Amazon Echo - anyone have one?

Chrismk · 12 Mar 2018 at 11:47

I have a friend who is disabled to the point where he is now unable, for instance, to turn his iPhone on.

I've been looking at the Amazon Echo which would clearly be of use to him generally, but I'm a bit confused as to just what it is capable of doing phone wise.
My understanding is that you can download the Echo App onto the iPhone and sync the contacts to the Echo.
You can then ask Alexa to call someone by name or number.

But:
Does the recipient also need to have an Echo device? (I may be getting confused here with Amazon's VOIP and messaging service)
And once connected do you conduct the call over the Echo device?

And how are incoming calls received and handled?
Would he be able to instruct Alexa to 'pick up'?

Apologies if some of this is basic but I need to get it right!

I see that Echo Connect is due to be available any time soon in the UK which connects to the landline.
Does anyone know if this will also use the contacts synced from the iPhone or another list?

Thanks.

Schizo · 12 Mar 2018 at 11:54

You can only call people with echo devices as well,if you sync his contacts it will show on the Alexa app who has a echo device but only if they have sync there contacts to the Alexa app.

Delvis · 12 Mar 2018 at 11:58

From recollection the other user needs to have an echo.

Incoming calls come onto the phone and the echo device, so you can either answer with the phone or through the echo device by saying answer call, or answer drop-in if it's a drop in call I think

Other people with the Alexa app can call other users from it as well I believe.

Del77 · 12 Mar 2018 at 21:05

I'd wish to - but sadly have'nt got one - but have heard great reports/write up's on them

If they match these though - who knows!

Martynt74 · 13 Mar 2018 at 09:04

Brilliant offer on at the moment. Fire TV Stick and Echo Dot for £60

That's a saving of £30 over buying them separately . I only bought a TV Stick last week but tempted to return it and buy this deal just for the extra dot!

Schizo · 13 Mar 2018 at 09:06

Marvt74 said:
Brilliant offer on at the moment. Fire TV Stick and Echo Dot for £60

That's a saving of £30 over buying them separately . I only bought a TV Stick last week but tempted to return it and buy this deal just for the extra dot!

That's a good deal.
If I didn't have 3 echos and 2 fire TV boxes I would have snapped that up.

Martynt74 · 13 Mar 2018 at 09:10

Yeah, i'm currently racking my brain to see where i could stick the extra one. Part of me is saying "it's only £20", another part of me is saying "you don't need it you idiot, this is why you have no money!"

Schizo · 13 Mar 2018 at 09:24

I only have a one bedroom flat and ive got 3,they get used every-single day.

deuse · 13 Mar 2018 at 10:09

Just joined spotify free. But I can't play through my dot

Martynt74 · 13 Mar 2018 at 10:12

Yeah you need the premium spotify for that.

The cheapest option is probably the Amazon Music "Echo subscription". Think it's £3.99.

For anyone thats taken the above. Is that £3.99 all in, or do you need one per device?

Kenai · 13 Mar 2018 at 10:47

Marvt74 said:
Yeah you need the premium spotify for that.

The cheapest option is probably the Amazon Music "Echo subscription". Think it's £3.99.

For anyone thats taken the above. Is that £3.99 all in, or do you need one per device?

That's for a single device only, multiple devices you may as well get the £7.99 Amazon Music Unlimited

deuse · 13 Mar 2018 at 10:57

Marvt74 said:
Yeah you need the premium spotify for that.

The cheapest option is probably the Amazon Music "Echo subscription". Think it's £3.99.

For anyone thats taken the above. Is that £3.99 all in, or do you need one per device?

Kenai said:
That's for a single device only, multiple devices you may as well get the £7.99 Amazon Music Unlimited

Thanks guys.
My new Google home works ok with it

NeilF · 16 Mar 2018 at 10:17

Sky news hasn't worked for about a week now? Noticed other people complaining too?

Salty22 · 16 Mar 2018 at 11:28

That’s crap that the £3.99 music plan is only to be used on one echo at a time

NeilF · 16 Mar 2018 at 12:00

Salty22 said:
That’s crap that the £3.99 music plan is only to be used on one echo at a time

Huh! Then pay more for the multi-device version!?

Kenai · 16 Mar 2018 at 12:00

What other £3.99 plan gives you that range of music, ad free, to be used on multiple devices and platforms?

It's a cut price plan for people who only want to listen to music on their single Echo so they're not paying £7.99, potentially to a competitor, for features they don't need.

Salty22 · 16 Mar 2018 at 12:30

I don’t even have the £3.99 one because the free stuff with prime is fine, I just always thought it was a “echo only licence” on the £3.99 plan so you could have it on your Echos, not just one.

mrbazmondo · 16 Mar 2018 at 18:03

I don't have one, but a guy I work with took 6 echo dots back because he had too many. They were on offer so he bought loads. Now he only has 9 in his house...

Salty22 · 17 Mar 2018 at 04:14

mrbazmondo said:
I don't have one, but a guy I work with took 6 echo dots back because he had too many. They were on offer so he bought loads. Now he only has 9 in his house...

Jesus what does he use them for?
I don’t use mine as much now I bought the magnetic wall mountable remotes for my Hue lights

mrbazmondo · 17 Mar 2018 at 09:01

Salty22 said:
Jesus what does he use them for?
I don’t use mine as much now I bought the magnetic wall mountable remotes for my Hue lights

Controlling Sonos and hue lights. He has a dot in every room. He keeps showing off on his phone how to change the hue on the lights in his house, forgetting it's actually making his whole house light up and change colour. Once while he was out and had a babysitter. She didn't know what the hell was going on.