Anyone got Alexa

I did get alexa show 8 and have set it up today. Took me a while tbh but she now reads my kindle books to me, in different rooms. I needed to update the echo show but I can now get into the prime content and see videos, very handy while sitting in the kitchen. I connected my old bose ipad docking station via a small device which was very cheap, the echo sound is very good but listening to music on the bose is sublime.

I am using the guide book btw, none of this comes naturally any more. So I feel as though I am up and running, at least to a basic level so far

DH and I sleep in separate rooms and it's comforting to know that we can contact each other during the night if we need to.

I am looking at these.... other half has two in the house already. But would be good to know how to get best out of them before really 'need' them. I think it is important to keep up to speed with new techie stuff before any issues arise. I am already deaf in one ear so dont hear things well like door bell and phone. I can see how marvellous it would be for a sight challenged person.

Thanks MiniMoon I will give it a go.

Fannycornforth, I have ordered 1st gen echo show 8 and a stand. I also ordered a complete user guide, so that I get the most out of show 8. I already have an old bose ipod docking station and recently bought an adaptor, so that it can link to bluetooth which I will do via my new echo show. Fantastic, such a cheap way of getting awesome sound quality from an immense source

Say, "Alexa change your voice," and you will have a male voice speaking to you. It seems wrong calling a man Alexa but it will be possible to call him Ziggy when Amazon get round to adding the new wake word.

As long as both parties have an echo show, you can make video calls. Also if you are calling anyone else with the Alexa app you can use Alexa calling, it's free.

Don't have one, dont want one. I think they would make me lazy. I'd only have one if I had limited/ no mobility. I can appreciate they would be a useful item for some people. Just not for me.

so the 8 is good then, I was thinking I too would sometimes love to watch movies in bed

Karmalady I’ve got the 5 and the 8. The 8 is in my room and the 5 in DH’s

minimoon, thank you too, I never knew how to make an alexa playlist of my own choosing. living and learning all the time

FannyCornforth

I love my show, *karmalady *it’s well worth the extra. I know that I don’t use it to its full capability though.
It’s nice to know that I can use it as a little TV if I ever want to watch anything from my bed

Thanks for that Fannycornforth. I have been watching youtube and will order one but have no idea which show. Echo show 5, is that the one you have?

FindingNemo15 all you do to create a playing is say "Alexa, create a playlist." She will then ask you to name your playlist and then you can start adding songs and music. If you hear a song she's playing that you want to add, just say "Alexa, add this song to my ... playlist.
Easy.

FindingNemo15

Probably a silly question, but does anyone know how to add a playlist to Alexa please?

I just link my Spotify lists from my phone.
If you go into spotify, then find a device, you can play your lists.

I love my show, *karmalady *it’s well worth the extra. I know that I don’t use it to its full capability though.
It’s nice to know that I can use it as a little TV if I ever want to watch anything from my bed

youtube is an excellent resource for `how to`, I just learnt how to fully use alexa to read my many kindle and audible books. Very happy now, knowing that I just tell alexa to pause and don`t lose my place. Thanks to this thread I am expanding my use of alexa. I need to know a bit more about recipes next, not just verbal but if I can see written instructions, I may buy a show

Can you use Alexa for video calls? We have a Google nest hub (something like that), and the best thing is the camera. We ring our granddaughter and she can run around and show us what she is drawing etc and the camera follows her around. It makes calling more natural. Other than that it is radio, alarm, timer, Google search, weather forecast, etc. not so keen on the shopping list function as you can’t print it out - probably somewhere on my phone but beyond me. It does seem to eavesdrop but we have probably woken it up by saying ‘hey’, otherwise it is quiet.

We have some alarms on ours. Although I tend to use my phone for medication alarms because I can take it to another room with me whereas "alexa" is in one room and can't be heard if I'm upstairs.

Probably a silly question, but does anyone know how to add a playlist to Alexa please?

I don’t understand why they have changed the design it the dot.
It is a ball now.
It must be something to do with sound quality, but it really doesn’t look as nice.

We got one (well not Alexa, but Google mini) free, when we bought something else and it's in the kitchen.

We don't use it for much but the two things that we find it useful for is getting a news summary at any point and, possibly it’s most frequent use, setting timers when we’re cooking.

But I agree we could live without it.

Oh, I also play Spotify on it sometimes.

Big brother?!?! Honestly some people really big their parts up don't they, what do they think they're talking about or doing that is in any way worth listening to other than for selling you stuff! I used to work on a very sensitive industry and we had good reason to be very careful what we did and didn't talk to others about, but hey! A bit of thought and loyalty didn't for me! No secrets getting out here! Don't tell him Pike ????

I was very cross on one occasion with my DH so I said to Alexa “ Alexa, tell my husband he’s a ……… ………” very naughty swear words.
The reply was “ I don’t think that will end very well for you or me”
We fell about laughing.

They are good for the reasons previously stated. However, I believe they do listen in. For instance, hubby and I were discussing buying an electric car, next thing, they’re popping up on my social media feeds. I haven’t used my devices to search for them as I’m not that interested and leave that sort of thing to hubby.

We have an Alexa dot speaker.its very good .we use it for radio and music on Amazon free music and for reminding us for anything from checking something in oven , to timings on other tasks, really as you would a calendar. Just don't say yes to any extra subscription services if you don't want them, we don't find we need anything extra but I'd recommend one for your needs! Maybe she can record us......more fool her listening in to comedy capers, me corpsing laughing at something daft or our regular "domestics" !!! ??