Amazing Alexa

My SiL-wot-works-in-computers says Alexa and her friends have been used in evidence to prove someone is where they said they weren't and what payments were made to whom and can be hacked. He won't use it. It's the possibility of it being hacked I don't like.

I got an Echo Dot for my birthday last November. Unfortunately you couldn't link it up here in Cyprus until about a month later! Since I got it working I have to say I love it. Mostly I use it for adding items to the shopping list on my phone, as a timer for cooking and for news/weather/music. It will also tell you a story, or a joke, and there are quizzes you can do with it - something I love. I can also call my son in the US on it. More features (skills) are being added all the time. My DH doesn't do anything with it at all!

I couldn't have an Alexa in my life; I argue constantly with the satnav lady..can't have someone else nagging me to do things...

Wouldn't be without my Alexa. You can use it as a radio. Most useful for cooking too. Just tell Alexa to set alarm for 10 mins and hey presto she reminds you- I used to miss the reminder on my cooker as my hearing is not good.
I can play all my old favourite tunes of the 50/60s and I have a good old sing-song when doing the chores!

suesue35 Look online for a programme called Calibre; it will let you convert ebooks from one type to any other. When you have converted them, just email as an attachment to your Kindle.

There have been several threads on Mumsnet about what you can use Alexa for - they're very informative
My DS now has 3 - and finds the one in DGS's bedroom very useful for calling him when dinner is ready (you can communicate between dots in different parts of the house).

All too technical for me I'm afraid. I got so excited with my Nans shopping list pad and pen that sticks to fridge . Say no more. I envy you all.

My husband gave me an Alexa dot (think that is what it is!) for my birthday in August - I hardly ever use it (her?) I'm ashamed to say. Occasionally she joins in when the television is on, so I tell her to be quiet.............the grandchildren like playing with it anyway. Call me old fashioned but I don't want any old device linked up to my credit card and ordering food etc for me.............. I was secretly hoping someone would give me a book on how to get the best out of Alexa for Christmas - but that didn't happen. Perhaps I should let her order me one and see what happens................

I've had the Kindle Fire e reader since Xmas 2016 . I am quite happy downloading my books and games . That's about as technical as I'll ever be.

Totally fed-up with Amazon, bought a Basic Kindle a couple of years ago, to enlarge print whilst awaiting cataracts ops, when it arrived the device was rattling around the delivery box with no instructions, not even how to turn it on - assumed Instruction Leaflet not packed by mistake so rang Amazon to request one & was told that Amazon does NOT supply I/L you just have to go online blah. blah, blah etc. Have not got the time or inclination to spend hours on youtube learning what could have been put on an A5 sheet of paper! Seems like a minimum requirement to me. Have since learned that Public Libraries can supply e-books to any Reader, except Kindle!
Not surprised Alexa is giving problems!

The ticket inspector on our train to Munich has just checked our ticket using a very flash digital device but it took a while until he had got the paper perfectly flat. Can’t beat an old fashioned ticket puncher for speed! So has an Alexa - I thought it was a thing of the future in a TV ad. It couldn’t cope with a request for either a Beatles song or Schubert Lieder.

Have to confess I didn't know anything about this type of device but reading the posts I think I am happy to stay ignorant. It sounds like some sort of invasive AI nightmare in your own home. The devices do seem to be useful for some people but would drive me bonkers. ?

Maybe the robots will be programmed to kill us all off! I am in awe of all you tech savies!

Exactly sarahellenwhitney, that’s just what I’ve been saying for a long time. When robots take over everybody’s jobs what are humans going to do - sit on the couch getting obese and developing diabetes, bankrupting the NHS.

Frightening when you think the human form may at some point in time become, for some if not many, superfluous to requirements.

I’m going to test that theory GA

starts muttering about new hobby

Now awaiting invitation to buy a rug making kit or jigsaws. Will keep you informed.

Just a word of warning about Alexa - she is fitted with spyware and listens in to conversations which she then relays back to amazon and during the data mining process, amazon works out from these what you are thinking of buying and then targets you with marketing information via email or any other social media you possess - so the lesson here is to turn Alexa off if you don't want her to do something for you.

I don't trust any of these gadgets!

Forgot to say, she was terrified of dogs!

When my DD was a teenager, Furbies were the must have toy one Christmas and her best friend got one. She very kindly lent it to my DD for a week. She complained when it went back, as our dog had taught it to bark!

Our Alexa can turn on radio stations or get podcasts, or some of them,. If I say play Farming Today podcast it begins with the latest and goes on backwards. It can get a book from audible and read it to me. It can tell me the weather here, the forecast, the news bulletin, play soothing sounds like rainforest and beach or train, it can tell jokes, look up things in Wikipeadia, and I miss that when I am out. It can play most songs too, individual ones or by an artist and carry on until I say stop. It can turn lights on and off and set reminders to turn the oven on and put things in, or daily reminders to take pills. It can tell stories and select and play a list of nursery tunes for toddler granddaughter.

It often doesn't hear what I say when I haven't got my upper plate in(teeth) and that annoys me. It doesn't understand two and a half year old granddaughter either as she isn't clear enough, but I often have trouble too.

If we link to our Morrisons account it can order food and we have a tv stick which it will soon be able to control. We get a weekly email with new things it can do. I should admit I didn't get it, someone else got it and set it up. We have them in 3 upstairs rooms and the sitting room.

Thanks ladies. Very interesting but still not convinced I need Alexa.
My phone is by my bed for checking time in the night (on Don't disturb from 22.00 to 0700) but with alarm function.
Love the idea of nagging reminder messages but live alone so no need for that.
Surely controlling lighting would need a lot more work than installing an app?
I think I'm with Sarah here. It's a proper robot I need.

I use Alexa on my Kindle to set an alarm for waking me up. That's about all though.
Today I have linked my Google calendar to my Echo Show. This is going to be useful, far better than having to write everything on the paper calendar, and then remembering to look at it.

mcem.Like me, you need a robot.
Make me a cup of tea. Put the washing in the tumble dryer. Answer the door, turn on the tv ,etc etc etc.

I got the Echo Show for Christmas but am struggling to find time to set it up properly - it's working but I just need to add the skills to it. I'm quite cross that Amazon have disabled the ability to link existing music to their devices in Dec - very sneaky! I was watching demos on You Tube last night and every time Alexa was mentioned mine came back with Sorry - I don't know that . If you Google Alexa for seniors there's a very funny video on there.