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Old 08-09-2020, 12:56 PM   #1
WanderingJuniper
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Default Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

In light of forced virtual schooling and my oldest most responsible child going off to college we need some more tools. I have some birthday money left and I am thinking of spending it on an echo dot.

How do you use yours?
What can it do?

Can I remind my 15 and 16 yo about classes, responsibilities family events using it without having to send them a text myself in real time?

I am kind of wanting to be able to say “Remind C that he had bio at 10am.” Before I leave for work at 6am and have it shout at my kid about it at 10am.

Talk to me. I know nothing.
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Old 08-09-2020, 01:19 PM   #2
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Default Re: Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

We love ours.

We can use it for reminders, alarms, playing music, looking up random facts. I know my husband has ours set up for an intercom system, but I always forget to do that.

Full disclosure--we're a tech-heavy household. We have ?10? Alexas and Google minis throughout the house. The girls don't have any in their rooms; during the days they bring a speaker or mini into their rooms.
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Old 08-09-2020, 02:19 PM   #3
WanderingJuniper
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Default Re: Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

So if my kids were playing video games in their room we would need more than one in the dining room for it to be effective? They link together? We have a small house. The first floor is pretty open so I was thinking one on a shelf in the dining room would work for the first floor.
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Old 08-09-2020, 02:53 PM   #4
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Default Re: Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

We made sure there was a device for each area. So two in living room, 1 in the kitchen (plus the 2 that they use for their rooms), one in the family room, one in the office, plus ?3? others we have.
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Old 08-09-2020, 05:16 PM   #5
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Default Re: Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

We use ours for reminders, alarms, timers, listening to music and asking random questions.

I used to be able to make an announcement using the app on my phone. Something changed and I was unable to last time. I love that feature! I pull it up and record my voice telling the kids to do something. It announces thru echo (or all of them, we only have 1).
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Old 08-09-2020, 11:53 PM   #6
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Default Re: Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

I simply love Alexa. It's almost like having a personal assistant. I have an older Echo Tap, though. I really like that mine has a battery so I can pick it up and take it outside with me. My oldest has an echo dot in her room. Because my Tap is older, it cannot communicate with her Dot. I don't think you'll have that problem.

We also have Google Home Minis. I like Alexa better.

And yes, I can say to mine,

"remind me tomorrow at 10 to plug in the crock pot" or whatever. And it will.

Or

"Remind me every day at 3 pm to feed the dogs."

The reminder is announced and it also goes to my phone.
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Old 08-10-2020, 03:46 AM   #7
WanderingJuniper
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Default Re: Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

It goes to your phone too? That is super helpful. We all have iPhones does it go to a special calendar or will it add to the Icalendar? I really like the option for duplicating the reminders.
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Old 08-11-2020, 06:11 AM   #8
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Default Re: Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

I use my as a reminded and alarm. That works really nice, I like it. It's a god idea because it's loud and comfortable. But I have a bit habit to switch off a reminder and not to do what I needed. If your kids are as lazy as I am than there is no sense to buy it.
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Old 08-11-2020, 09:54 AM   #9
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Default Re: Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

Reminders are push notifications from the Alexa app. I have an Android so I don't know about how well it syncs with an iphone.

The lists are amazing.

Alexa, add almond milk to the Costco list.

Alexa, add lettuce and bananas to the shopping list.

Alexa, what's 43.2 times 7?

Alexa, is it going to rain tonight?

I'm hoping to upgrade mine during cyber week. The newer ones can do more.
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Old 08-15-2020, 07:21 AM   #10
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Default Re: Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

So a coworker saw my post on FB about echo dot reviews and she just brought one in for me yesterday. Her dad gave it to her becasue he won it in a work contest and he won't use it and she already had one. Her appartment is small so she didn't need two. Result? We get to try this experiment for free! I seriously have great coworkers.

Anyway, I got it set up today and am going to be trying it out over the next week.
Today the lists has already proved helpful in my menu planning and shopping.

I like the idea of the drop in feature but havent had a chance to set it up yet since my kids aren't awake.
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Old 08-15-2020, 03:44 PM   #11
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Default Re: Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

[QUOTE=WanderingJuniper;6227701]So a coworker saw my post on FB about echo dot reviews and she just brought one in for me yesterday. Her dad gave it to her becasue he won it in a work contest and he won't use it and she already had one. Her appartment is small so she didn't need two. Result? We get to try this experiment for free! I seriously have great coworkers. /QUOTE]

A warning about this particular use case: an echo dot bought by one household gets logged onto that household's Amazon account and can never can be fully logged out. My mom used to hear random conversation from my sister's house on hers. My sister bought us an Amazon Show more recently and it hasn't done that.

Ya'll's other uses seem great. They have disappointed us hugely when relied on for a senior to call for help.
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Old 08-16-2020, 07:53 AM   #12
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Default Re: Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

That's good to know! In this particular instance the box had not even been opened.

If it has never been opened I assume that means it is not connected to anyone else since it was never set up.
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Old 08-16-2020, 08:26 AM   #13
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Default Re: Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

My husband is in print security and he says he would never get one. Theoretically everything you say is hackable. Those things listen even when you don’t say their name.
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Old 08-16-2020, 12:37 PM   #14
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Default Re: Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

I just assume my phone which is on me all the time is also listening to everything.

The reality is that we are a household with a parent who is still recovering from a TBI, two teens who skirt the ADHD diagnosis line as well as depression and anxiety. That combo requires some extra supports. The systems we had in place prior to my last concussion and the covid shut down of schools was no longer working. Add in virtual learning in the morning and having to catch a bus to an in person school in the afternoon with two parents who work full time during those same hours and well if people want to collect the data and stalk our dinner table conversations as a result of us being able to Navigate a super weird season of life so be it.
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Old 08-16-2020, 12:48 PM   #15
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Default Re: Alexa/ echo dot talk to me I’m clueless

Quote:
Originally Posted by WanderingJuniper View Post
That's good to know! In this particular instance the box had not even been opened.

If it has never been opened I assume that means it is not connected to anyone else since it was never set up.
Amazon does send them logged on to the buyer's account. I hope that has changed or changes soon because it has caused more problems than just being impossible to log fully out. People have handed devices to their children who then run up charges, not knowing it was logged in.
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And my kids were going to behave perfectly all the time and if they didn't, they'd be Dobsoned, but I was going to Dobson so perfectly that they'd know not to slip up but once or twice because I was going to be sooooooo consistent and awesome and wise.
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