Amazon’s brand new Echo device is now officially on sale in the UK with delivery across the country available as early as tomorrow (sooner if you’re in a Prime Now area). Those who pre-ordered the device will receive it today and I’m eagerly anticipating delivery of my Echo as Amazon have promised it’ll arrive today.
There have been Echo’s on sale in the UK, but these have been imported US versions. The UK version has a new “English” rather than “US English” Alexa voice and has different skills tailored for the UK market including support for Philips Hue, Hive and Netatmo home automation devices.
Alexa is capable of playing music and audiobooks, streaming podcasts, answering questions, making to-do lists, setting alarms and providing weather, traffic, train times, ordering an Uber and feeding you with food ordered from Just Eat.
I’m currently not convinced that my home is ready for Alexa, mainly because the technology to fully automate my house doesn’t appear to be quite up to scratch yet. Nevertheless I’m looking forward to unboxing my Echo and will report back later on first impressions.
Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Generation) devices are due to ship on the 20th October. They’re a cut down version of Echo that uses Alexa to play music, control smart home devices, provide information, read the news, set alarms. The speakers are a bit naff (although you can connect external speakers) but it’s an ideal lower cost way have adding Echo technology to more rooms in your house such as bedrooms and the kitchen. Amazon Echo retails at £149.99 but the Echo Dot will save you a hundred quid and retails at £49.99.
Will you (or have you already) ordered an Amazon Echo? If not are you tempted?
10 Responses
what does it do, that a voice-actived alexa app on your phone couldnt do?
cost £150.
I and it ain’t here yet, cost £99 if you were quick.
Has anyone actually ordered one of these on here?
Would like to hear as to why you think you need it?
Seems pretty pointless.
They have EDF energy as a service. To submit a reading I would have to move the echo to the hallway (where the meters are) and go through many voice commands to give the information (if EDF have that feature on echo).
On the Android app all I need to do is use my phone to take a photo of the meters and hit submit.
They don’t work with BT broadband hubs, you get an error message. They are getting a lot of phone calls about it. Taking 2-3 days to fix it I have been told. The speaker sound great but all I get is ” I am having an issue connecting at the minute , but I will keep trying”
Will wait for google home & it seems to be much better & intelligent then amazon Alexia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM6fpBepd14
Did tests with echo and google on my phone as I suspected Google is far superior in my Galaxy S6 already especially for map related questions. Echo syncs with my Google Calendar but I’m a Google fan through & through.
Looking forward for news on Google home tomorrow so if anyone wants to buy an echo on the cheap? Otherwise it will be disappearing upstairs for the kids homework helper.
Don’t get me wrong I like it and find it very useful for my forgetful mind and plays music with a good tone but it can’t hear me tell it to stop when it is playing music but then that’s because it’s always loud in my house!