Newest Alexa app: features and frustrations

[daneyuleb]

It's a cool feature I'm still getting the hang of.  But--biggest frustration:

Why no TAP support???

They barely mention it's not supported, but Amazon lists only the dot and echo (and show) in their info about the feature, and on a few 3rd party sites on the net it IS mentioned that it's not supported, but no reason is ever given.

Doesn't make sense as now that the Tap has the hands-free feature it works just like any other Echo device. It's my workroom Alexa, and is the one I reaaaally wanted this feature for.  Hope it's coming real soon.

[iolinux333]

1.  Amazon will you please enable the microphone over Bluetooth so I can just use Echo as a speakerphone like I can use my five year old $20 Bluetooth speaker or ANY other modern Bluetooth speaker?

2.  I just tested the calling and messaging features and they work well, but with about a 0.7 second latency, which I'm sure will be super annoying. You need to get that down. Google Voice, for example has made GREAT strides in reducing latency.

3.  No one else in my LARGE number of contacts seems to have this working yet. I'm the earliest adopter here I guess. Sigh.

[iolinux333]

Oh and

4.  Agree with above about the Tap.  There's no reason any more to separate it out from the rest of Alexa. It needs full feature set TODAY.  there's no reason at all for it to have a crippled feature set.

[iolinux333]

I can use it as an intercom by asking the nearest Alexa to call myself.  Then any other Alexa can be used to answer. The two are then connected. It seems to have excellent feedback cancellation. Also I can make calls from the Alexa app. Voice quality is excellent.

Amazon finally made it clear to the world that excellent MICROPHONE is the killer feature. They finally gave Apple a clue - the Airpods are the first Apple product ever with decent mics.

[iolinux333]

OK final verdict:

Still useless as a speakerphone. I can't call anyone with it.

AMAZON TURN ON THE DAMN BLUETOOTH MICROPHONE SO I CAN USE MY ECHO TO CALL PEOPLE!!!

If Google adds Google Voice to Google Home, and Alexa still won't let me call regular phones somehow, I'll ditch Amazon for Google in a nanosecond.

Since Amazon started charging me sales tax I've hardly bought anything at all from Amazon and have been going to cheaper online retailers, so Prime is already of far less value to me now.  Google has a big chance to steal me away by adding Google Voice to Home.

[mike27oct]

@Monica:  Beginner's luck; just keep trying; practice makes perfect.

On a previous statement of mine, I said new app calling features are not in the iPad app, but this is likely because my iPad has no phone features.  I checked the app in my Kindle Fire tablets, and no new app yet.  New calling features likely will not be included, because again, no phone feature for the Kindles I have.

[malliekm]

Actually "Monica" is ME.  So I don't know why the kitchen Dot SCREAMED "Monica wants to talk!".  If i woke anyone up, they haven't mentioned it.  Part of the company left today, the other half will be leaving on Sat.  Once I recuperate, I'll be figuring out the new Call/Messaging feature.  I don't call or message many people with an Echo so I'm wondering if you guys think that in the near future this will expand to work with people that don't have an Echo.  Using the Mastermind app, I'm already able to make phone calls and send texts thru Alexa (but Alexa isn't a speaker in this case).

[iolinux333]

@Monica:  Beginner's luck; just keep trying; practice makes perfect.

On a previous statement of mine, I said new app calling features are not in the iPad app, but this is likely because my iPad has no phone features.  I checked the app in my Kindle Fire tablets, and no new app yet.  New calling features likely will not be included, because again, no phone feature for the Kindles I have.

No new app for the old Nexus 7 I keep on a stand next to the Echo. I wonder if the Android version is just too old.

[malliekm]

@Monica:  Beginner's luck; just keep trying; practice makes perfect.

Beginners luck?  Heck, I don't even know what I did or if I achieved the desired result LOLOL
I had to shut it down in case I did it again while everyone (but me) was sleeping.  [/size]

ps (sorry for the text size AB) I bought a Google Home yesterday 

[mike27oct]

No problem with text size; same as other messages, in fact you reduced it too small at last comment. Return to default font.

So, you bought a Home?  Is is any good?

[malliekm]

I haven't had much time to use it yet. Super super simple to setup. Nice rich bass tone. Sounds like or better than Dot when it's connected to my Jawbone Jambox.  Alexa has her weaknesses, not many, but she does. I bought a Google home to fill in the blanks😊

[mike27oct]

So what's next to get; the full size Echo?

[malliekm]

No interest in getting the full size Echo.
I'm truly not an audiophile. And I lied about the sound from the Google home. It does have a nice rich base but the clarity is not as good as my Jambox

Mike, what do ya know about Wi-Fi home circuit breakers?

[mike27oct]

I presume the Home and Echo sound similar, and most all will sound better thru a quality BT speaker.  Also, Echos are $30 off right now.

Never heard of wi-fi circuit breakers. but I do know that if certain circuit breakers keep blowing one has a problem due to faulty circuit breaker, or more likely overload of gadgets on the circuit.  Either reduce the load on circuit or have electrician add another circuit breaker and split circuit in two.

[scottrods]

So far all I can tell about the wi fi Circuiit breakers are they are not circuit breakers at all... but energy usage monitors. Don't know why they called 'em breakers... unless (My reading only led me to the monitoring stuff... there may be more to them) there's an actual breaker involved as well...

I like the monitoring thing for sure and if I had children living at home, I'd probably invest in one. But for now, I have a lot of LED lighting that drove my consumption down a HUGE amount from the Incandescent lights of the past... I tried Compact Fluorescent bulbs first, but had a tin of them die in short time spans... as soon as LED bulbs became more affordable (Yeah... that's a laugh, huh?) I bought about 100 bux worth and have likely saved 4 times that in 2 years. SO buying HUE bulbs now is a no brainer for us... they cost a fortune, but they offer more than just light and energy savings, so That made them perfect... I digress...

As far as energy saving ideas, just run around your house and unplug anything you haven't used in the last hour or so and see if that doesn't slow the bleeding. The biggest items for most folks are AC/Heating units, Electric Ovens/Stoves, and Clothes Washing and Drying Equipment... Since you can't completely avoid those weekly at least, you have to look elsewhere... The Smart Circuit breakers are coming and they will be able to help you determine what items are screwing you out of your hard earned money though... The cost of them is a bit high, but if you actually use them to trim down enegy usage, they will pay for themselves quickly.