Author Topic: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps  (Read 9380 times)

Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« on: 04 December, 2017, 06:52:43 pm »
A thread to discuss uses for Amazon Echo / Alexa and usefull apps for it.

Just found the IFTTT one that adds the songs Alexa has played to a spreadsheet on your Google Drive along with the date, time, artist and album.  Very useful if your playing an Alexa generated playlist and you think I like that was it.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Morat

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Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #1 on: 08 December, 2017, 05:35:03 pm »
I think the signs of old-fartism and middle age have caught up with me.
I sometimes use basic Google voice commands when I'm driving, I won't buy Alexa and I totally ignore Bexby on my Note 8.
Should I embrace the always-on microphone or is it a step too far?
Everyone's favourite windbreak

Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #2 on: 08 December, 2017, 05:38:48 pm »
No one needs it but its the way of the future. It's interesting playing with what will be ubiquitous in 10 years.
Its fun telling the lights what to do for example.  I find how well the voice recognition works is amazing.
You can switch the mic off when you want to as well.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Biggsy

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Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #3 on: 08 December, 2017, 06:22:36 pm »
Who's best?  Siri or Alexa?
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Kim

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Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #4 on: 08 December, 2017, 10:35:56 pm »
I think the signs of old-fartism and middle age have caught up with me.
I sometimes use basic Google voice commands when I'm driving, I won't buy Alexa and I totally ignore Bexby on my Note 8.
Should I embrace the always-on microphone or is it a step too far?

I've been thinking that speech recognition is  a) awesome  and  b) something I'll never want to use  since the early days of Dragon.

Talking to computers is unnatural, dammit.  It's worse than bloody touchscreens.  </luddite>

Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #5 on: 08 December, 2017, 10:45:20 pm »
I've been thinking that speech recognition is  a) awesome  and  b) something I'll never want to use  since the early days of Dragon
I was in the b) camp but it really is amazing now. It does still make you think wtf though when you ask it to plat music by an artist and it won't but it will when you specify a track.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Kim

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Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #6 on: 08 December, 2017, 10:50:35 pm »
The rot set in that time I was loitering within tent, and as per the traditional spodding-with-as-little-flesh-outside-the-sleeping-bag-as-possible technique (lying on your back edition), managed to lose my grip on my Android device, which flopped onto my face, activated speech recognition with my nose and promptly googled for "ow, bastard".

Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #7 on: 08 December, 2017, 11:02:33 pm »
Occasionaly you get this weird delayed answer where obviously the  $20 billion worth of servers in the cloud have been burning cpu cycles trying to parse what you asked your £100 device.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Mr Larrington

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Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #8 on: 09 December, 2017, 09:28:26 am »
Talking to computers is unnatural, dammit.  It's worse than bloody touchscreens.  </luddite>

Talking to computers or, indeed, shouting at them is fine.  Expecting them to understand what you've said is an entirely different kettle of wossnames.

And yes, touchscreens are the Jbex of Stan ~ see moans passim about the cracked one on my laptop causing cursor walkabout FAIL.
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ian

Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #9 on: 09 December, 2017, 11:37:44 am »
I don't get hang of talking to machines. Seems to just be encouraging them. Last time I tried to command Siri to do something my wife overhead and popped her head through the door and shouted 'what?' at me. I'm trying to talk to Siri, I told her. Of course, then both of them complained they couldn't understand me. Stereo confusion. I used the keyboard

While I get the point of talking to a computer and can accept it's the future (because I saw it on Syfy), indeed touch screens on computers are just ergonomic stupidity.

Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #10 on: 09 December, 2017, 11:42:38 am »
I just can't be arsed with it. I can open my own curtains ffs.
Worst of all, I can't stand that self-important, commanding voice I instinctively put on when talking to these bloody things.

Kim

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Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #11 on: 09 December, 2017, 01:25:29 pm »
Talking to computers is unnatural, dammit.  It's worse than bloody touchscreens.  </luddite>

Talking to computers or, indeed, shouting at them is fine.  Expecting them to understand what you've said is an entirely different kettle of wossnames.

GPWM.

The first time I witnessed my friend unleash a torrent of sarcastic sign language at an uncooperative NT4 box was an eye-opener.  Some experiences are universal.

Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #12 on: 09 December, 2017, 01:35:30 pm »

GPWM.


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GPWM - What does GPWM stand for? The Free Dictionary

I typed this into a computer, didn't just ask it !

Kim

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Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #13 on: 09 December, 2017, 01:42:51 pm »
Good Point, Well Made

Basil

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Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #14 on: 09 December, 2017, 01:46:19 pm »
I just can't be arsed with it. I can open my own curtains ffs.
Worst of all, I can't stand that self-important, commanding voice I instinctively put on when talking to these bloody things.

Not ... Not the teacher voice?  :o

 ;)
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #15 on: 09 December, 2017, 01:56:32 pm »
It's more akin to a British tourist talking to a Greek shopkeeper, slowly and clearly, but with an underlying tension and annoyance that the Greek is struggling to understand plain and perfectly enunciated  English.

Kim

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Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #16 on: 09 December, 2017, 02:01:59 pm »
Voice recognition software doesn't work very well with barakta's speech.  She finds the error rate improves markedly if she speaks everything in a sarcastic tone, like Ray from The Mary Whitehouse Experience.  It's still not reliable enough to be useful, thobut.

ian

Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #17 on: 09 December, 2017, 08:53:22 pm »
I am forced to use my Ayatollah of Powerpoint voice. I can destroy a mountain with this voice. Or at least a modest hill of coal spoil. Occasionally, I blast Siri with the best Erewashian I can manage these days (I've mostly lost it). There aren't enough processing cycles in the world to understand that. They took all the vowels into a dark alley and beat them up.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #18 on: 09 December, 2017, 10:47:09 pm »
Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.


That is all.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Pingu

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Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #19 on: 09 December, 2017, 10:56:37 pm »
Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.


That is all.

Nutri-Matic.

frankly frankie

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Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #20 on: 10 December, 2017, 11:28:09 pm »
I just can't be arsed with it. I can open my own curtains ffs.

Well on that point I must say I've had motorised curtains on the front of the house for nearly 25 years now, and they have been a fantastic asset.

I bought them when the cat died (the neighbours would come in to feed cat/pull curtains).  So they have replaced pets, neighbours, well everything really.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #21 on: 12 December, 2017, 08:35:31 am »
Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.


That is all.

Fish!
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #22 on: 12 December, 2017, 08:59:50 am »
The stepkids got Echo's last year from their dad. I think they used them for a couple of weeks.

Night before last I ended up in the doghouse; MrsC was xmas shopping online for stepson, suggested getting him a (very expensive) bluetooth speaker "So he has something he can use to listen to music while he's painting models and playing games with his friends, he doesn't have anything like that". "Why doesn't he use his Echo" sayeth I and got a look that would have frozen light bulbs.

Its not my fault the little sod has completely forgotten the existence of the present his father bought him last year.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Kim

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Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #23 on: 12 December, 2017, 01:42:20 pm »
Fish!

Today's fish is trout a la creme.  Enjoy your meal.

jiberjaber

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Re: Amazon Alexa - usefull apps
« Reply #24 on: 12 December, 2017, 06:33:15 pm »
Combo breaker....


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Regards,

Joergen