Summary: The Amazon Echo and Alexa Personal Assistant
The Amazon Echo is a feature packed product. While all the features may not be installed out of the box. With the Skills you can add into the Alexa platform it can be an integral part of your home automation solution and possibly one of the most used devices in your house.
The bottom line – Echo, Alexa and all of its features.
- Setup – very simple. Plug in the Echo, download the app, or visit the Alexa website and connect it to your WiFi. After that you can talk with Alexa and use it immediately.
- Bluetooth Speaker Performance – As a Bluetooth speaker Amazon Echo is as good as any. I have experience with speakers from Fugoo, Beats and Soul Republic. The performance of the Echo was good. It was loud, clear and very enjoyable. Often I find myself turning the volume to 5 or 6, which fills the room, but lets us still speak comfortably.
- Music services – All of the bases covered here. With the momentum the Amazon Alexa skill program has, I am sure there will be more good things to come if there are any missing services. The ability to have all of your music at your request is a fantastic feature. As I a writing this page, I wanted to hear a little Led Zeppelin. All I had to say was, Alexa, Play some Led Zeppelin. She responded with a not found in my music, but then said she would find and IHeartRadio station. Then just like that I was listening to Led Zeppelin.
- Home Automation – If you are looking to add voice control to your home automation scheme, Alexa will do a great job. Its a good idea to check your devices and make sure your smart hub ( if you use one) or all your individual devices are supported by skills. The Amazon Echo has great hardware for picking up voice and playing audio. The Amazon Alexa skills kit has already boosted support for 3rd party devices and it will only grow. As the complimentary products grow, like Amazon Tap. The reach of Alexa and the ease at which you can access her will only grow.
- App and website – I mentioned a couple of times during the review that the app and website were exactly the same. This was great as I have used the Echo. You don’t need to remember a different interface. Actually, after installing it on your network, you won’t use the app much at all. If you do need the Alexa app or website, the good news is they are simply laid out and exactly the same. I am not aware of anything you can do on one, that can’t be done on the other.
- voice recognition – The voice recognition was second to none. I was very pleased with how easy it was for me, my friends and children to use Alexa to answer questions, tell jokes and control our home. While some of my friends just insisted they needed to yell at the Echo, I think the problem is more on them.. than the Echo.
- Product compatibility – As the home automation market continues to expand Amazon had definitely put in place the ability to roll in future features with the Alexa skills feature. I do hope they put some checks in place to insure that the Skills section doesn’t become another bloated app store with all kinds of skills that don’t provide value. What they will do is make it hard to find the ones you are looking for. If they can keep the fluff under control, I think it will be a great system moving forward.
- Surprises – The Amazon Echo has performed very well. There were a not a lot of surprises with the echo. However there was one little item that I was a little surprised it didn’t work better together. Amazon has always done a great job on the user experience. Your Fire TV sticks arrive already configured to your account. Same with the Echo and other products. I did have the expectation that there would be more voice control between the Fire TV and Echo. While you can use the Fire TV to summon Alexa and issue commands, you cannot control content and services. I am sure this is on the list for the Echo team. It seems like a natural progression of features.
- Product Enhancements – The Echo is a good product. I have am very happy with the speaker itself as well as the voice dimension it brings to home automation and life in general. After using the Echo for a period of time it did become apparent that there were some features I would love to have implemented.
- Voice recognition – If I were a bachelor and didn’t have teenage boys at home, It might not be something I would have longed for. However, with two young men who seem to think its a sport to “troll” Dad, I would really like the feature to voice lock Alexa. If she could recognize my voice and then only respond to my voice when I initiate music or a command, that would be fantastic. Similar to windows permissions, if I could be the admin voice and over rule the others. For a while it was a sport to walk by Alexa and change the song, or turn lights on or have her tell a joke, all the while interrupting what I was doing. Perhaps there is a lock word.. There is voice training in the Alexa app, it would be nice if you could tailor Alexa to respond to a specific voice, or maybe a lock code.
- Connected Speakers – If I could purchase multiple Echo’s and have them spread out through out my house. Then as I ask one to play music, have that lead Echo broadcast it to the others. Keeping the music in sync. It would be fantastic! I did find my self bringing Alexa into the garage for projects. Even out on the patio when there is company. The ability to have network distributed audio to all of the Echo’s would be great. I think I would purchase 4 or 5 of them. Similar to the Sonos speakers, but so much more functionality with Alexa at the wheel. The Dot and Tap have been released, perhaps Amazon has something up their sleeve. One can only hope.
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The Amazon Echo review was a great experience. It has become a product that has enhanced my smart home system. I have used it in the kitchen to set timers for pizza, or convert cups to quarts or ounces to teaspoons when I am trying to get a recipe right. Alexa delivers all kinds of quirky comments. You can ask here to set your phasers to stun. She will gladly do it. You can say Good Night Alexa and she will happily return the sentiment. That is if you say Alexa, Good Night. You do have to use the wake word first. There are lots of fun little expressions.
I found the commands easy to figure out. Most of them are very natural, and didn’t require a lot of thought. I didn’t find the need to look up a manual. The Echo has been easy for my kids to use as well as friends and family. Once they here you issue a command. They are off to the races.
Here at Smarter Home Automation, we are working to bring you reviews and information so you can make informed decisions about your home automation needs. Keeping that mission statement in mind. I would give the Amazon Echo 4 Stars. The Alexa app is easy to navigate. The smart home skills are easy to locate and install. The voice control adds a new dimension to controlling your smart home. Everything considered, The Amazon Echo gets the SHA Too Cool Award!
