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Honored Contributor
Posts: 77,931
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: How Did I Manage to Get a Dumb Alexa?

@Annabellethecat66  I mostly listen to Pandora.  You can program all your favorite performers or type of music into the system so you don't have to hear stuff you don't like.  I just tell Alexa to play Pandora and she plays the last station I heard which is usually new age instrumentals. 

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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,889
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: How Did I Manage to Get a Dumb Alexa?


@Moonchilde wrote:

@NYC Susan wrote:

I have no problems with Alexa at all.  I love it - very convenient and helpful.  I got the Dot as a gift, totally out of the blue.  I had no interest previously, but now I use it every day, several times a day.  No issues ever.


 

 

Now that you no longer have to enable a skill on Alexa, I use it a lot more. But just because you don't need to enable a skill doesn't mean you don't need to pay any attention to the way you need to phrase your question, because much of Alexa's info comes from different companies, not one single information source.

 

My guess is that no longer needing to enable specific Alexa abilities will make it easier for Amazon going forward to have Alexa be more human-logic-intuitive, as Google Home was designed to be out of the gate.

 

You were given one as a gift, it wasn't a purchase you researched or decided on, yet you still clearly understand how it works and what it needs to be used to potential. What surprises me is how many have not bothered to do the basic reading on how Alexa works and then complain it's dumb, stupid, doesn't do what they want it to, etc.


You're right - I knew next to nothing about it, but found it to be very user-friendly.  It took no time at all to figure out what to say, what Alexa is capable of, etc.  I thought it was a cute, gimmicky thing that I didn't need, but the more I read and the more I played around, the more I started using and enjoying it.

 

I'm generally pretty resistant to new things, but this was very easy to learn, and painless!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,495
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: How Did I Manage to Get a Dumb Alexa?

My Alexa isn't the brightest either.

 

 She has a lot of problems with too many questions but the worst is now that the weather is nice DH takes her out on the patio but she can't seem to hear him...He starts yelling at her and I can only imagine what the neighbors think!

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,883
Registered: ‎07-22-2011

Re: How Did I Manage to Get a Dumb Alexa?

[ Edited ]

@itsmetoo wrote:

Don't like mine at all.  She can never answer anything.  I have given up and shoved her in a closet.


 

 Because of the privacy factor, I unplugged it months ago. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,260
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: How Did I Manage to Get a Dumb Alexa?

I mostly ask the weather (even though it's always for two towns away), sports scores and  news headlines. 

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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,389
Registered: ‎07-17-2010

Re: How Did I Manage to Get a Dumb Alexa?


@Annabellethecat66 wrote:

 

 

Someone mentioned it coming on out of the blue near the TV.  Mine does that sometimes.  It's one of the few times (without hurting someone's feelings) I can say, "Shut up".  Ha!  We are taught as children to never say, "Shut up".  I have to say I enjoy it....Hummm???  I think I'm being immature, but it is fun sometimes....

 

 


Google understands when I call it a ******* idiot, and responds by saying, "that's not very nice."  LoL



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Posts: 3,260
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: How Did I Manage to Get a Dumb Alexa?


@mistriTsquirrel wrote:

@Annabellethecat66 wrote:

 

 

Someone mentioned it coming on out of the blue near the TV.  Mine does that sometimes.  It's one of the few times (without hurting someone's feelings) I can say, "Shut up".  Ha!  We are taught as children to never say, "Shut up".  I have to say I enjoy it....Hummm???  I think I'm being immature, but it is fun sometimes....

 

 


Google understands when I call it a ******* idiot, and responds by saying, "that's not very nice."  LoL


Alexa said something like, "I'm sorry I wasn't able to help you" or something like that when I told her she was stupid. 

 

On on the flip side, when she's helpful, I always say "thank you."

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Esteemed Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: How Did I Manage to Get a Dumb Alexa?


@PurpleBunny wrote:

@mistriTsquirrel wrote:

@Annabellethecat66 wrote:

 

 

Someone mentioned it coming on out of the blue near the TV.  Mine does that sometimes.  It's one of the few times (without hurting someone's feelings) I can say, "Shut up".  Ha!  We are taught as children to never say, "Shut up".  I have to say I enjoy it....Hummm???  I think I'm being immature, but it is fun sometimes....

 

 


Google understands when I call it a ******* idiot, and responds by saying, "that's not very nice."  LoL


Alexa said something like, "I'm sorry I wasn't able to help you" or something like that when I told her she was stupid. 

 

On on the flip side, when she's helpful, I always say "thank you."


For a long time, I always said "thank you" too - to both Alexa and Siri.  Sometimes I still do.  :-)  My kids always laugh.

 

Once, I told Alexa that I love her.  And she replied, "That's so nice of you to say!"

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,547
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: How Did I Manage to Get a Dumb Alexa?

LOL! I thought I was crazy because I thank Alexa after she does what I ask. I also say Good Night to her sometimes. 


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Valued Contributor
Posts: 944
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: How Did I Manage to Get a Dumb Alexa?

@Annabellethecat66LOL!  I love your posts!  You are such fun.

 

I once asked Siri to translate something into French for me.  She replied that C3PO had not finished teaching her French.  I laughed out loud on that one!