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Anyone got named timers working in UK?

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StevenR

Anyone got named timers working in UK?
« on: June 10, 2017, 10:08:00 am »
Reminders are working in the UK now but I still haven't been able to get named timers to work, despite the fact that the UK help pages suggest that this should work:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=202110530

Quote
You can set one or more named timers using your voice with Alexa. To set a countdown timer, say “Set a laundry timer for [duration].” After the timer is set you can ask Alexa how much time is left, or to stop, cancel, or resume the timer.

Has anybody got this working yet, or is this a case of the help being updated before the feature is enabled?

strayfish

Re: Anyone got named timers working in UK?
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2017, 11:18:23 am »
Just tried it. It counted down but didn't tell me what it had counted down to so, nope! Software version is 5822.

strayfish

Re: Anyone got named timers working in UK?
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2017, 11:54:41 am »
Success with a Dot! I phrased it differently though. What worked was 'Alexa, remind me to [feed the birds] in 3 minutes' and it did so. There's a different alert sound too. I'm just waiting for the second reminder [to feed the cats] which, on reflection, might have been better coming first :)
Dot's software version is 578274620

Aaaand I've had a bizarre conversation with this thing now. First asking about what was left on the timer and discovering there wasn't one (because it's a reminder, of course), then asking about the reminder and being asked what I wanted to be reminded about (suggested cats again), then the reminder going off and not stopping when told - I tried Stop, then Ok, and even Thank you (which got me 'That's what I'm here for' but it still didn't stop), then another 'STOP!' which did the trick just before the reminder I'd set because the first one hadn't apparently been saved going off and another interactive palaver commencing! I can see I'm going to have to work on what Alexa wants to hear or we're going to be having some quite exasperating conversations!

malliekm

Re: Anyone got named timers working in UK?
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2017, 07:45:25 pm »
You lost me after, "Aaaand I've had a bizarre conversation" LOL

Both timers and reminders can be named. 
I say "Alexa, set a timer called Dog for 30 seconds"
"Alexa, set a Dog reminder for 10 seconds".
I get name confirmation with both.
This is an area where Echo beats Google Home. 
GH has named timers (it doesn't do reminders yet) but
when the timer goes off, it doesn't confirm the name of the timer.
I can however ask "what was that timer for?" and it will tell me.
I've sent Feeback that the name of the timer needs to be announced
when the timer goes off.

strayfish

Re: Anyone got named timers working in UK?
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2017, 03:52:41 am »
You lost me after, "Aaaand I've had a bizarre conversation" LOL


I lost me too - sheesh!

Thanks for the cheat-sheet, I'll give those a go today. Maybe challenge Alexa and Home to an obfuscation duel!

StevenR

Re: Anyone got named timers working in UK?
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2017, 05:06:02 am »
Both timers and reminders can be named. 
I say "Alexa, set a timer called Dog for 30 seconds"
"Alexa, set a Dog reminder for 10 seconds".
I get name confirmation with both.

The first one of those still doesn't work for me. If I say "Alexa, set a timer called name for 1 minute" I just get the response "1 minute, starting now." with no confirmation of the name. There is also nothing in the Alexa app indicating that the timer has a name and when the timer goes off there is just the regular timer sound.

strayfish

Re: Anyone got named timers working in UK?
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2017, 05:11:25 am »
Both timers and reminders can be named. 
I say "Alexa, set a timer called Dog for 30 seconds"
"Alexa, set a Dog reminder for 10 seconds".
I get name confirmation with both.

The first one of those still doesn't work for me. If I say "Alexa, set a timer called name for 1 minute" I just get the response "1 minute, starting now." with no confirmation of the name. There is also nothing in the Alexa app indicating that the timer has a name and when the timer goes off there is just the regular timer sound.

That was my experience with timers too. Need to check again and see if anything's changed.

RobertinHerts

Re: Anyone got named timers working in UK?
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2017, 03:47:26 pm »
I've sent Feeback that the name of the timer needs to be announced
when the timer goes off.
Good move 8)

strayfish

Re: Anyone got named timers working in UK?
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2017, 06:42:54 pm »
Don't think we have that in the UK yet. I've tried it but so far nothing. Reminders work though, when I get the command right :)

Bronwyncarlisle

Re: Anyone got named timers working in UK?
« Reply #9 on: July 06, 2017, 02:37:51 pm »
I’m in New Zealand, and tried this out when it was new. Perfect. It has since stopped working and instead of “I’ll remind you” she now says “I’ll add that to your to do list”. Amazon do not seem to like unsupported countries using their stuff.

samsethi

Re: Anyone got named timers working in UK?
« Reply #10 on: July 09, 2017, 11:06:23 am »
I have got two timers working and then tried to edit the names in the app but although I could type the new names for each reminder, I could not click the save button.