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Can the Echo be set to use the 24 hour time format?

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Elijah_Baley

Can the Echo be set to use the 24 hour time format?
« on: August 31, 2016, 02:29:49 pm »
Pretty much the title says what I want to know.

I know that the 12 hour format is the most common but I really prefer the 24 hour format. I find it easier to use and simpler to figure duration in.

I know this is probably impossible but, since my searches returned no relevant results, I decided to ask.

Thanks for any help.

Re: Can the Echo be set to use the 24 hour time format?
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2016, 04:24:56 pm »
unless there has been a change or there is a skill, It cannot run in 24 hour format

DParker

Re: Can the Echo be set to use the 24 hour time format?
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2016, 05:54:35 pm »
And yet there IS a skill that will tell you the time in binary (as a series of 1s and 0s).  Go figure.

Elijah_Baley

Re: Can the Echo be set to use the 24 hour time format?
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2016, 07:01:32 pm »
And yet there IS a skill that will tell you the time in binary (as a series of 1s and 0s).  Go figure.

Binary is my seventh language but I am far from fluent in it and require time to translate and since the time is what I am interested in it seems that using time to get the time is a bit of a waste of time.

Remember, "There are only 10 kinds of people in the world, those that understand binary and those that don't."

If I have some extra time in the future maybe I will look into writing a "skill" that provides the time in the form I would like it but I doubt that would allow me just to ask Alexia what time it is and getting the answer in 24 hour format.

DParker

Re: Can the Echo be set to use the 24 hour time format?
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2016, 07:06:39 pm »
If I have some extra time in the future maybe I will look into writing a "skill" that provides the time in the form I would like it but I doubt that would allow me just to ask Alexia what time it is and getting the answer in 24 hour format.

"Alexa, ask <your-skill-name> what time it is."

Pretty close.
« Last Edit: September 02, 2016, 04:11:36 pm by DParker »

Chris__M

Re: Can the Echo be set to use the 24 hour time format?
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2016, 09:14:55 am »
It may be obvious, but perhap worth noting that times can be set using the 24 hour clock, although the phrasing is unnatural. However, if you can get used to it, it skips the "is that morning or afternoon/evening" question, if you forget to specify at the time.

Me: "Alexa, set alarm for half past 18."

Alexa: "Alarm set for 6:30pm."

What you can't do is say "Set alarm for 1800 hours", or "Set alarm for 19:30".

Alexa will always confirm in 12 hour format.

Jeff29

Re: Can the Echo be set to use the 24 hour time format?
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2017, 11:58:33 pm »
I really, really, really would like to have the option to set Alexa to 24-hour format.

Hey Amazon, do you ever plan on having customers in Europe?  :P

asianrocker

Re: Can the Echo be set to use the 24 hour time format?
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2017, 08:34:41 am »
Russia is in Europe. You do the math.  :-X . They may not want a 'backlash' from what they did with recent election.

StevenR

Re: Can the Echo be set to use the 24 hour time format?
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2017, 08:52:16 am »
I'm in the UK and, although I find 24 hour time format better visually, I find 12 hour time is more natural when talking. Saying "let's meet at 1800 hours" instead of "let's meet at 6 o'clock" sounds too me like I'm planning a military operation.

Jeff29

Re: Can the Echo be set to use the 24 hour time format?
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2017, 03:51:18 pm »
Hi StevenR!  I miss the UK.  Sooo much there to love!

Having worked with colleagues in the UK and spent quite a bit of time in the UK it was my experience that most would use military time in written communications (e-mail) and be looser in their verbal references but occasionally switch to 24-hour time when clarification was required as easily as they might say AM or PM.  So what's your take?  Have you used this on Alexa, often?  Have you ever been frustrated by Alexa asking "is that AM or PM" (and she's not that brief)?