the $85 price is a good deal?

Re: Echo Advice

Alison Wonderland — Tue, 01 May 2018 17:23:50 GMT

@Ainhisg wrote:
@Alison Wonderland, you are my new best friend. lol That is the kind of detail I needed; thank you! Do you think the $85 price is a good deal?

I think so, @Ainhisg, especially if you're just starting out and want to get your feet wet before you spend more. You can even start with a cheaper Dot, which does everything the larger Echoes do BUT it does not have powerul speakers. It's not good for listening to music, audiobooks, or the radio and the volume isn't very loud, but it's a good Starter device if you just want to see how much use you might get out of an Echo before you spend more money.

If you think you want to automate your other items, like lightbulbs, I would get the Echo Plus over the Echo. Most bulbs need a hub, so if you get a cheaper Echo now, you may have to invest more in a Hub later and hubs are just one more thing to deal with. The hub built into the Plus is an advantage later if you want to be able to use the Echo for more. If you have NO interest in lighting and other peripherals, you don't need to worry about a hub. (The Nest thermostat I have does not use a hub.)

Philips Hue bulbs are not cheap, but Ikea has just come out with some similar bulbs that I'm hoping will bring all the prices down. They can also use the Echo Plus hub instead of using a separate Ikea hub.

Re: Echo Advice

Nuttmeg — Tue, 01 May 2018 20:07:07 GMT

I would buy a new Echo. I have had my unit for a long time.I like that the unis are plug un. If you are worried about your network. You need. A stronger password.

Re: Echo Advice

VaBelle35 — Tue, 01 May 2018 21:31:13 GMT

I'm a fan of reburbished units from TiVo, iPod/Apple and Amazon.

I've purchased new and they stand behind their products, even after warranty. As a result, I've purchased refurbished from all of them and never had a problem.

Re: Echo Advice

Deb665 — Tue, 01 May 2018 22:09:08 GMT

@ValuSkr Siri might be able to do more than I realize, but for streaming my music, controlling my few smart plugs and listening to audio books I just got hooked on Alexa. Not a very good answer, but it’s the only one I have! 😀

Re: Echo Advice

lainey1 — Thu, 03 May 2018 19:41:49 GMT

If you can wait, the Echos go on sale on Prime Day which is sometime in July.

You might be able to get a new Echo for a pretty good price.