Amazon Echo - New Product

[1100011CS]

Thanks for the bump...I'm in the same camp as you. I like gadgets and think my kids would get a kick (and it'd be a decent bluetooth speaker). I requested an invite and haven't heard...but I've seen them on ebay, so they are out there.

Here's a pretty glowing review: http://www.zdnet.com/amazon-echo-review-a-perfect-10-7000035980/

Screw it, I'm buying

 

[1100011CS]

I'm thinking about biting as well if people have heard good things. $99 isn't bad. I'm wondering where the music playlist would come from. If I could sink it to Spotify, I could see this being awesome.

From the website:

Echo provides hands-free voice control for Amazon Music, Prime Music, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn. Plus, Echo is Bluetooth-enabled so you can stream other popular music services like Spotify, iTunes, and Pandora from your phone or tablet.

 

[Farnsworth]

Thanks for the info, I may pull the trigger too! I think I'm going to once I research syncing it to decent speakers as well.

I had this thought at home though (tin foil hat). Is the $100 fee really just a ruse to get you to think you are paying for a product and the technology when really they love these in your home as it's listening to everything you say 24/7 and collecting tons of market data based off what you tell it.

 

[1100011CS]

Thanks for the info, I may pull the trigger too! I think I'm going to once I research syncing it to decent speakers as well.

I had this thought at home though (tin foil hat). Is the $100 fee really just a ruse to get you to think you are paying for a product and the technology when really they love these in your home as it's listening to everything you say 24/7 and collecting tons of market data based off what you tell it.

It's possible. But who cares? As long as I get something useful and they don't start sending me a bunch of spam they can collect all the marketing info on me that they want. I doubt they'll like what we talk about anyway

 

[Farnsworth]

It's possible. But who cares? As long as I get something useful and they don't start sending me a bunch of spam they can collect all the marketing info on me that they want. I doubt they'll like what we talk about anyway

Haha very true, this is my thought as well whenever the topic gets brought up, hence I'll get the Echo if Amazon accepts me anyway. I also don't care what apps stalk my phone for marketing data, take whatever you want as long as it's not affecting me personally. I don't know why people get bent out of a shape, it's a good thing. Nothing wrong with targeted marketing, at least the **** you see will be relevant to you.

I know it's getting off the topic, but this sharing of data only gets bad when they give up personal communications (like facebook messages) which then gets hacked and shared with the world.

 

[steveocy]

If it had a battery so I didn't have to unplug it to move it from room to room I might jump on it.

Some day something like this will be part of a whole home automation package where you can have access to it in every room and each room can be independent of each other.

 

[Mtowncyclone13]

really minor thing here but I hate commercials where "normal people" are using products that haven't been marketed to the real world yet. How the heck does this "normal family" know about the Echo?

 

[iastatehunter]

I've already spent too much money on Christmas gifts or I would buy the Echo. I preordered the fireTV stick when it was half off for Prime users and it just came in today! Look forward to setting it up.

 

[GTO]

I've already spent too much money on Christmas gifts or I would buy the Echo. I preordered the fireTV stick when it was half off for Prime users and it just came in today! Look forward to setting it up.

Let me know how that one works out. I was interested, but then got a Chromecast instead. Since I cut off cable, I've found a site to watch live TV (any channel) and another for previous day's shows or older (kind of like my DVR). Just wondering how the FireTV stick works and if it is better than my Roku at streaming Amazon content.

 

[CycloneWarning]

I think it looks pretty cool. Thinking about getting one for my daughter, who is off to college next year.

But question for anyone that knows....sounds like you cannot load any Echo app on an iPhone (which is what the daughter has). If I bought this, can it even be set up without having a Kindle (which we don't)?

 

[Farnsworth]

Can you simple stream your computer screen with the Fire Stick? I've looked all over the internet for this and for some reason I can't get a straight answer. I want to do more than just apps.

 

[1100011CS]

Can you simple stream your computer screen with the Fire Stick? I've looked all over the internet for this and for some reason I can't get a straight answer. I want to do more than just apps.

I have one and I don't think that's possible. FWIW - I've replaced my Chromecast on my main TV with the Fire Stick. It does everything a Chromecast does (except tab casting which I never used) and more. And you don't need to have your phone or other device on you to use it. The remote works great.

 

[letsCYber]

http://www.amazon.com/oc/echo

Would be pretty cool to try out but $199 seems a little pricey.

I don't need Jeff Bezos listening to my every word & pushing me products 24-7. Amazon doesn't realize that no one needs more ways to buy their crap. The website is more than enough for me.

 

[xboxfever]

I am a prime member as well, but I have not received my echo invite. Damn. I really wanted one. :sad:

 

[Farnsworth]

I have one and I don't think that's possible. FWIW - I've replaced my Chromecast on my main TV with the Fire Stick. It does everything a Chromecast does (except tab casting which I never used) and more. And you don't need to have your phone or other device on you to use it. The remote works great.

Sounds like my smart tv already does 95% of that. I just want to stream movies I downloaded from one room to another without wiring it up.

 

[dmclone]

Did anyone get one of these? I just got an invitation to buy it ($99 with Prime) and I'm considering pulling the trigger but I'm wondering how well it actually works and if the sound is decent.

Damn, I wish I got an invite. Of course I'd have to do a CBA on it first./

 

[1100011CS]

So, I've had my Echo for a couple days now and really liking it. The sound is pretty good especially compared to our crappy under-cabinet radio/cd player. It's pretty amazing what it can recognize for voice commands. My wife is usually skeptical of the gadgets I buy (and I buy a lot) but she is loving this and wants to get another one for her mother for Christmas. Her favorite feature is the shopping list. She can just say "Alexa, add milk to my shopping list" and it will get added on her phone.
If you have music on Amazon it is real easy to play anything from your library (or Prime). It's been spotty on finding music you don't already have.
My favorite is the Flash Brief. When I enter the kitchen in the morning I just say "Alexa, flash brief" and she starts with NPR news and then whatever else I have setup (BBC, sports, tech, weather, etc...).
They are supposed to add more features later. One that I'm hoping for is to be able to connect to my Google calendar so it can tell me my schedule for the day.

So, for $99(prime) it's a steal. Not sure I would fork over $199 though.

Oh, my kids really love the 'Tell me a joke' feature. Her jokes are pretty bad but they get a kick out of it.

 

[Farnsworth]

Hurry up Prime and select me to get it at $99.

 

[CyJam]

Let me know how that one works out. I was interested, but then got a Chromecast instead. Since I cut off cable, I've found a site to watch live TV (any channel) and another for previous day's shows or older (kind of like my DVR). Just wondering how the FireTV stick works and if it is better than my Roku at streaming Amazon content.

Does your live TV site include sports? That's the only thing keeping me from cutting the cord.

 

[cyadict]

I just got my invitation to buy the Amazon Echo. I was just wondering what others that have had it for a little while think about it? Quick question..does it work with apple products at all??