Alexa Does Not Understand

[timbo]

I think that Echo is an amazing product - innovative and very useful.

The main problem I have is that it only seems to understand me around 66% of the time. When it understands me, it works great - but at other times, it's nothing but a source of frustration!

I have tried speaking naturally, loudly, slowly, carefully and the results are always around the 66% mark.

Here's an example. I have tried this question on many occasions, and around one in ten times, Alexa interprets it correctly.

"Alexa, who is John Astin?"

(He played Gomez Addams in the original Addams Family). I have submitted feedback to Amazon but in my opinion, they are probably been inundated with feedback and simply cannot deal with it all.

It's a shame the Voice Training feature has been removed, as that may have helped. Anyway, I will carry on asking who is John Astin and one day, we might improve on the current 10% success rate!

I think the technology will be vastly better in say five years time - I wish I had access to a time machine!

[strayfish]

Keep going, she got it right first time for me just now

[DParker]

It's a shame the Voice Training feature has been removed, as that may have helped.

Voice Training is still present in my copy of the app.

[renegade600]

just asked about John Astin and no problems.  any background noise in the room that can interfere?

[mike27oct]

I just asked and was told he is an English footballer.

I asked a Dot, but all my gadgets understand me, US English, and I hardly ever have this issue.  This weekend it did not understand a 10 YO grandson, whose diction could be a lot better, so that was not a problem with the gadget; the problem is with the kid.