SWMBO bought me an Amazon Echo for Christmas, and it's already escalating. I've already connected Alexa to my car so she can tell me on command if its locked/unlocked, how much fuel is left in it, turn on the ventilation and various other stuff. She can ping my Tiles to locate my wallet, keys or phone on command. I've also re-purposed an old Raspberry Pi I had lying around and set that up with the OpenHab smart home hub system which I'm still fiddling with, but looks to have huge potential to "drive" various internet connected devices from one place.
I've also bought a couple of smart switches off Amazon so I can use Alexa to turn a couple of room lamps on and off. There are some WiFi bulbs arriving later today as well. Frivolous and a bit silly, but huge fun.
So, who else has one of these things, and what cool stuff have they done with it?
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I got a Google Home device for Christmas. I asked for it, because they were cheap on the day, knowing I probably won't have much real-world use for it except idle curiosity and technical dabbling. I've always been quiet keen on home automation but adapting an old home really is too much of a challenge for me at the moment (and cost) so for now I will content myself with asking her what the weather is like, as I'm sitting looking out of the window.
The one thing which does bug me a bit is that I need a premium music service to play music, despite me having my music in the Google cloud. Mind you, I have better devices to play it on anyway!! :-)
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I have to hold my hand up and admit to being totally hopeless with technical stuff as mentioned. Fine tuning my TV settings is about as complicated as I like to get...we’re all different thank goodness. Boxing Day I had an enjoyable 4 hour afternoon walk from my front door over Smearsett Scar with glorious views west to the Lakes. Wednesday a pal and I walked from his home over Ingleborough in bitterly cold windy weather, and on some parts we almost needed flexible crampons. A nice 14 mile circular, finishing the walk in the dark at 6pm with our head torches.
Snowed off today, should have been meeting friends in the southern Lakes at 9 AM for another 14 miler but it’s still snowing here so no point risking it. Instead buying and selling within my share portfolio ( sold SGP bought RBGmore to follow) then a local walk, Gym, sauna, beer.
Apologies for thread drift
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Oddly L. A present to myself was a book on the "Old North" and the Brythonic link to that particular area. Just arrived. May necessitate a trip to the Lakes !
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Who needs an Alexa when one has an excellent wifey! - can Alexa make a brew on demand, and do the shopping, cooking and cleaning? - often without a command from my armchair! ;-))
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Been seriously considering a dabble. May click to buy later. This is what we promised during the IT revolution in the 70s and 80s - still considering its worth. Amazon v. Google ....seeing as we have Amazon prime probably the former.
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I met Alexa just before Christmas at my in-laws. She was whining away in the background playing awful music very softly so I tried saying "Alexa, shut up!" and she did.
A waste of time and money I would say, but possibly fun for a few minutes if you haven't paid for it. I presume she is already primed with answers to questions like Are you beautiful? or Do you want to go out with me? or What is the meaning of life?
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42 Cliff. That's what my sister's Alexia said anyway
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Xmas day at a son's house - Alexa connected to lighting, central heating, TV/Speakers etc etc.
Bit clunky in places but it works.
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>> 42 Cliff. That's what my sister's Alexia said anyway
But did she understand the question?
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>>SWMBO bought me an Amazon Echo for Christmas, and it's already escalating... etc. etc.
I'm not sure I really understood a word of that post, nor why I should need to understand it. (Which is to say, I understand all the words, individually, but when they are stuck together in that particular order, they begin to lose meaning. Why do you need to turn on the ventilation and various other stuff when you're in the kitchen. What is pinging a Tiles.)
My car has a fuel gauge which I check when I drive. Never yet run out of fuel. My lights are operated by light switches. etc.
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You will be using it or something very like it in five years time.
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I have Alexa only by virtue of it coming with my Firestick and I also chucked it on the iPad and iPhone.
I don't have anything smart other than the Nest thermostat. I hooked it up to that. It works, but by the time I've found the iPad and launched the app, or found the Firestick remote and pressed the button, I've spent more time than just walking across the room to the thermostat. I suppose if I had a "proper Alexa" that you just talk to I might have used it, but I don't want a listening device ta.
If I ask the Firestick Alexa to play something on Spotify, it's "not supported on this device". Same if I ask it for a reminder or a timer.
So the only thing I've had of any worth out of it so far is a joke, which I enjoyed. (What do you get if you cross a pig with a centipede? Bacon and legs.)
Like others, I don't really feel attracted to a load of money and a load of faff and a load of techy support to make my lights turn on and off, or change to red. I've never needed a red light, and I think I can work the switch on the wall fine. As to the car stuff, I already have an app that sets a timer for the heater, and tells me the range. Good enough.
I've been trying to imagine exactly what I would use in a "smart" environment. I'm sure it's me, but I just can't think of anything, not even something that hasn't been invented yet.
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Too late for the edit, but after being so Luddite, I looked at OpenHab, from the OP's post. Interesting...
Thanks for that. Might make an Amazon dash button turn on a smart speaker that plays stuff until sunset. Just because you can.
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I read a warning in one of the Tech mags was around these type of 'talking' devices, basically when you ask any of them a question.... 'what is the best?....or 'where can I buy?'.... you are, by the nature of them, only ever going to get back a single response, which is usually sponsored, so the top most answer will be returned unlike when you view it on a screen where all of the options can be considered.
Although saying that I'm increasingly annoyed by Googles answers and the use of sponsored ads jumping up the search list.
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I'm not even considering owning Alexa or any other listening or controlling device.
They all seem like a potential loss of privacy to me and when I read stuff about Amazon considering granting third-party app developers access to transcripts of audio recordings saved by Alexa-powered devices* it gives me the heeby-jeebies.
It also seems like giving up your autonomy - having some robot-like device operate things for you. Are we never supposed to get out of our armchairs?
The same goes for the internet of things, which is all about the gathering and transmission of information pertaining to you and your environment.
I close the front of my webcam on my PC and disable the microphone when it's not in use and tighten up my privacy settings on Windows 10 as far as it's possible, so why would I want other things jeopardising my privacy?
*tinyurl.com/yb2dsq78
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I bought an Echo Dot when they were on offer six months ago, had it delivered and then thought - do I want to faff with setting it to control everything when the thermostat and light switches etc do a fine job already; and do I want a device sitting there listening to everything that is going on home, family work stuff - the answer was 'no' on both counts so it went back to Amazon.
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Bought the Alexa Fire Stick for £30 just before Christmas. Some reviews that might help anyone to decide whether it's worth it or not:
www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/av-accessories/amazon-fire-tv-stick-1274525/review
www.expertreviews.co.uk/amazon/amazon-fire-tv-stick
There's a warning though not to try and power it from a TV's USB port - use the proper power supply.
I also have Now TV, so well covered!!
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Just clicked to buy an Alexa - this thread tipped the balance ! The idea is that it will replace the radio in the kitchen. Having checked one out in the flesh earlier, find it will bluetooth to the built in speakers we have in the house. The Brennan may be retired.
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I Bluetooth to a much better set of speakers from the Dot. The only problem is that if you then airplay to the same speakers it confuses the Bluetooth connection and Alexa becomes mute. I have discovered though that you can fix this by asking Alexa to disconnect and then to connect.
As for the normal unit (not dot) I also have one of these and I concur with others that the sound isn’t great. It’s ok for radio and voice but for pop it’s a bit harsh and a bit disappointing imho.
The dot and a set of better external speakers provides a better experience.
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We already have four old fashioned speakers in the living areas of the house and outside on the patio. I'll need a small amp to bluetooth to. Get something from E-Bay and take it from there.
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Other option is to keep the Brennan which has around 500 albums on it - Use the Alexa in it's stand alone mode.
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Bought a couple because a relative we are caring for is going blind with age. Horrible really.
At least with Alexa she can ask it to read stories from audible, read bits of the bible (uploaded to amazon audio), play radio 4, Christmas carols etc. and finally turn the heating in her room up or down if she wants.
One doesn’t realise how difficult it is suddenly to do simple things like turn on the radio etc., and in this respect Alexa has been simply brilliant. The positives have far outweighed any privacy fears of amazon listening to everything.
Being a polar bear that likes the cold (despite growing up in the Far East) I didn’t appreciate too how much elderly folk feel the cold. So for the heating system I retro fitted the Honeywell Evo home kit which provides heating zone control for every room. The controller also links to their website which in turn has an alarm a skill to control it. It’s not mega cheap but then nothing wireless is. It may save some money in the long term as we can easily turn off rooms not in use but that was not my primary motive.
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We'll need to look at the heating system here in due course. A Nest device would make sense as well ;-)
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We really are going to evolve into blobs in glass jars, never moving, never walking, never needing to do anything for ourselves. The only excercise some get even now is standing up to switch something on or off. Take that away and they'll never move again.
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Or just maybe something like the matrix?
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Wish I could have found a blob in a glass jar to walk the 14 mile circular over Ingleborough for me two days ago. Almost catching hypothermia, being blown off the summit or breaking my leg on a limestone pavement.
I could have been at home playing with my 'nest' or some such gizmo.
Is that the time? Early doors @ 17:00 with chums. Ttfn
Last edited by: legacylad on Fri 29 Dec 17 at 16:48
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Oddly we were saying more or less the same thing earlier...
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>>The only excercise some get even now is standing up to switch something on or off
I'm an olde and aged pensioner and have walked for at least an hour every day this week - even in this 'king awful weather.
(*_*)
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Do you do the 10,0000 steps a day thing Dog? Been doing that myself.
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>> Do you do the 10,0000 steps a day thing Dog? Been doing that myself.
Got a fitbit too have we?
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No, use free Pacer App on phone. Up to 1,423,197 steps since end of August.
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>>Do you do the 10,0000 steps a day thing Dog?
I do have an Omron 'walking style' step counter, but it's remembering to use the damn thing (early onset?)
What I do walking-wise in one to one and a half hours would take the average bear twice as long to do.
I walk as if I'm being followed by a paranoid schitzo with a large knife, it's akin to jogging really I suppose.
Jogging is good, but it has to be done properly. Most people I see are actually running, and there's a difference.
Jogging puts less strain (less impact) on the ole joints.
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Try the Pacer App. It records automatically providing of cause you normally take your phone with you. As you say to get maximum cardiac benefit you need to walk briskly which I do for at least part of my walk. Sometimes I walk just for the relaxation though. It’s a bit wet for one of my my favourite walk through through the marshes at the moment though. It’ll be a town walk against today a
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Sat 30 Dec 17 at 09:11
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The Omron step counter has to be programmed with one's height and stride but I can't be rssed (morning Dave) TBH.
I wear a Cragghoppers waterproof coat and a pair of half-decent Zamberlan hiking boots but, I wear shorts too so, with all the HEAVY rain this week, it runs down my legs and into my half-decent boots ruining the insoles.
They needed replacing anyway, which is something I rarely if ever do (but intend to in future)
I bought proper Zamberlan insoles - memory foam see, way to go man!
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>> The Omron step counter has to be programmed with one's height and stride
>>
I found out today that the Health app built into my iPhone has been doing step counting without my knowing it.
So I don't need a FitBit, or whatever.
HNY all.
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>>I found out today that the Health app built into my iPhone has been doing step counting without my knowing it.
Big Bro?
HNY.
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Just had a short constitutional around the idyllic rubbish-strewn lanes of Cornwall = 4500 steps in 3/4 of an hour.
Includes hill work and reckon tis more beneficial healthwise than a longer walk at a slower pace?
This olde cottage is small but long, so I/we probably clock up another 4500 steps during the day :)
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>>..reckon tis more beneficial healthwise than a longer walk at a slower pace?
Firstly of course anything is substantially better than nothing.
For me I walk at a speed that makes me tired and is as fast as I want to walk knowing I have to do it for 45 minutes, and make a point of at least three times a week. I was once told that fast-ish / 45 minutes / 3 times per week should be my guide and I've always stuck to it.
Though I think it is most important to keep it enjoyable, otherwise its too easy to stop doing it. So whatever works, works.
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>> Though I think it is most important to keep it enjoyable,
Walking + enjoyment = oxymoron.
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>> >> Though I think it is most important to keep it enjoyable,
>> Walking + enjoyment = oxymoron.
I walk to the car.......about 10 feet. If it's out in the road I get a real workout !
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Back in a previous life, there used to be 5 or 6 of us walking from Cliff End to Hastings and back. Beach in and hills back. Thems were good days knowlmean.
Fish and chips sitting outside the Mermaid in Rock a' Nore watching the world go by (you don't know what you've got 'til it's gorn)
If we didn't have dogs we certainly wouldn't go out walking half as much as we do now. Sometimes, especially at this time of the year, when it's toasty indoors (23°) with the wood burner a'glowing, and cold and wet outside, I have strange ideas of not going out and getting wet (again!)
But I'm always glad I did go out to move the lymph and give the heart and lungs a workout.
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>>Mermaid in Rock a' Nore
Preferred the Blue Dolphin in the High Street!
The Mermaid is still there.
:-)
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>>Preferred the Blue Dolphin in the High Street!
I knew Geno (Sicilian) who owned the Neptune on the corner of London Rd. and Rock a' Nore quite well.
He used to fry some Plaice (without batter) especially for me and the bruv.
Bruv used to play chess with him but Geno liked a fast game whereas bruv took ages to think about his next move.
Bit-of-a-lad was Geno, 'specially with the ladies!! .. he took me to an auction house in Bexhill once upon a time, to show me 'the game' like. Said I need to waste £1000 before I get the hang of buying and selling - for profit.
Not my game though, so I kicked the idea into the long grass.
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I swim 1000m freestyle most nights before bed ( because I enjoy it and I sleep better when I do ). I walk with the dog for an hour or so most evenings too ( because I enjoy it ) and I mountain bike most weekends as well ( because I enjoy that )
If I'm away from home, public swimming facilities are usually available if my accommodation doesn't provide them, and failing that there's always somewhere to walk.
Wouldn't see any reason to have one of those watches to monitor it all though. My advice to anyone thinking of improving their fitness would be to just do something you like doing anyway but which involves moving, rather than sitting on their backsides shoving food in their faces.
It's really not complicated. It's not about making it a chore.
;-)
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I have always walked a lot more thtn other people I suspect. I normally walk into the City and back- about two miles distant and did for most of my working life. Seldom if ever see any of my neighbours do the same. I prefer walking to driving as short distance. You see things, you experience the weather, you get a chance to interact with other human beings, which you don't in a car, and its ofter quicker and a lot cheaper.
Of course you dont need to measure your steps or distance travelled but if you are walking for fitness and are the sort of person who enjoys targets then some sort of measurement can be an incentive. On longer walks a review of where you have actually been is quite interesting. As I said the "Pacer" free App is quite fun.
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Had a two-hour stint today, nonstop. Musta bin 9-10,000 steps. Highest point was:
www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=33006 900ft above sea level ... and the wind!!!
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>>>we really are going to evolve into blobs in glass jars, never moving, never walking,<<<<
That will kill the shoe trade then!
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I thought that but was too subtle to mention it
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>> I thought that but was too subtle to mention it
>>
Am I alone in thinking this can be interpreted in 2 different ways? Not sure if punctuation alone would solve the problem of ambiguity?
PS you may noticed that I do have a tendency to 'say it as it is' ! Has got me into trouble in the past.
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Well, while you ponder that... ;-)
Yes indeed it will lead to all manner of changes. Not least a further contribution to the obesity epidemic.
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We were with our daughter and family on Christmas day; she and her husband had each bought the other an Echo Plus, as a surprise, resulting in a household surplus. I now have one of them - they were ordered as a bundle with a free wifi lamp at £110, last time I looked (Boxing Day) they were £140 so I snapped it up at the lower price instead of it being sent back..
The home automation aspect is of little use or interest to me at the moment, but it makes a nice voice controlled internet radio . "Alexa BBC Radio 4". "Alexa Volume 4". "Alexa stop".
I have Prime already and there is quite a lot of music available free with that - not whole albums, but "Alexa play some David Bowie" for example results in a shuffled selection. It will also play "my" music, basically anything on CDs I have bought from Amazon in the last few years. For £3.99 a month I can have Music Unlimited which claims 40,000,000 'songs' on the one Echo device- my daughter signed up for the 30 day trial and so far it has played every song it has been asked for, including some Ivor Cutler.
The sound is very plausible (i.e. it sounds reasonably good, remarkably so for its size) but unfaithful (i.e. it sounds nothing like a decent set up). I might get a bluetooth interface so I can play it through the hifi. It was very easy to connect to my Sony soundbar.
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Ask Alexa to "Open the pod bay doors"
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"I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that"
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Arrived this morning - logged onto it. Works well ideal radio app. Beautiful tone.
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Alexa - smokie
