Amazon Echo Club

[Catlady]

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.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

How quaint. Amazon charging for services that used to be free. Who would've figured. LOL

If 'Remarkable Alexa' becomes a paid thing, look for the free basic version to now include ads."

No way I'd pay for Alexa. I don't even use it for occasional music anymore, only for kitchen measurements. I can Google them instead!

Originally Posted by issybird

Or they'll bundle ad-free with Prime, and then start charging more for Prime.

I'm quitting Prime next month when my subscription re-ups. I'll miss it, but not to the tune of $139.

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.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Catlady

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.

I only use the free shipping component of Prime. Don't watch television, Fresh isn't an option nor any of the fastest delivery options, don't shop at Whole Foods, they broke Prime Music but I didn't use it anyway.... You get the drill. None of the add-ons have any value for me.

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.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by issybird

Or they'll bundle ad-free with Prime, and then start charging more for Prime.

I'm quitting Prime next month when my subscription re-ups. I'll miss it, but not to the tune of $139.

In 10 days, Amazon will start charging folks an extra $3 per month if they want ad-free Prime Video. Otherwise, basic Prime Video will now include ads.

I've been Prime-free since the first part of November and loving it.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Catlady

No way I'd pay for Alexa. I don't even use it for occasional music anymore, only for kitchen measurements. I can Google them instead!

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.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by issybird

I only use the free shipping component of Prime. Don't watch television, Fresh isn't an option nor any of the fastest delivery options, don't shop at Whole Foods, they broke Prime Music but I didn't use it anyway.... You get the drill. None of the add-ons have any value for me.

Fresh is the only Prime benefit that matters to me. It was the most reliable grocery delivery during the pandemic, and I continue to like the convenience of using it.

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

In 10 days, Amazon will start charging folks an extra $3 per month if they want ad-free Prime Video. Otherwise, basic Prime Video will now include ads.

I've been Prime-free since the first part of November and loving it.

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.

[cc_in_oh]

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.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by cc_in_oh

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.

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.

[DiapDealer]

"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.

[OtinG]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

"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.

LOL! I tell her "NO!" to every offer for unsolicited information. And yet she always manages to come up with some annoyance a few times a week. I also really hate all those annoying interruptions of the tranquil photo slideshow on the Show 5 and Show 8, but Amazon always manages to slip in another annoying interruption from time to time. We really need a "bleep off" switch for Echos and Shows.

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.

[tubemonkey]

It's back - Echo Spot v2


Amazon launches the all-new Echo Spot in celebration of Prime Day

Amazon July 8, 2024 -- Introducing the all-new Echo Spot, the latest addition to Amazon’s lineup of Alexa-enabled devices. Echo Spot is a sleek new customizable smart alarm clock, featuring a variety of custom-designed clock faces and fun colors. It’s built for the nightstand, with a display that makes it easy to set and view alarms, see the time, weather, or song titles at a glance, and a directional speaker that delivers vibrant sound.

Echo Spot is available now in Black, Glacier White, and Ocean Blue, for $79.99—but Prime members can get it for just $44.99 through July 17, in celebration of Prime Day.

Amazon’s Echo Spot is back with better sound and no camera

The Verge July 8, 2024 -- Ahead of Prime Day 2024, Amazon has launched an updated version of its Alexa-connected smart speaker / alarm clock, the Echo Spot. Similar to the one that launched in 2017, it’s designed to sit on your nightstand and offer control via a small touchscreen or with voice commands, but Amazon has addressed our biggest gripe about that device by removing the camera.

It’s also launching at a lower price. While the 2017 version cost $149.99 at launch, the 2024 Echo Spot has a $79.99 regular price, and from now through Prime Day (July 16th–17th), it’s available for $44.99 for Amazon Prime members.

[OtinG]

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...

[John F]

Originally Posted by OtinG

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...

FWIW, 2 reviews from Amazon:

So far, with the 2024 Echo Spot, there are no ads and no settings for content to lead me to believe random content would be added in. It is Amazon though and they have a history of adding ad content without your consent. I'm optimistically hopeful they don't do that with this device.

No ads displayed, at all. It hasn't pushed other Amazon offerings via the display.

Although I agree, I would guess that it will have ads in the future.

[ApK]

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.

[sgmoore]

Originally Posted by ApK

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.

"About 4 feet and 11 inches" which I think gets a pass.

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.