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#4951 |
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 52612287
Join Date: Oct 2010
Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip
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Thanks, DiapDealer and APK.
OK, here are further details. I have two three-packs of Kasa Smart Plug HS103P3, one three-pack was purchased in November 2021, and the second three-pack was purchased in November 2023. Two plugs from the first pack work fine and always have (one is used as a timer, and one is used in lieu of a remote). I am about 90 percent sure that the two plugs that keep losing connection (used as timers) are from the second, new pack. A fifth plug that has been working fine may be from either pack. (I only started using it after buying the second pack.) The sixth plug isn't being used. The Kasa app tells me that three plugs need updated firmware. I am leery of updating, in case it's the three old (working!) plugs that it wants to update and mess up. Is there a way to tell? I'm not using the Alexa app, just the Kasa app. When a plug doesn't turn on the lamp, the Kasa app will say the device is unreachable, and I will see the plug flashing orange. I can turn on the lamp by pressing the button on the plug, at which point it turns blue. Usually it will turn off at the scheduled time, having reconnected itself to the network. And, yes, I realize I could just buy another set of plugs. But why should I reward the manufacturer of a wonky product by buying it again? And if the difficulty is caused by something I'm doing, a new set will have the same issue. |
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#4952 | |
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 52612287
Join Date: Oct 2010
Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip
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Quote:
I rejoined Prime to get Amazon Fresh again. Amazon dropped the minimum for free delivery from $150 to $100, and that makes a huge difference to me, with my small refrigerator and small kitchen. |
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#4953 | |
o saeclum infacetum
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Karma: 224182110
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: New England
Device: H2O, Aura One, PW5
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Quote:
It means I'll have to resort to a combination of getting in the car more often/postponing/doing without. I also rarely need something rightnow, so at times I'll be able to combine purchases to hit the $35 free threshold. It'll be less convenient for the fiddly stuff and I may not be able to take advantage of a sale price on something I'm watching, but so it goes. I'm determined to avoid playing the mug's game of buying stuff just to get free shipping. |
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#4954 | |
monkey on the fringe
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Karma: 158500174
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Seattle Metro
Device: Moto E6, Echo Show
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Quote:
I've been Prime-free since the first part of November and loving it. |
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#4955 |
monkey on the fringe
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Karma: 158500174
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Seattle Metro
Device: Moto E6, Echo Show
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Alexa isn't a must have for me, it's a convenience. If basic Alexa becomes difficult to use or disappears altogether, my Echos will still function as Bluetooth speakers.
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#4956 | |
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 52612287
Join Date: Oct 2010
Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip
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Quote:
I didn't miss Prime Video during the time I was Prime-less, and haven't watched it since I rejoined. I do occasionally watch something on FreeVee, which already has ads. I haven't gotten anything from Amazon about paying extra for Prime Video, but I certainly won't. |
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#4957 |
Bob's my uncle
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Karma: 17008060
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: NE OH
Device: Kindle
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Where does Amazon find people willing to pay $25 for their smart plug? OK, it's discounted to "only" $20 today. I have 8 Kasa plugs that have never given me any trouble and are only $7.50 list but go on sale frequently for under $6.
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#4958 |
monkey on the fringe
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Karma: 158500174
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Seattle Metro
Device: Moto E6, Echo Show
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Amazon's been jacking up prices for quite some time. Evidently they feel they have a large enough customer base to raise prices on services and goods while lowering customer service to terrible standards. They used to be good, but no longer.
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#4959 |
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 198099188
Join Date: Jan 2010
Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD
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"Alexa, disable severe weather alerts," is the only way I've found to eliminate this particular yellow ring of annoyance.
Never mind that I've clearly told her "no" every time she's offered to set up severe weather alerts. |
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#4960 | |
Old Gadget Guy
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Karma: 6854865
Join Date: Jun 2018
Device: Oasis 3, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPad mini 6, iPad Air 2020, Alexa Devices
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Quote:
I finally turned off the microphones on all my Echos and Shows since she screws up audible home automation commands fairly often anyway. Without the mic she is less prone to start babbling on and on about something. It is much easier, and less annoying, to just use the Alexa app on my phone or tablet, although that is poorly designed and programmed too. On a related note, as bad as Alexa is, at least she isn't a total moron like Siri! Siri's blonde roots show up a lot. She might make a good nursing home caretaker, because they don't really do anything constructive ever, but she is way too useless for anything else, and too bitchy when you tell her that. ![]() Last edited by OtinG; 05-31-2024 at 12:12 PM. |
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#4961 | ||
monkey on the fringe
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Karma: 158500174
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Seattle Metro
Device: Moto E6, Echo Show
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It's back - Echo Spot v2
Amazon launches the all-new Echo Spot in celebration of Prime Day Quote:
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#4962 |
Old Gadget Guy
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Karma: 6854865
Join Date: Jun 2018
Device: Oasis 3, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPad mini 6, iPad Air 2020, Alexa Devices
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The Echo Spot seems grossly overpriced At $80 USD for such a limited device. I'm guessing it probably annoys you with a gillion ads too and the occasional unsolicited Alexa response. I've given up trying to use voice commands with Alexa devices, but the Kasa app works okay, just. Still buggy though, however it is way better than Apple's attempt at automated home control, and Alexa is not nearly as stupid as Siri. I think Siri probably graduated from YouTube University...
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#4963 | |||
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 66969631
Join Date: Feb 2009
Device: Kobo Glo HD
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#4964 |
Award-Winning Participant
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Karma: 67930154
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: NJ, USA
Device: Kindle
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Has Alexa gone brain dead about basic math conversions recently?
Please, someone ask her "what's 1.5 meters in feet" and "what's the area of a circle with a radius of 7 inches" and tell me what she says. Our echos are responding with some crazy numbers, like instead of calculating, it's using generative AI or something. Last edited by ApK; 07-17-2024 at 09:00 AM. |
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#4965 | |
Connoisseur
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Karma: 502864
Join Date: Mar 2021
Device: Kindle Voyage
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Quote:
But for the second it replies "From answers.com. The area of a circle with a DIAMETER of 7 inches is 38.48 square inches." The emphasis is mine and not Alexa. So whilst the answer is factually correct, it isn't what I asked and so that is a fail. I thought it might be that she has trouble understanding my Northern Ireland accent, but she didn't have any issues when I asked her what radius meant. |
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