re: Echo Dot the most useless thing ever invented? ETA CAD giving it another go

quote:

---

CAD703X

---

quote:

---

i cant get dot to connect to google music or pandora. that renders its ability to play music useless to me.

how exactly does your dot communicate with a soundbar? i can connect to my soundbar directly with my phone using bluetooth but i dont see how alexa would do that.

---

Using Amazon Prime, I can stream Amazon Music (which is a freebie for Prime Members), but I also use the $3.99 single Alexa device premium music service from Amazon which can also stream that music (honestly comparable to Apple Music/Spotify/etc IMO). You can also stream Tune In Radio channels using Prime as its included in the Alexa with Prime as well.

From there I just connect the Dot to whatever BT device I want and bingo bango boingo, I'm streaming whatever it's streaming to the speaker it's connected to.

I'm guessing Pandora can't be far off from being able to use with it but I left that service in the dust long ago...

quote:

---

CAD703X

---

quote:

---

there is ZERO music available on alexa for me right now because i don't have prime. i figured they wouldn't support google music but i was hoping for *something*.

i mean, can it not even support my local mp3 library? frick.

---

Why not pay $10.99 for one month of Prime. Take it for a spin. See what you think. If for no other reason than you'd take far more full advantage of the Dot. Hell who knows, you may save some money on an online purchase by accident in the process.

The wife and kids get music and Amazon Prime Video (you can't tell me you wouldn't like The Grand Tour-previously Top Gear on BBC-in full, uncompressed HD quality), unlimited photo storage, and a far more robust and agile Echo device.

...and if none of that appeals to you, then it's done after 30 days...

quote:

---

Why not pay $10.99 for one month of Prime.

---

why pay for something i don't use?

i have special versions of spotify, pandora, 40,000 mp3s and google music all free now. amazon just refuses to let me use any of it.

quote:

---

Hell who knows, you may save some money on an online purchase by accident in the process.

---

i've posted numerous threads showing ebay is cheaper, far faster for delivery and in fact SHIP FROM AMAZON FULLFILMENT CENTERS many times. nobody seems to get this. no minimum order either.

quote:

---

The wife and kids get music and Amazon Prime Video (you can't tell me you wouldn't like The Grand Tour-previously Top Gear on BBC-in full, uncompressed HD quality)

---

between comcast, netflix, plex and kodi i have movies and tv coming out of my ears already. don't need another source.

quote:

---

unlimited photo storage,

---

already have this now with google for free and its far more integrated with my phone than any add-on from amazon would be.

quote:

---

far more robust and agile Echo device.

---

so you admit echo is deliberately crippled by amazon unless i buy into their SaaS model? NO THANK YOU

Hopefully Plex will develop an additional skill to play music natively on the Dot.

quote:

---

how do i trigger scenes in alexa? it says i can do it and i am controlling hue natively (deleted them from wink discovery since that was redundant) but it won't allow me to call any of the default scenes to change colors.

for instance i have a kitchen group in alexa and want to call the 'concentrate' default scene but no dice if i say 'alexa turn on kitchen scene concentrate'

anyone doing scenes with alexa to control color?

---

I think it requires the 2nd gen Hue Bridge in order for hue scenes to natively work.

I have the 1st gen bridge still, so I use Yonomi to control scenes with hue and Alexa.

Takes a little set up time, but I have a ton set up for everywhere I have hue bulbs (island, media room sconces, led strips behind TV in bedroom and living room, etc). Yonomi just updated their app recently to allow for a little bit more options for color control.

Before you could only pick specific color names and brightness levels. Now they have a full color wheel you can program.

I like yonomi over ifttt, since you don't have to say "trigger." I just just say, "Alexa, turn on Blue (or Red, green, etc) Sconces" and all 5 change color.

quote:

---

Why not pay $10.99 for one month of Prime. Take it for a spin.

---

Why pay for a music service when you already use others? That seems pretty straightforward.

quote:

---

CAD703X

---

quote:

---

so you admit echo is deliberately crippled by amazon

---

When have I ever stated that a device that was-for most of its existence-only available for Prime users was designed for non-Prime users? Hell Amazon hasn't ever denied it. They designed it STRICTLY for and limited its purchase to only Prime Users.

I love the way you spin up straw men to do battle with. It's hilarious.

Please tell me most of those boxes are empty...

No. All unopened. That's my eBay cabinet.

There is a seller with 500+ refurbished hue starter kits going for $135 that he's almost out of depressing the price. Waiting him out.

The go controls have rebounded in price to nearly $100 after the HD fire sale and I've just been lazy about getting those listed.

The GE br30s have been in the price shitter but now that nobody sells them I'm hoping the price starts to go up again.