OK, I got an Amazon Echo Dot. Yes, it does listen all the time blah blah blah (but at least it isn't Google).
I have an iPad that has Siri which does a lot of the same stuff but the Echo allows more timers and appears to be generally more flexible. It is good in the kitchen to set timers (note timers - Siri only allows one at any time) when cooking. You can set lights on or off. Play music or audiobooks and so on. The Dot was reduced for Black Friday and I thought worth a try.
Why? Well my Mum is getting on in age but is still quite active and seems to be mentally fine too. However, physically she has some trouble getting to switches, plugs etc. The Echo Dot will enable her to voice control a lot of her lights and switches by voice. For example, the front door light can be switched on if she has to answer it by just saying " Echo, turn on the front door light" and not have to worry about using an app or her phone. The front door light doesn't have a switch (it is an old house) so rather than have it on all the time it has a WeMo plug so it will switch on between sunset and 22:00 or if she is out it will be triggered by geolocation when she gets home. She is often out to pub quizzes and the theatre - has more of a life than we do!
It will be fun to see her argue with it when it goes silly or doesn't understand.
I have an iPad that has Siri which does a lot of the same stuff but the Echo allows more timers and appears to be generally more flexible. It is good in the kitchen to set timers (note timers - Siri only allows one at any time) when cooking. You can set lights on or off. Play music or audiobooks and so on. The Dot was reduced for Black Friday and I thought worth a try.
Why? Well my Mum is getting on in age but is still quite active and seems to be mentally fine too. However, physically she has some trouble getting to switches, plugs etc. The Echo Dot will enable her to voice control a lot of her lights and switches by voice. For example, the front door light can be switched on if she has to answer it by just saying " Echo, turn on the front door light" and not have to worry about using an app or her phone. The front door light doesn't have a switch (it is an old house) so rather than have it on all the time it has a WeMo plug so it will switch on between sunset and 22:00 or if she is out it will be triggered by geolocation when she gets home. She is often out to pub quizzes and the theatre - has more of a life than we do!
It will be fun to see her argue with it when it goes silly or doesn't understand.
