Amazon Echo: How cool is this?

Jimbo18
Jimbo18 Posts: 2,337
in The Clubhouse
http://www.zdnet.com/article/amazon-echo-revisited-5-months-later/#ftag=YHFb1d24ec
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,005
    edited May 2015
    LOL....I was just gonna post that link too. Pretty cool little device there. Now why can't we get our stereo and TV to do the same thing ? Considering the cheap price point this thing is at, how hard would it be to incorporate into other devices and have everything work together. This link might help some too.

    http://www.amazon.com/oc/echo/ref_=ods_dp_ae
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,337
    tonyb wrote: »
    LOL....I was just gonna post that link too. Pretty cool little device there. Now why can't we get our stereo and TV to do the same thing ? Considering the cheap price point this thing is at, how hard would it be to incorporate into other devices and have everything work together. This link might help some too.

    http://www.amazon.com/oc/echo/ref_=ods_dp_ae

    To quote Gollum, "We wants it, Precious."

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  • drumminman
    drumminman Posts: 3,396
    Looks like a cool device, and I'm not really a techie.
    "Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
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  • vcwatkins
    vcwatkins Posts: 1,993
    I've had one since release. It's okay, nothing great... yet.

    I pretty much use it for just 3 things - timer, alarm, and weather - but I do use it every day. Music sounds pretty good for such a small speaker and is as easy to use as it gets. Similar SQ as a single Sonos Play1. Music is just not something I want to use it for.

    Info retrieval is poor beyond simple factoids. I rarely get an answer that's helpful. Dictionary function is sometimes helpful, but there is no thesaurus function. Commute traffic update is cool but not useful to me personally. I can add items to a shopping or to-do list and see the lists on my phone. That's pretty cool and I may use it more in the future. I get an email about every week about added features or functionality, but it has been minor stuff like thermostat integration.

    I'm really looking forward to meaningful device integration. I'd like to be able send video programming or music to a Fire TV or a book to a particular Kindle. When that's ready - and I doubt it's too far away - it'll definitely be worth more than 99 bucks.

    Craig
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  • scubalab
    scubalab Posts: 3,105
    Looks like they raised the price... it's now only $50 off for Prime members, so $149. Yeah, neat gadget, but, like SIRI, will it get old fast?

    Thanks for the review Craig!
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  • vmaxer
    vmaxer Posts: 5,117
    I hadn't heard of this, thanks for posting. I will wait a bit and see how it does before buying.
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    tonyb wrote: »
    LOL....I was just gonna post that link too. Pretty cool little device there. Now why can't we get our stereo and TV to do the same thing ? Considering the cheap price point this thing is at, how hard would it be to incorporate into other devices and have everything work together. This link might help some too.

    http://www.amazon.com/oc/echo/ref_=ods_dp_ae
    Why are we focussing on devices like then when we could all be focussing on turning ocean water into drinking water?

    See what I did there? :smiley:

    In all seriousness though, this is a cool device (I've got one here) but in the grand scheme of things isn't all that much more important than a smart watch...
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,005
    LOL.....Touché pal.

    It is a nifty device though if that's your bag. However for me....putting everything I do in the "cloud" isn't something that makes me say "oh goody".
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • chumlie
    chumlie Posts: 8,658
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    tonyb wrote: »
    LOL....I was just gonna post that link too. Pretty cool little device there. Now why can't we get our stereo and TV to do the same thing ? Considering the cheap price point this thing is at, how hard would it be to incorporate into other devices and have everything work together. This link might help some too.

    http://www.amazon.com/oc/echo/ref_=ods_dp_ae
    Why are we focussing on devices like then when we could all be focussing on turning ocean water into drinking water?

    See what I did there? :smiley:

    In all seriousness though, this is a cool device (I've got one here) but in the grand scheme of things isn't all that much more important than a smart watch...

    Here ya go. Interesting doc on the device on Netflix titled Slingshot.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slingshot_(water_vapor_distillation_system)
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    Of course, it 'listens' to everything you say. A little software tweak, and it sends it to a central database for whatever purpose. Say the secret word and win NSA surveillance.
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  • sarnella
    sarnella Posts: 30
    "Daisy, Daisy give me your answer please.
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