Amazon Echo - Music

madlyn

Just found the Amazon echo music plan £3.99 a month, 40 million songs but can only be used on a single echo device.

pulliptears

We have a main Echo in the lounge and dots around the house. She (yes, we call her she) is used daily. An average day for me would be:

Wake up, (Bedroom) Alexa turn on the kettle (she turns on a Kasa plug in the kitchen and boils the kettle)

Whilst I'm getting dressed, 'Alexa, whats my flash briefing?' This gives me the news. Following this I'll check the weather then go to the kitchen where my boiled kettle awaits and make tea.

Kitchen Dot is then told to add milk/tea/sugar/cereal to my shopping list.

Living room alexa plays my classic rock playlist (we have a family spotify account).

Throughout the day I find myself asking random things, whats 9stone 2 in kilos for example.

Evening comes, Alexa living room lights 40% She then dims the lights to my required percentage. Alexa, set lights to movie. Lights can go to a set scene such as a deep blue.
Kids leave landing light on yet again "alexa, turn landing light off'. It's winter, bit chilly, 'Alexa, turn thermostat to 22 degrees'.

Get into bed, Alexa, play my bedtime playlist (storms, rain etc). Finally, Alexa, turn off everything.

She is what you make of her. To have her working as we do we've added the Tado Heating system, Philips Hue Bulbs and Kasa Switches. We're moving home soon and hope to add door locks to the new home so theoretically she can unlock the door and let visitors in.

Whilst initially voice controlling lights and devices is a bit of a gimmick it's surprising how quickly you become lazy ��

Dreamnine

Shrimply wrote: »

Hi guys,

So just after a bit of advice. I got given an echo as a present, which in fairness isn't a bad gift as I do like gadgets but it's not something I'd have bought myself. I can't see what it can do that my phone can't but with the benefit of a visual display.

I think being used to Google on my phone I actually find Alexa pretty naff, people say she is good at listening but sometimes what she "hears" isn't even remotely like what I've asked for. Maybe it's it Scottish accent but again Google never seems to have a problem.

I have her set up in the kitchen and have found her useful for adding things to my shopping list, timers and getting a brief news update while I'm making a cup of tea.

I've also used her a little to listen to the radio but she seems useless at selecting a radio station by genre, she can play an 80's radio station. But ask her for a 90's one, a rock one, a classical one, nothing. She also can't get my local radio station Tay FM. I get t.f.m, b.f.m, dream.f.m. But never what I actually want and there seems to be a frustrating lack of a way to correct her mistake, vocally or in the app, which would surely be useful in her learning process. This really confuses me, you can note in the app that she didn't do what you wanted, but not actually tell her what you did want.

Anyway the actual question was about music, requesting songs and playlists is something I might actually use her for. But I don't currently pay for a premium music service, and I'm a bit reluctant about doing so. My music provider of choice is Deezer, which I maybe wouldn't have been against paying for, but again this is not supported.

So that leaves Spotify or a flavour of Amazon music. And I was wondering if anyone had any opinions on which was my best choice. I believe I can get Amazon unlimited just on the echo for £3.99 a month, but my understanding is that you have no visual way to manage playlists or anything using this option.

I'm a student, so I could pay the £39 for Amazon prime and try Amazon music, or pay the extra for their unlimited service. Which seems like a decent deal

That was pretty long winded but any advice or thoughts would be appreciated.

I had an Amazon Echo and the Google Home assistant is far superior: I can play Radio Tay or any other station; play any song from Google Play Music; plus, it has sequential inference thus making conversations a lot easier.

Shrimply

Dreamnine wrote: »

I had an Amazon Echo and the Google Home assistant is far superior: I can play Radio Tay or any other station; play any song from Google Play Music; plus, it has sequential inference thus making conversations a lot easier.

From my phone that is not surprising at all. It's amazing how many times I've read that people would choose the Echo over Google Home though. It's just a shame that google don't do a dot type product or I might have convinced the gift giver that that would be a better option.

Doshwaster

Dreamnine wrote: »

I had an Amazon Echo and the Google Home assistant is far superior: I can play Radio Tay or any other station; play any song from Google Play Music; plus, it has sequential inference thus making conversations a lot easier.

It does seem that Google Home is cleverer but the advantage Amazon has at present is that the Echo/Dot has a bigger ecosystem of third party gadgets though Google is catching up quickly. I just wish Google would give their assistant a proper name as saying "OK, Google" just doesn't sound natural.

Apparently the second generation Google Home will include a wi-fi router/extender: http://bgr.com/2017/04/06/google-home-2-release-date-and-features/

Only only bought the Dot on Prime Day as it was cheap and an introduction to voice automation in the home but I suspect that long term, Google Home will be the answer.

Shrimply

Doshwaster wrote: »

Apparently the second generation Google Home will include a wi-fi router/extender: http://bgr.com/2017/04/06/google-home-2-release-date-and-features/

I can't see much benefit in this at all really, apart from the fact it would presumably allow a wired connection. As a router it reduces where it can be placed. As a wireless extender it feels like adding something for the sake of it, more to go wrong. I might be missing something though.

The echo dot is a brilliant product because it means it can be sat anywhere, for me it is most useful in the kitchen but I couldn't fit a full sized echo, or google home in there.

Hopefully google have something similar in mind.

WilliamsA

I am going to share my Spotify Music experience with Amazon Echo. I am the Free users because I am the Apple Music subscriber so I have looked for the way to play Spotify Music with Amazon Echos and finally I got my TuneFab Spotify Music Converter for playing Spotify Music on Amazon Echo. That's amazing!

bertiewhite

We use our Echo daily (it was received as a present as well), mainly for radio and "she" has no problem detecting "Radio Ceredigion", "Planet Rock", "Kerrang" or Radio 2, 4 etc.

We also use her to add items to a shopping list which I can then look at on my phone through the Alexa app. The weather forecast is quite useful and we have also asked her where the nearest cinema is.