Alexa Cast

Today we play a bit with notifications in case you are wondering why your Amazon blinking green.

I Got an Amazon Device – Now What Do I Do With It.

After doing this show since November 0f 2016, I thought I would help those that are just joining us and share my experiences.

I Started With An Echo

My original device was the Amazon Echo (now version 2). The speaker sounds great, but if you are looking more for functionality (or you'll just plug in better speaker) you get started with a Dot (which didn't exist when I started)

First Came Lists

I love that I can say “Alexa add Eggs to the shopping list” and she does. Then when I go to the store, I pull up the Alexa app and there is my grocery list. You can also use this as a todo list, and even create custom lists. I integrated Alexa with my favorite todo list tool called todoist.com using ifttt.com

I Set Up a Flash Briefing

For me, it's the weather, a bible verse of the day, some podcast news, and a clip from the daily show. All I have to do is ask her “What's New?”. These are done under settings.

Hit The Lights

I first bought Philips Hue White A19 60W Equivalent Smart Bulb Starter Kit which are two light bulbs and a hub for around $66. Later you can buy just a two-pack of just light bulbs without the hub for $26  If you buy bulbs that don't need a hub they are a little more expensive such as the Kasa Smart LED Light starting at $19.

I Added Some Smart Plugs

I added twin pack of smart outlets for $44 from TP-Link as I rarely dim the lights, I can plug a lamp into the lights and turn them on and off with Alexa. I late got a Kasa Smart Plug as a gift ($23). None of these require a hub. This was handy as I used one to turn the Christmas tree on and off.

I Added an Amazon Fire TV Device

I got a Fire TV with 4K Ultra HD and Alexa Voice Remote (Pendant Design) | Streaming Media Player for $69. So I now can walk into a room and say “Alexa play South Park on Hulu” and she will do it and turn on my TV. I recently cut my cable and use Hulu for Live TV and for my DVR. I can stream Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Go, Sling, and whole lot more.

My First Alexa Enabled Device

iHome was nice enough to provide me with an iHome iAVS16 Alexa Bedside Speaker System with Far Field Voice, Bluetooth, and USB Charging Alarm Clock.  This is very nice, but at the time this unit doesn't seen to have the intelligent listening of a dot. I often will say something to the dot sitting inches away from me (or in some cases, I can be in my living room) and this unit will answer. It's as if it listens with super hearing. I do like the sound of this device. Compared to the dot, it has very good sound. It doesn't do all the “drop-in” and other Amazon features, but I love that I can charge my phone while I sleep and say “Alexa set an Alarm for 7:30 AM” and see it show up on the display.

New Amazon Dot Kids Edition

The new Amazon Dot for kids is out with a price tag of $79. I know my great-nieces and nephew LOVE to play with Alexa and this comes with special packages to make it Kid friendly:

• Now Alexa is a kid-friendly DJ, comedian, and storyteller — and she’s always getting smarter. Just ask and Alexa will play music, answer questions, read stories, tell jokes, and more — all with younger ears in mind.
• Up to $109 in savings on Echo Dot (Black), 1 year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, and a kid-friendly case, plus a 2-year worry-free guarantee—if they break it, return it and we’ll replace it for free
• The included 1 year of FreeTime Unlimited gives your kids access to hundreds of hours of fun and educational content, including ad-free radio stations and playlists, Audible books, and a growing list of premium kids skills. After one year, your subscription will automatically renew every month starting at just $2.99/month plus applicable tax. You may cancel any time by visiting the Amazon Parent Dashboard or contacting Customer Service.
• 1 year of FreeTime Unlimited gives you access to over 300 Audible books for kids, like Beauty and the Beast and Peter Pan, thousands of songs, and kid-favorite games and skills from Disney, National Geographic, Nickelodeon, and more
• Easy-to-use parental controls in the online Amazon Parent Dashboard let you set daily time limits, review activity, or pause Alexa on the device
• Automatically filter explicit songs from Amazon Music
• Call kids to dinner or tell them it’s bedtime from compatible Echo devices anywhere in the house—without having to raise your voice

Check out the Amazon Dot for Kids Edition

Comments? 888-563-3228

Alexa just rolled out the ability to use all the Amazon Devices as a one-way intercom. Simply Say Alex Announce that dinner is ready and she will announce it on any Amazon Device.

iHome iAVS16 SMart Alarm Clock with Alexa Enabled

Today I'm reviewing the iHome Smart Alarm Clock the iAVS16

I found the iHome Smart Alarm clock (with Alexa) at Best Buy (FYI it's $25 cheaper at Amazon) and it sounded pretty darn good. Then I found out it was Alexa Enabled and it had my attention, throw in that is has a built-in phone charger and I was sold. And as they say, “But wait there is more” the iHome app really takes advantage of your Spotify and other services integration. I can finally do what I've been trying to do and that is wake up to a Spotify playlist. For me, this was super cool.

Other features as this unit is more than likely going to end up in a Bedroom is there is a light bar that you can set up. There are even smart buttons you can program. That's right you can press one button on the alarm clock and it will play your best Barry White playlist and set the mood with the proper lighting. Oh yea.

Setup Is Easy

You download a free app, connect the app to your wifi. Then you fire up the clock and the app connects the clock to your wi-fi and you're ready to roll. Likewise, you connect your music services to the iHome app and now you can program your music services to buttons on the top of the unit.

Not So Great Surprises

You can also program it to control smart devices*, but there is an asterisk there. Those devices have to be using Smart Outlets from iHome.

There was one other pet peeve. On their website, it states the display is dimmable. It took me a while, but I figured out that the Snooze button is

What Does it Sound Like?

If you use to have a dot it's 8 million times better. You can adjust the bass and treble from the app, and I didn't know just how much bass I had until I went downstairs and heard all the bass pumping upstairs. If you're worried it won' t wake you?  Then you would have to be deaf. It will blast you out of the room. Want a warning shot? There is even an option to having soft soothing sounds play before the actual alarm.

There is a Difference Between an Amazon Device and an Alexa Enabled Device

While the iHome iAVS16 Smart Alarm Clock does everything I want it to do, when I went to try the “Announce” feature it stated that this feature was not available on this unit yet. I've never heard of this, but apparently, there is a difference between an actual Amazon Dot/echo/show and something that is Alexa enabled.

Conclusion

I've been wanting to wake to a Spotify playlist since music came to Alexa. While you can set music on an alarm in the Alex app, it wouldn't connect to a Spotify playlist and this does. The sound is great, and I have the bonus of a phone charger all in one. I don't have to ask Alexa what the temperature is outside or what alarm is set as they are both on the front of the display.

You can buy it at Amazon.com (currently $125)

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