Fun with Amazon Echo and Dot!

[ibglowin]

Anyone else have an Echo and or Dot? These are turning into some really neat gadgets. We are Prime members so we can stream Prime Music to them as well as Pandora etc. A few weeks ago I purchased a Phillips Hue starter system which came with a smart hub and two smart LED bulbs. In about 15 minutes I had it all set up and we can now turn on the lights in the den and living room through Alexa or even just the phone, pad or web browser.

Mrs iB got me a Sensi smart thermostat for Xmas and I just swapped out our old programmable thermostat for the new Sensi smart thermostat. Got it connected to the wifi and weekly schedule set up in the app. Then I enabled the activity on the Alexa app and now all we need to do is tell Alexa to "set Sensi to 70 degrees" or whatever and she sends a signal and overrides the programming until the next set point.

I am using the Dot and a small bluetooth speaker as my new alarm clock. You can set up an alarm for weekdays only wake to music or a whole host of alarm tones.

Cool stuff!

 

[ceeaton]

I am using the Dot and a small bluetooth speaker as my new alarm clock. You can set up an alarm for weekdays only wake to music or a whole host of alarm tones.

Cool stuff!

So, do you have a power backup system in case the electricity is interrupted? My backup is that when the electric goes out unexpectedly, and I'm asleep, the house fan located right below my side of the bed turns off and I wake up, every time...

 

[Boatboy24]

I've been eyeing the dot and am kicking myself for not grabbing one (or more) when they were down to $39. I certainly don't NEED one, but I've been getting a little geeky about gadgets in recent years.

 

[ibglowin]

I think in the 30 years I have lived here in NM we have had one instance of a power outage that lasted longer than 20-30 mins (transformer) We get a glitch once or twice a year and thats about it. My network will automatically come back online once the power is restored.

At 21 months of work left if I am late to work due to a power outage, don't care LOL. If we need to catch an early flight out of ABQ and need to get up early say 3:00AM I will set an alarm on my phone.

So, do you have a power backup system in case the electricity is interrupted? My backup is that when the electric goes out unexpectedly, and I'm asleep, the house fan located right below my side of the bed turns off and I wake up, every time...

 

[ibglowin]

I got a sweet sounding bluetooth speaker for $27 shipped (Cambridge SoundWorks OontZ Angle 3). Add a Dot and this BT speaker and you have an for Echo less than $80

 

[Boatboy24]

I got a sweet sounding bluetooth speaker for $27 shipped (Cambridge SoundWorks OontZ Angle 3). Add a Dot and this BT speaker and you have an for Echo less than $80

I have one of the older Angles and it has been my camping speaker for years. Works well. It was also my winery speaker for a long time.

 

[ceeaton]

Okay, you two are on audio...Finally got my old Sony MDR-V150 headphones back from my Son. Needless to say, they've seen better days. What do you suggest as a replacement set? I use them in my Man cave basement at night so I don't wake up the inhabitants on the second floor at 1 am. I tend to listen to CD's or stream from my music server while I'm learning from this site (or annoying others on this site). One constraint, they have to be under $150 shippped. Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[ibglowin]

A Best Seller on Amazon.

Old school (wired) but cheap and great sound!

 

[ceeaton]

Yea, I need wired too. Thinking there is too much of a chance for interference with bluetooth or wireless sets, depending on what toys you have around them.

Also was looking at these, higher than my price point but have a nice response if you can believe the specs/curve... https://www.headphone.com/collections/headphones/products/audio-technica-ath-m50x

BTW, thanks for the info, Mike.

 

[Mismost]

Love my Echo...good company as I work from home and handy as a pocket on a shirt. the other day I asked her to add a string of dimensions up for me and she did! love the shopping list app....now if I can just remember to actual look at phone when I'm at the store.

love the play lists through Amazon....tons of music. Verbal Google...addresses...phone numbers....county look ups...I'm using it more and more to answer questions and look up work related things.

does seem to eat up data though.

 

[Boatboy24]

Okay, you two are on audio...Finally got my old Sony MDR-V150 headphones back from my Son. Needless to say, they've seen better days. What do you suggest as a replacement set? I use them in my Man cave basement at night so I don't wake up the inhabitants on the second floor at 1 am. I tend to listen to CD's or stream from my music server while I'm learning from this site (or annoying others on this site). One constraint, they have to be under $150 shippped. Any suggestions are welcome.

I'm wanting to look for a pair for the family room. We have a 2 story grate room and between that and the main HVAC duct going through in the adjacent hallway, it can get hard to hear for my old, deaf ears and all the sound goes right upstairs to the kids' bedrooms. Was looking for some bluetooth headphones I could use, but haven't gotten too far.

 

[ceeaton]

I'm fortunate that I can use "tethered" head phones since my life revolves around my computer downstairs, and the kitchen upstairs (has a plug in the back of the unit upstairs too).

Now have progressed to Sgt. Peppers for my nightcap (I'm feeling my age).

 

[marino]

Koss Portapro are my go to for great sound under $100

 

[ceeaton]

Koss Portapro are my go to for great sound under $100

Okay, one last song off of The Mamas & The Papas and it's beddy bye time (two hours too late...)

I'll research those in the a.m..