Alexa list app discussion (was: I'm not a fanboi)

[coyote]

I'm a new user of Alexa and new to this forum, hi everyone!

But I'm an old hand where apps are concerned. Wife and I have been using Wunderlist for years for a shared shopping list. It's a great cross-platform product. But it does not integrate with Alexa, which I got a couple weeks ago.

And therefore, we are moving to any.do. It has an advantage in that it not only integrates, but does both the Alexa shopping and to-do lists natively. So merely saying "Alexa, add cider to my shopping list" makes cider pop up in the appropriate place on my iPad, my android phone, her android phone, and her work iPhone. Saying "add polish the silverware to my to-do list" does likewise.

Sometimes, change is very good indeed. I'll still use Wunderlist for many things. But this is such a seamless integration that we'd be foolish to stay with Wunderlist for those lists at this time.

[Kyle76]

Does this populate the native iOS to-do list and calendar?

[coyote]

Does this populate the native iOS to-do list and calendar?

Dunno about the IOS to-do list, but if you have a google account and it is one of your IOS email accounts you can certainly have a direct link. I have that. I say "Alexa, put dentist next Friday at 5pm on my calendar" and it shows up on my iPad within seconds.

[coyote]

Update: any.do does not update or sync correctly. It's unfortunate, because its display concept for the to-do and shopping lists is perfect.... and it allows you to easily delete all completed items. But if it won't sync, it's useless.

So we just moved to todolist. It syncs within about ten seconds. And its widget, while not as good as any.do, is good enough.


We are ordinarily not this fickle

EDIT: I modified the thread title, in case folks are looking for a thread that discusses this.

[malliekm]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and to Echo (Dot).  I'm just starting to add Skills.  First, I'm guessing Echo and Echo Dot are the same in this sense?  From what I've read the only difference is the size of the speakers.  I'd like to be able to tell Echo to add (milk) to my shopping list (on my phone).   I don't want to use the Alexa Shopping/To Do List.  Coyote, are you saying you've installed an app on your phone and Alexa can communicate with that app?  I found a todolist in the play store but didn't find a Skill for todolist.
Thanks

[mike27oct]

First of all welcome, and there are more important differences between Echos and Dots than size of speakers.  Check the Help at top of Amazon home page and locate Device Help.

For someone who has used these gadgets for over two years, the shopping list for Alexa is just fine.  The shopping list for Alexa is on the phone, too, in the Alexa app.  It works very well, and my wife uses it all the time, and even when she is at the store I can add something to the list and she can see it immediately on the app.  Why not give it a shot and try out your new gadget's cool feature before brushing it off?

[renegade600]

for your wunderlist, check out ifttt.  there are some apps that for echo/wunderlist shopping list

https://ifttt.com/applets/286013p-add-amazon-echo-shopping-list-items-to-wunderlist

[coyote]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and to Echo (Dot).  I'm just starting to add Skills.  First, I'm guessing Echo and Echo Dot are the same in this sense?  From what I've read the only difference is the size of the speakers.  I'd like to be able to tell Echo to add (milk) to my shopping list (on my phone).   I don't want to use the Alexa Shopping/To Do List.  Coyote, are you saying you've installed an app on your phone and Alexa can communicate with that app?  I found a todolist in the play store but didn't find a Skill for todolist.
Thanks

I am using the Alexa shopping and to-do lists. They work well enough on their own; my issue is that they don't work across multiple accounts. In other words, the only way to share an Alexa list on the Alexa app itself is for everyone to be logged into the same account. Whereas with Wunderlist, multiple accounts were able to share a single list. But of course Wunderlist is ignoring Alexa entirely; it's not on their radar at all at the moment. (Renegade, look below for my experience with Wunderlist.)

That problem is solved with Alexa by integrating other apps. If you look at the Accounts section of the Settings area of your Alexa app, you'll see 'Lists'. Simply choose Todoist from there, and follow the instructions. You will see the Alexa shopping list in Todoist... you can then share that list with anyone else you'd like. Send them an invite, and if they say 'yes' the Todoist app will load for them.

Then the magic happens: when you say "Alexa, add milk to my shopping list" it will do that.... and within a few moments, it will also populate to your Todoist! As well as on the Todoist of your shared family/friends.



As for Wunderlist and Alexa via IFTTT, I find it entirely unsatisfactory. It takes many minutes, sometimes as long as an hour, to send your stuff over.... and then it just sends to the Wunderlist Inbox. Sorry, but when I add something to the Alexa shopping list I want it to quickly port over to the Shopping list of my lists app. With Wunderlist, I had to go and move stuff from my inbox to the appropriate shared shopping or to-do list. That is the opposite of productivity and convenience. Therefore, I had to make the change to a new List app.... one that integrates directly with Alexa, and works well. Todoist is the only list app right now that fits that bill.

[renegade600]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and to Echo (Dot).  I'm just starting to add Skills.  First, I'm guessing Echo and Echo Dot are the same in this sense?  From what I've read the only difference is the size of the speakers.  I'd like to be able to tell Echo to add (milk) to my shopping list (on my phone).   I don't want to use the Alexa Shopping/To Do List.  Coyote, are you saying you've installed an app on your phone and Alexa can communicate with that app?  I found a todolist in the play store but didn't find a Skill for todolist.
Thanks

I am using the Alexa shopping and to-do lists. They work well enough on their own; my issue is that they don't work across multiple accounts. In other words, the only way to share an Alexa list on the Alexa app itself is for everyone to be logged into the same account. Whereas with Wunderlist, multiple accounts were able to share a single list. But of course Wunderlist is ignoring Alexa entirely; it's not on their radar at all at the moment. (Renegade, look below for my experience with Wunderlist.)

That problem is solved with Alexa by integrating other apps. If you look at the Accounts section of the Settings area of your Alexa app, you'll see 'Lists'. Simply choose Todoist from there, and follow the instructions. You will see the Alexa shopping list in Todoist... you can then share that list with anyone else you'd like. Send them an invite, and if they say 'yes' the Todoist app will load for them.

Then the magic happens: when you say "Alexa, add milk to my shopping list" it will do that.... and within a few moments, it will also populate to your Todoist! As well as on the Todoist of your shared family/friends.



As for Wunderlist and Alexa via IFTTT, I find it entirely unsatisfactory. It takes many minutes, sometimes as long as an hour, to send your stuff over.... and then it just sends to the Wunderlist Inbox. Sorry, but when I add something to the

I am well aware of the time it takes for the shopping list to update and work with ifttt.  I only mentioned it as an option since they were already using wunderlist.  some do not mind the delay if it means the learning curve is not as much as it would be if everything was changed out.