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Digital_photog

By Digital_photog
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Digital_photog Domestique

Digital_photog ★

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Our TV in the bedroom died and I bought a new one on a black friday sale from Best Buy. It came with a free amazon echo dot. I am convinced that it is worth exactly what I paid for it. NOTHING. Am I wrong?

IT won't clean the house. It won't feed the dogs or clean the kennels. It won't take the dogs on training runs. It won't cook breakfast or supper. It doesn't do anything useful.

 Has anyone found a use for this little black box other than to clutter up the house?

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BuffJim KOM / QOM

BuffJim

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15 minutes ago, Digital_photog said:

Our TV in the bedroom died and I bought a new one on a black friday sale from Best Buy. It came with a free amazon echo dot. I am convinced that it is worth exactly what I paid for it. NOTHING. Am I wrong?

IT won't clean the house. It won't feed the dogs or clean the kennels. It won't take the dogs on training runs. It won't cook breakfast or supper. It doesn't do anything useful.

 Has anyone found a use for this little black box other than to clutter up the house?

The Chinese government uses these to steal sensitive information about about dog sledding training regimens, tactics and strategy. They are determined to do anything to win dog sledding gold at the next Winter Olympics. 
 

It’s no coincidence that Best Buy didn’t give me an echo dot last week. 

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Kirby Flahute

Kirby

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I have an Alexa and a dot and I love them.  I use it to listen to podcasts, get weather locally and in cities where my family is located, find out how many hours to sunrise, listen to the Classic Country radio show that @sheep_herder mentions, set alarms and timers, check spelling of words, do quick math etc.

I used to have a dot that I'd take when I traveled, but now I have alexa on my fire tablet and it's easier to take that. 

I gave one to my Mom and she used it to control hard to reach lights and to listen to old radio shows from her  youth.  She'd also ask it to tell her jokes sometimes.

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maddmaxx Flahute

maddmaxx ★

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1 hour ago, Digital_photog said:

Our TV in the bedroom died and I bought a new one on a black friday sale from Best Buy. It came with a free amazon echo dot. I am convinced that it is worth exactly what I paid for it. NOTHING. Am I wrong?

IT won't clean the house. It won't feed the dogs or clean the kennels. It won't take the dogs on training runs. It won't cook breakfast or supper. It doesn't do anything useful.

 Has anyone found a use for this little black box other than to clutter up the house?

It will play music.  It will set and announce the end of timers.  "Alexa set a timer for 2 hours".  "Alexa set an alarm for 5am".  It will give you a weather forecast slightly more detailed than looking out the window.  It will play radio stations.

You may not want to but I turn lights on and off around the house by asking.  I use Alexa capable CASA plugs for this.  Some of the lights are grouped together such as all the ones I want to have come on when I say "Alexa good morning".  If you have two they are an intercom as well.  That assumes that your wifi extends as far as the second one.  I don't know if that works in your sheds or barn.  They will answer questions.  It's possible that because they gave it to you with a TV that the TV is also Alexa capable and can control the TV by voice????  That requires a particular TV though.

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maddmaxx Flahute

maddmaxx ★

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1 hour ago, BuffJim said:

The Chinese government uses these to steal sensitive information about about dog sledding training regimens, tactics and strategy. They are determined to do anything to win dog sledding gold at the next Winter Olympics. 
 

It’s no coincidence that Best Buy didn’t give me an echo dot last week. 

You know that echo's whether dots or shows or others all work for Skynet right?

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Kirby Flahute

Kirby

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You can also set your alexa to make emergency calls to designated contacts.  This sounds silly, but can be a safety protection for people who live alone in case they've "fallen and can't get up".   I also use my alexa to play my sirius subscription.  Back in the old days I had to have a sirius home receiver or boom box to get it at home.  Now it has an app for free for any subscription so you can also play through your phone or bluetooth, but my alexa is great for that.

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Bikeguy Domestique

Bikeguy

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2 hours ago, Digital_photog said:

It came with a free amazon echo dot. I am convinced that it is worth exactly what I paid for it. NOTHING. Am I wrong?

Apparently it can do a few things.   Learn what Alexa can do | Amazon.com

Me...  I most likely will never connect an Amazon device to my network and let it listen to all of my conversations.  

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidphelan/2019/04/12/amazon-confirms-staff-listen-to-alexa-conversations-heres-all-you-need-to-know/?sh=43eec45d9db8

 

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UglyBob Domestique

UglyBob

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We have them and use them to help my wife. She has limited mobility, so I have smart-switches and outlets powering some the lights in the house. She can turn things on and off without having to get up. The device also lets me program light to go on and off on a set schedule. We use them as an intercom as well. We also use them to stream music and control the security cameras. For someone in her position, they are a useful tool. If it wasn't for that, I probably wouldn't have them,

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maddmaxx Flahute

maddmaxx ★

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17 minutes ago, smudge said:

Yup. I do not want a snoop in my home.

They tried listening to my conversations.  I heard that two analysts passed away from boredom.

 

Anyway, it's far to late to worry about it.  I've already had 5 covid vaccinations/boosters.  I've go so many chips that even the Russians listen to me.

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Longjohn Flahute

Longjohn ★

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On 12/5/2022 at 8:10 PM, UglyBob said:

We have them and use them to help my wife. She has limited mobility, so I have smart-switches and outlets powering some the lights in the house. She can turn things on and off without having to get up. The device also lets me program light to go on and off on a set schedule. We use them as an intercom as well. We also use them to stream music and control the security cameras. For someone in her position, they are a useful tool. If it wasn't for that, I probably wouldn't have them,

 

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