Echo & Alexa Forums
General Category => Amazon Echo Discussion => Topic started by: Floridadomer on March 03, 2016, 03:35:13 pm
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Hopefully it will work as advertised. Anyone else order either the Dot or Tap?
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me ordered one :-) cannot wait to have full apartment coverage :-)
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@renegade600 - Why do you say "full apartment coverage".
I did not read that you could sync the Echos together, so are you just talking about having them around the house?
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@renegade600 - Why do you say "full apartment coverage".
I did not read that you could sync the Echos together, so are you just talking about having them around the house?
so I can use the echo no matter what room or corner I am in :-)
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so I can use the echo no matter what room or corner I am in :-)
Got it. Yes, that is what I am using my two for. Bummer that you can only order two.
I also ordered the Tap, hopefully that will be a nice little unit for out by the pool in the summer. The specs make it seem like it should be good for the family pool, at a decent price point. If not then I guess I will fall back on my ChromeCast Audios.
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I just ordered an Echo Dot, even though I already have three Echoes in the house.
I prefer voice activation rather than having to press a button on the Amazon Tap (why didn't they call it Echo Tap?) From the pictures, the Echo Dot uses a micro USB power connector. I figure I can use one of my cell phone power banks to make it portable. My only concern right now is the speaker. Being so small, I wonder how it will sound and how loud it can go. If the built-in speaker is really weak, I suppose I can connect a good Bluetooth speaker and also power it with the power bank.
In case you're wondering, I have two of these Aibocn power banks that I got from Amazon almost a year ago.
http://www.amazon.com/Aibocn-10000mAh-External-Flashlight-Smartphone/dp/B00VWV8LD4
Btw, my estimated delivery date is 3/31. Is anyone else getting theirs sooner?
(http://i.imgur.com/PI9QBfZ.jpg)
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I just ordered an Echo Dot, even though I already have three Echoes in the house.
I prefer voice activation rather than having to press a button on the Amazon Tap (why didn't they call it Echo Tap?) From the pictures, the Echo Dot uses a micro USB power connector. I figure I can use one of my cell phone power banks to make it portable. My only concern right now is the speaker. Being so small, I wonder how it will sound and how loud it can go. If the built-in speaker is really weak, I suppose I can connect a good Bluetooth speaker and also power it with the power bank.
In case you're wondering, I have two of these Aibocn power banks that I got from Amazon almost a year ago.
http://www.amazon.com/Aibocn-10000mAh-External-Flashlight-Smartphone/dp/B00VWV8LD4
Btw, my estimated delivery date is 3/31. Is anyone else getting theirs sooner?
I read that the speaker will be generally like those on smartphones, so be prepare to use bt speakers. As far as the delivery date, hopefully it will be sooner.
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preordered a dot as well :)
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Yep, preordered two as well. 3/31 was the release date mentioned when I ordered.
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I also ordered 2 dots and a tap. Maybe this will be the solution I have been looking for. I was thinking of getting a Sonos, but Echo and Sonos don't seem to integrate.
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Ordered mine! Just ordered one for now, as I'm not sure if I want to have two full size Echo's and a Dot, or two Dot's and my existing Echo. Plan to have an Echo in the Bedroom, and a Dot in the Kitchen, and haven't decided if I want a Dot or an Echo in the Garage depending on if I want to use the built in speaker, or my own system. Very excited to see how well it works.
Good timing too, was just about to order another Echo for $180, but was waiting cause I didn't want to spend the money. With the addition of the Audio out jack, that's a HUGE win for me.
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OK, my turn to tell everyone I ordered two little Dotties, as well (too bad we can't name its wake word "Dottie"). Ordered it mostly because it actually transmits ("connects to BT speakers"), AND it has audio out (maybe it is a headphone jack as well?) First Dot will go in family room and audio out will be plugged into where the iPod audio out has been plugged in to stereo for many years. I just can't wait to hear Alexa's voice in glorious hi-fi stereo -- Dolby stereo, at that!. Hopefully, all audio (in addition to music) will go into stereo, and Alexa comments do not just emit from the microscopic speaker that likely will sound like the first small transistor radio I got for Xmas at age 10.
So, Echo in living room, Dot on stereo in family room, so where to put second dot: How about in the upstairs master bedroom so we can stop yelling downstairs to Echo from upstairs? (It will be a hard habit to break). It will also be the mobile "utility" Dot, for any room we may want it in for any reason.
But, there is also the new Tap; there must be a good reason for us to give more money to Amazon for their new BATTERY powered, Bluetooth enabled mini boombox made to put Bose mini, mini Jambox, and the rest of the mini BT boxes out to pasture. Of course there is. Just because we WANT one sounds like a good reason! Actually, I see having great fun on summer car vacations where we can have Alexa and her skills with us at the beach, a room at hotel, etc. and other non-home locations. Guess we will let Tap tag-along if we fly as well, and just leave BT speaker at home. Of course, the patio and backyard locations are a no-brainer. All we need to do when traveling is change the Wi-Fi setting, and if free xfinitywifi is close by, another no-brainer.
Then, there are B-day gifts coming up around here at end of March (how convenient). We gave daughter and family an Echo for house-warming gift early past fall. It is kept in kitchen, so she gets a Tap (on her B-day) for master bedroom, for all the good reasons mentioned. (If she also wants a Dot, she can spring for that herself!)
Lastly, a while ago I predicted here that the new Echo Battery Boot would drop way down in price once Amazon had a battery-powered device. So, watch the sale rack for Battery Boots to be closed-out soon!
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OK, my turn to tell everyone I ordered two little Dotties, as well (too bad we can't name its wake word "Dottie").
would not be surprised if dot and tap become wakeup words.
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Agree, although it is about time Amazon allowed any word to be a wake word. How? easy. In Settings, link one's own wake word to any of the current ones, So when I say "Dottie", the Echo device knows to substitute it for "Alexa".
I really don't think this would be a programmer's nightmare to do. Com'on Amazon, be helpful.
I'd love it for when certain guests come over, see the Echo, and start asking Alexa stupid obnoxious questions, but it won't work, and I'll just say, "Sorry, it's broken; let's have a beer instead".
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Agree, although it is about time Amazon allowed any word to be a wake word. How? easy. In Settings, link one's own wake word to any of the current ones, So when I say "Dottie", the Echo device knows to substitute it for "Alexa".
I really don't think this would be a programmer's nightmare to do. Com'on Amazon, be helpful.
I'd love it for when certain guests come over, see the Echo, and start asking Alexa stupid obnoxious questions, but it won't work, and I'll just say, "Sorry, it's broken; let's have a beer instead".
Alexa is a Brand. Much like Siri. They are trying to grow the brand, I doubt they will want anyone to call it anything else.
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I ordered one. Just to be able to connect it to my whole house audio system with its aux output.
Anyone else wonder if the Dot or Tap will output in stereo?
Also, The Dot only has a speaker for (Audio: Built-in speaker for voice feedback when not connected to external speakers), so it likely will not output music unless bluetooth or 3.5mm is connected to something.
The Tap is Dolby stereo.
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Agree about name, although hope this isn't the case.
Maybe someone knows how to make an IF recipe to do this.
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Jean, I mentioned in my post here I intend to use audio out from Dot to plug into my stereo. I am pretty sure the output is stereo from the description of Dot. Amazon says this on Dot's description page, and uses the word Dot and stereo in same sentence:
"Echo Dot can also directly connect to speakers with the included 3.5 mm audio cable or using Bluetooth to add voice-control to your home stereo system in the living room or den."
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I ordered one, because it can also be linked to the Bose Mini!! The very thing I posted about here. Being able to play the Amazon Prime music, on demand, through the Bose will be sweeeeeet!!!!
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..........But, there is also the new Tap; there must be a good reason for us to give more money to Amazon for their new BATTERY powered, Bluetooth enabled mini boombox made to put Bose mini, mini Jambox, and the rest of the mini BT boxes out to pasture. .................
Mike, do you think the Tap will give the Bose Mini a run for its money as far as sound 'quality' goes??
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>>> Mike, do you think the Tap will give the Bose Mini a run for its money as far as sound 'quality' goes??
Amazon thinks so; they have a comparison chart in the online blurb for the Tap comparing Tap to a bunch of the mini BT boom boxes. As far as I am concerned it just needs to be "close", because Tap has all the Alexa trappings as well. No other mini BT speaker can have this feature. Ordered our Tap an hour ago. Daughter's will wait until I check with her.
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>>> Mike, do you think the Tap will give the Bose Mini a run for its money as far as sound 'quality' goes??
Amazon thinks so; they have a comparison chart in the online blurb for the Tap comparing Tap to a bunch of the mini BT boom boxes. As far as I am concerned it just needs to be "close", because Tap has all the Alexa trappings as well. No other mini BT speaker can have this feature. Ordered our Tap an hour ago. Daughter's will wait until I check with her.
Mike, I saw the chart I think you are referring to, it didn't have the Bose Minilink, but the Bose Sound Color. Those comparisons didn't really give any 'sound' specs, per say, outside of Dolby.
I'm sure eventually they will have sound comparisons on YouTube, plus, one could go ahead and order the Tap, and if it does come close, sell the Bose Mini.
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Lee,
I ordered a Tap to have a portable Echo that will sound pretty decent even outside, and not to have a better-sounding mini Jambox. I believe I can be sure of one thing, (unless Amazon really "doesn't get it"; which I doubt) and that is, the Tap will sound better than the Echo does. That's all I hope for.
If I want worse sound than the Echo, I buy a Dot, which I did, but got it for it's feature of audio out into home stereo or BT. I presume (hope) that if the stereo amp is on and the source switch is set to accept the Dot's audio output, not only will I get stereo music from Dot, but also Alexa's lovely voice into the stereo. If amp is off, and Dot detects no output possible, all sound will come through Dot's little speaker. We will all know the answer around March 31.
The comparison chart included the expensive UE Boom. I heard a friend's, and it sounded real good. So, if Amazon boldly compares the Tap to that, then I am feeling confident the Tap will sound real good, too.
Yea, and am keeping the Jambox; no matter what.
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Makes perfect sense Mike. I was being over analytical again, like I was with the Echo. The one thing that I was hoping the Echo would do is link TO the Bose and play the on command music THROUGH the Bose, which is exactly why I bought the Dot.
The point you brought up with the Tap is the portability of it. Having the Echo 'on the road'. The Plus side is one also gets a decent BT speaker for on command music as well. If I keep the Bose, which I probably will, I can use that at home, with the Dot, and use the Tap on the road! Sweet!
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I am not sure about the tap. Since you manually have to press the wake button, might as well use the assistant on the smartphone. IMO, I believe the speaker on the tap will not be much better than what you have on the echo. If it were much better, I believe the price would be higher.
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I am not sure about the tap. Since you manually have to press the wake button, might as well use the assistant on the smartphone. IMO, I believe the speaker on the tap will not be much better than what you have on the echo. If it did, I believe the price would be higher.
That's one reason I got the Dot and will hold off on the Tap to see the reviews and video sound comparisons.
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I am not sure about the tap. Since you manually have to press the wake button, might as well use the assistant on the smartphone. IMO, I believe the speaker on the tap will not be much better than what you have on the echo. If it were much better, I believe the price would be higher.
IMO. Amazon would be kind of stupid to compare the sound of a Tap to a quality BT speaker such as the UE Boom if it can't match up pretty good against UE Boom. I think the Tap will sound better than original Echo, firstly, because it won't take much effort to sound better, and it is stereo instead of mono, and it has passive radiators to enhance bass.
Obviously, the Tap doesn't have always-on mic since it is battery operated. I am also hoping the wake/mic button on Tap is one of the "easy touch" buttons so user doesn't push the Tap into the bowl of guacamole on the picnic table!
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Obviously, the Tap doesn't have always-on mic since it is battery operated. I am also hoping the wake/mic button on Tap is one of the "easy touch" buttons so user doesn't push the Tap into the bowl of guacamole on the picnic table!
It would be nice if the button could always on if the user wanted when it is charging/plugged in. I was also wondering if it would have a touch button similar to the wemo switches.
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By the looks of it from the Amazon Tap promo video, the tap's button is on the side of the unit. And everyone in the video is lifting it up and holding it like a microphone while pressing the button. Just from that, i assume that the button is rather rigid and must be pressed firmly. It certainly doesn't look like you can leave it sitting on a table and push the button with one finger. Its operation looks like the Fire TV Voice Remote where you press and hold the button as you speak.
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Suppose it is what it is, and if I have to pick it up to talk, I will be sure to wipe the guacamole off my hands onto my shirt before picking it up.
PS, the Dot kind of looks like a coaster, so I want to name mine "Coaster" soon as it is an official wake word!
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Does anyone think there's any probability that, down the road, the Tap can be configured to be a device that works with your cell carrier giving it 4G data capabilities?
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Probably already available. You likely can set up your cell phone as a wireless hotspot using your data connection and accomplish what you want to do. Check your phone manual.
Also, Comcast has many 1000s of hotspots setup across America using people's routers leased from them. It is called xfinitywifi; I, and other Comcast customers use it when away from home when available. I can detect at least seven xfinitywifi signals in my neighborhood alone.
So, next time we have a neighborhood picnic in our park, I can bring the Tap, connect to xfinitywifi, and Alexa is at the picnic, too, playing music, telling jokes, and answering dumb questions for the kids (and adults) and throwing in a weather report or two!