Sending commands to Alexa(dot) via iPhone app

[garyyoung]

I tried it and no luck. Used "Living Room" which is my device name. Alexa has no idea what that is.  You would think that if it was possible with the iPhone to communicate from an app that the Alexa App itself would have a microphone, but it does not.   Hmmmm tech support might know.

It's possible "living room" is too ambiguous -- alexa wouldn't know that you're addressing one of your devices. I would try, "Play such-and-such on my echo dot living room." Alexa has some ability to deal with contextual information. For instance, I tell Alexa to play something "on my echo dot" even though that's not the exact name I assigned to the dot.

[mike27oct]

Remote for Alexa devices alert:

All this chit-chat inspired me to use the Echo Remote today that came with the Echo. After three years of little use, the Duracell batteries were dead. Replaced with same battery and same expire date (2025) and it worked again.  Seems the batteries can get drained even if remote hardly used.  Hmm.

[chau925]

Hi. Did u try an app called Reverb? it connects to your Alexa account and u may use the app to voice control your Alexa.

[DGorvetzian]

@chau925...  I tried using Reverb a while ago and, when I tried it, I could do certain things (e.g. control lights), but I couldn't get Reverb to play music.  I was convinced that Reverb talks to your Alexa *account*, but not your device itself.

So why, I've been asked, would someone want Echo to play music if you're not in or near the room where the device is?  Simple: My Echo Dot is connected to my whole-house audio system.  So it streams music and broadcasts via BT to a BT receiver hooked to my whole-house audio.  When I'm upstairs listening to music, I don't want to have to run downstairs to tell Alexa to skip to the next song or pause playing.

It has infuriated me that the Alexa app, which clearly talks directly to my device, can't simply deliver a voice message the same way that their $30 remote does.  Why do I want to carry around a remote?  I already carry my phone.

@GaryYoung...  THANK YOU!!!  I didn't realize the stupid *shopping app* had the ability to transmit commands directly to my *device*.  How this feature made it to the shopping app, but failed to make it to the Alexa app, is simply beyond me.  But heck, I'm just thrilled that it works!  I now have remote access to my Echo Dot wherever I am.  "Alexa, who is singing the song that is playing on my Echo Dot?"  Can't believe that actually worked!!

[kenf]

also, there's an app (or two) that run on the iPhone and let you say your command and it relays to the Echo network.

https://www.howtogeek.com/253621/how-to-control-your-amazon-echo-from-anywhere/