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Thread: Smart Home crap, or something. (Was: Echo.)

  1. #1
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    Smart Home crap, or something. (Was: Echo.)

    I bought one.



    Amazon "invited" me to the $99 presale and I bit, figuring if nothing else it'd probably be a decent bluetooth speaker or I could return it. It (she?) is pretty neat and readily justifies a hundred bucks, but I can really see anyone dropping the $200 MSRP on it. At least not yet - because while it can tell you who the lead singer of Green Day is, it can't tell you who shot Alexander Hamilton and that seems like kind of a travesty. Of course, in time it'll get better and maybe get closer to justifying the MSRP, but right now I couldn't recommend it. Definitely interested to see how it grows, and I'd *love* for the technology to be integrated into a component device that could interface with other gear. Saying, "Alexa, play Green Day" and having that just happen is RAD - but it does suck that the only way sound can come out is via itself... if it could power up the home theater and play Green Day I'd buy two at two hundred bucks each. That would be completely awesome.

  2. #2
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    AWAH BUH!
    Whoomah!

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    I am increasingly enamored of Alexa. "Alexa play 80s music" while your hands are wet from doing the dishes or "Alexa what's the weather" while tying your shoes and deciding whether or not to get a jacket or "Alexa set an alarm for two hours" while playing video games and setting a time limit is wonderful. I feel a little bad because it is *so* gimmicky but I don't think I actually care. I am increasingly happy with this experiment.

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    so.. its kind of Siri/Google in its own always on package?

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    Mk2 with aux-out and bluetooth out required AMIRITE

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    It has bluetooth now, but aux out is definitely what it needs. They should partner with Logitech and integrate Logitech's smart hub features - being able to tell Alexa to turn on the stereo for output vs. use the internal speaker would be awesome. IIRC Logitech is trying to sell their Harmony unit - Amazon should snatch that up.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drachen596 View Post
    so.. its kind of Siri/Google in its own always on package?
    Yep, like a hybrid of Siri and Kinect.

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    Cool. I envy your ability to buy all this stuff. Now excuse me while I find some gadgets to plug into my 10-port 2.1A USB charger.

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    I got a couple of these things and littered them around the house:



    I actually have no idea what electrical receptacles look like in HK, but if they make them I highly recommend them. Of course you still need the cable, but it keeps the actual receptacles free for plugging in non-USB gadgets.

  10. #10
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    Also, zero kids and a low cost of living really frees up a lot of resources for bullshit.

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