Echo Auto

[susandennis]

This is mainly for jocosa who asked...

It finally got here at 2. Geesh. Dear Amazon delivery map, I wish I could quit you. But, I can't.

And, sadly, I'm afraid that I will not be able to take this hardware and sling it back into Amazon's face as punishment for making me wait so long for one of their stupid invitations to buy. First test says I'll be keeping and enjoying it.

The Roav Bolt (a similar gizmo that cost twice as much and uses Google Assistant instead of Alexa) was easy to install and worked great. The problem with it is Google Assistant. It could be, in fairness, that I'm just not Google Assistant friendly. But, it's always hated me and still does.

I want to get in the car to go to the pool and say Good Morning and have it give me the weather, the traffic report and then the news. (Google's list of news sources is impossible. And has only one from the Pacific Northwest and that's the Tacoma paper.) It mostly always starts right up with the weather and the traffic and then I get 'from the Tacoma News Tribune ' and then nothing. If I then give it the preferred command 'listen to the news', I get OK Here's the News. From the Tacoma News Tribune and that's all. About once every 20 tries I get the full news.

The Echo Auto is cute. And is small enough to sit nicely in my car which is kind of a miracle in itself. I don't have that many places for shit to sit. (The Roav is just the cigarette lighter plug.)

It was dirt simple to install. I mean really a little anti climatic. I set up my Good Morning routine and tried it out. (Alexa has far better news sources.) and it ran through them fine and dandy. Although the Seattle Times is read by a robot and sounds pretty hilarious. How, does Alexa know where I 'work'?? I know how Google knows. But, did it tell Alexa? hmmmm

It also serves as the bluetooth receiver for everything so I can use it for Google maps and Google music and anything else on my phone in addition to all the Alexa tricks. I am just so much more comfortable with Alexa and how she operates and she really does like me lots. She never doesn't listen and always does what I want and nicely. Google Assistant could take lessons.

Both of them, by the way, require that your car radio stay in AUX mode. So, you can't listen to the radio and ask Alexa anything. She will ignore you. People on Reddit think this is a problem. I don't. One of the reasons I want this is so that I do not have to listen to the radio any more.

So... jocosa check in with me along about Friday to make sure, but I think you might have to break that box open after all.

Comments

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

Fascinating reading about this stuff. I had the exact opposite day as my housemate/business partner got a new Samsung Galaxy S10 and she was trying to figure out how to turn Samsung's assistant Bixby off. As she's partially sighted it would actually be really useful for her to be able to use voice commands on the phone but both of us are completely squicked out by the idea of it listening all the time. We found we were whispering so it didn't hear us:).

[susandennis]

hahaha then for sure don't get an Echo. It has a whisper mode!! You whisper to it and it will whisper back.

I cannot imagine who/what would be at all interested in listening to me but if they want to, fine. I get much worth from all the stuff that Google and Amazon know about me. I wish they knew more! LISTEN UP, GUYS!!

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know there's probably no actual risk at all, but... I think it must be reading 1984 at a formative age. I was so horrified by the idea of constant surveillance in the house that I can't bring myself to invite it in.

[jocosa]

Thank you for taking the time to give such great details! That bluetooth part is an unexpected bonus. I was worried that even if it did work well, it doesn't have my main music source, Play Music through Google. But it seems like that won't be a problem after all. I wonder if I can order another. My SO is not very tech savvy but this sounds like something even he could use really easily in his truck. But... I want one for me. My car has Android Auto but sometimes it just doesn't work that well, or listen well. And honestly, can one possibly have too many fun gadgets in a car? Nope!

Thanks, again! I'll wait to see how you fee a few days from now, then maybe see if it will let me order a second one. I'll still be within the 7 day time frame.

[susandennis]

Meanwhile, can you request another invite, maybe?

One thing I learned this morning is that when it does not work, unlike Google, it explains 'your mobile device is not currently connected to the internet, please try again when it is'.

I will admit that the Roav does listen and respond better. BUT I don't like the responses!!

[jocosa]

It did let me request another invite. So maybe a year from today I'll get it. Lol. Amazon tracking says this one is in my mailbox. Time to take a peek. It's my first Amazon specific gadget.