Amazon you need to change the way we use skills

[Pagemakers]

I've been an Echo user since the beginning and I like the device very much but now Echo has Google and no doubt Apple on their tail. If Amazon wants to stay ahead they need to make Alexa significantly smarter.

The way skills are implemented need some drastic overhaul.

Get rid of the ask [app name] [some statement]. 

With only 3 or 4 apps installed (out of hundreds) I still can't even remember their names and what I can ask.  Instead of "ask trainline what is the next train to work" I should be able to say "Alexa when is the next train to London".  Instead of "Alexa TRIGGER the bedroom TV on" - "Alexa turn the bedroom TV on". Instead of "Alexa ask Genie what is my horoscope today" - "Alexa what is my horoscope today". As more apps come online this will only get worse not better.

Echo is good but it hasn't evolved since inception.  Amazon just keep releasing more and more skills but the more they release the more impossible and illogical the system is to use.

Skills are the single thing I'd change about Echo.

[Snafs]

I agree about the ask something to ask something issue.

This could/can/does get to the point of getting way too complicated.
These devices are all about making lives simple, and if you ask a question the answer should be given to you, without you needing to remember which skill to ask for first.

There may be times this would be needed, but Alexa could help, by asking you where you want to get the info from.

I think we have UK train timetables and football scores etc skills, really you should be able to ask stuff like this without needing to add in extra speech commands.

I love the Echo, I don't really want to be saying "OK Google" all evening, so I really REALLY home Amazon are going all out to turn this from a great to an amazing product.

[DParker]

I've been an Echo user since the beginning and I like the device very much but now Echo has Google and no doubt Apple on their tail. If Amazon wants to stay ahead they need to make Alexa significantly smarter.

The way skills are implemented need some drastic overhaul.

Get rid of the ask [app name] [some statement]. 

With only 3 or 4 apps installed (out of hundreds) I still can't even remember their names and what I can ask.  Instead of "ask trainline what is the next train to work" I should be able to say "Alexa when is the next train to London".  Instead of "Alexa TRIGGER the bedroom TV on" - "Alexa turn the bedroom TV on". Instead of "Alexa ask Genie what is my horoscope today" - "Alexa what is my horoscope today". As more apps come online this will only get worse not better.

Echo is good but it hasn't evolved since inception.  Amazon just keep releasing more and more skills but the more they release the more impossible and illogical the system is to use.

I agree that the management of 3rd party skills and the way they're invoked both need serious improvement, but it's not even remotely true that Echo/Alexa hasn't evolved since initial release.  From the rapid expansion of integration with home automation systems to little improvements like the recent implementation of ESP there has been steady stream of functionality enhancements and general improvements to the system.[/quote]

[Beetle-Snake]

100% agree. I really hope they have thought this through. Amazon makes a huge deal of their 3000+ skills but their clunky mechanics are annoying and 99% are either useless or broken. I hope we see some big improvements over the next few months.

[DParker]

...and 99% are either useless or broken.

True enough.  But then again, those aren't skills implemented by Amazon.  Those are written mostly by users who have opted to make them public, and a few by businesses (like Fidelity and Dominos).

[Pagemakers]

Then Amazon need to take more control over the skills API.

Skill usage at the moment is a mess.

[DParker]

Then Amazon need to take more control over the skills API.

Skill usage at the moment is a mess.

There are two very different issues that are being conflated here.  I already agreed that the method of invoking skills needs improvement.  But blaming the usefulness/quality of skills that users choose to implement on Amazon is silly.  That's like complaining about Apple/Google because most iOS/Android apps suck.

[Focuser]

I've been an Echo user since the beginning and I like the device very much but now Echo has Google and no doubt Apple on their tail. If Amazon wants to stay ahead they need to make Alexa significantly smarter.

The way skills are implemented need some drastic overhaul.

Get rid of the ask [app name] [some statement]. 

With only 3 or 4 apps installed (out of hundreds) I still can't even remember their names and what I can ask.  Instead of "ask trainline what is the next train to work" I should be able to say "Alexa when is the next train to London".  Instead of "Alexa TRIGGER the bedroom TV on" - "Alexa turn the bedroom TV on". Instead of "Alexa ask Genie what is my horoscope today" - "Alexa what is my horoscope today". As more apps come online this will only get worse not better.

Echo is good but it hasn't evolved since inception.  Amazon just keep releasing more and more skills but the more they release the more impossible and illogical the system is to use.

Skills are the single thing I'd change about Echo.

New user, and totally agree, I love this thing, but I cannot memorize every single command!

[Snafs]

What we really need is that Amazon/AI knows what info is in the skills and goes there if it needs to.

"Alexa, what is look at my horse, my horse is amazing"

Currently no idea.

but someone could write a skill which tells you about the original Flash based animation/tunes/music.

Amazon would know this when they APPROVE/ADD? the skill, so the Echo should pick the info from the skill for you.

Or it's just the poor search engine/database.

Anyone got one, try asking google home about "look at my horse, my horse is amazing"   

[Focuser]

I've been an Echo user since the beginning and I like the device very much but now Echo has Google and no doubt Apple on their tail. If Amazon wants to stay ahead they need to make Alexa significantly smarter.

The way skills are implemented need some drastic overhaul.

Get rid of the ask [app name] [some statement]. 

With only 3 or 4 apps installed (out of hundreds) I still can't even remember their names and what I can ask.  Instead of "ask trainline what is the next train to work" I should be able to say "Alexa when is the next train to London".  Instead of "Alexa TRIGGER the bedroom TV on" - "Alexa turn the bedroom TV on". Instead of "Alexa ask Genie what is my horoscope today" - "Alexa what is my horoscope today". As more apps come online this will only get worse not better.

Echo is good but it hasn't evolved since inception.  Amazon just keep releasing more and more skills but the more they release the more impossible and illogical the system is to use.

Skills are the single thing I'd change about Echo.

New user, and totally agree, I love this thing, but I cannot memorize every single command!

Totally Agree, try showing this unit off to your friends, while holding a cheat sheet in your hands.