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The Unofficial Smart Speaker Owners' Thread

Posted: Sat 30 Dec, 2017 19.04
by bilky asko
I decided to expend some currency during a trip to John Lewis a few days ago, and purchase a Google Home, in a package with a Philips Hue starter pack for £169.98.

It was supposed to be £169.99, but the bundle code listed on the website didn't work in-store, and the way it was discounted meant I saved a massive £0.01.

Whilst I am still in the novelty period for owning such a product, I feel the money spent was worth it. The quality of the speaker is much better than I expected, set-up was much easier than the Echo Dot I had to set up for someone else over the festive period, and I have actually found it to be of some use, at least in terms of it being trivial to ask it something.

The lights are a bit of a disappointment. Yes, they weren't exactly astronomical considering the bundle deal, but they seem incapable of mixing a good representation of many of the colours I tried. I can have any particular shade of white I like, but it does seem that the other colours are almost an afterthought.

In any case, I'm glad I made the purchase all things considered, though I hope the capabilities of the device develops soon.

Re: The Unofficial Smart Speaker Owners' Thread

Posted: Sat 30 Dec, 2017 22.28
by thegeek
My other half spent most of December hinting about wanting either a Google Home or an Alexa, with her preference apparently being an Alexa because you can add things to your Ocado list with it. I mostly kept schtum, having bought a Home Mini when they reduced the price at the end of November. It's still in the box, which I hope is because we've been quite busy and not a comment on my buying choice.

I'm not massively comfortable with the ability to buy stuff through the Alexa - not through a dislike of Amazon, but more that I'm aware that the default buying options aren't necessarily the cheapest or best way to buy things, and I'd prefer to shop around rather than go with what they want. (Also we have a Chromecast and I think that being able to control that would be useful.)

Re: The Unofficial Smart Speaker Owners' Thread

Posted: Sat 30 Dec, 2017 23.08
by Alexia
I'm sorry, I don't understand this thread.

Re: The Unofficial Smart Speaker Owners' Thread

Posted: Sat 30 Dec, 2017 23.59
by scottishtv
Alexia wrote: Sat 30 Dec, 2017 23.08 I'm sorry, I don't understand this thread.
:lol:

On a semi serious note, I find myself being taken in by my Google Home and now feel like a beta tester, shouting "Send feedback" a lot and telling the developers what went wrong and how to improve it. Eg, I can't take the bus to work that you've offered as it's already later than the departure time. Overall, I do like it though, especially when it gives you a cheeky answer unexpectedly.

Re: The Unofficial Smart Speaker Owners' Thread

Posted: Sun 31 Dec, 2017 12.51
by Pete
My flatmate has an Alexa Dot which is never used. We did consider getting Alexa compatible sockets when my old remote control sockets for the sidelights died, but in the end got a like for like replacement. Price was too high to justify the novelty, not from any brand I'd heard of, and thought it's just easier to press a button.

Wonder if Amazon Basics will start releasing compatible hardware such as sockets in time.

For music, I've got a bit of a smart/dumb setup. Essentially it's an old Moto G running spotify, plugged into a little amp going into bookshelf speakers that is then controlled by phone / laptop whatever using spotify connect. Efficient and cheap (£19 for the amp, speakers from old hifi, mum's old mobile).

Re: The Unofficial Smart Speaker Owners' Thread

Posted: Wed 10 Jan, 2018 12.40
by bilky asko
thegeek wrote: Sat 30 Dec, 2017 22.28 My other half spent most of December hinting about wanting either a Google Home or an Alexa, with her preference apparently being an Alexa because you can add things to your Ocado list with it. I mostly kept schtum, having bought a Home Mini when they reduced the price at the end of November. It's still in the box, which I hope is because we've been quite busy and not a comment on my buying choice.

I'm not massively comfortable with the ability to buy stuff through the Alexa - not through a dislike of Amazon, but more that I'm aware that the default buying options aren't necessarily the cheapest or best way to buy things, and I'd prefer to shop around rather than go with what they want. (Also we have a Chromecast and I think that being able to control that would be useful.)
You can add stuff to your Tesco shopping list via IFTTT for both Alexa and Google Assistant.
Alexia wrote: Sat 30 Dec, 2017 23.08 I'm sorry, I don't understand this thread.
If you overhear some people mentioning your username more than usual, it's likely someone speaking to their Echo.

Re: The Unofficial Smart Speaker Owners' Thread

Posted: Fri 12 Jan, 2018 02.38
by Martin Phillp
This thread is making me awfully luddite! If I want to write a shopping list, I use the old fashioned pen and paper trick.

I still haven't been convinced that these smart speakers are worth the hassle at the moment, which is the same for the majority of the 'internet of things' to buy.