# Alexa on 2 new devices: Amazon Tap and Echo Dot (New: $20 off Tap!)



## gdae23

I received an email this morning from Amazon re 2 new devices. The Amazon Tap ($129.99 right now) is the portable speaker that was rumored. The Echo Dot ($89.99 right now) is a small size speaker for home use.

I don't have time to write more here right now, but here are the links:

http://www.amazon.com/b/?node=14047587011

http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-PW3840KL-Tap/dp/B00VXS8E8S/ref=sr_tr_sr_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457029123&sr=8-1&keywords=Amazon+tap


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## The Hooded Claw

I bought a second Echo during a holiday sale, otherwise I'd be getting a Dot. No interest in the Tap here.


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## cagnes

I wonder what are the differences between the Echo & Dot... I wish they had a side by side comparison chart.

I use my Echo to listen to audiobooks & would love to be able to have a Dot in a different room to continue listening as I roam through the house. Does anyone know if both devices would play music or books in sync?


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## Chad Winters

ouch the Dot is almost the same price as the Echo when I bought it


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## Sandpiper

Not being too techie -- what are basic differences between Echo, Dot, and Tap??    They're not the same things so there must be some differences.


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## gdae23

The Hooded Claw said:


> I bought a second Echo during a holiday sale, otherwise I'd be getting a Dot. No interest in the Tap here.


And I'm the other way around. I also have 2 Echos, which is enough for my apartment, so no interest in the Dot. (At least so far - I reserve the right to change my mind as soon as someone mentions a use for it that I haven't thought of yet!)

I am interested in the Tap, to use as a portable speaker away from home, or for very close up quiet listening at home without having to use headphones/earphones. (So as not to disturb someone in another room, or a neighboring apartment late at night. For those situations, if I'm not sitting right next to a speaker, it's hard to hear from a distance if it's on a quiet enough setting not to disturb someone else.)

The Tap will work on Wi-Fi or via blue tooth to a portable device if no Wi-Fi is available. The Dot, among other uses, can be connected to an existing stereo system, apparently to allow for playing cloud music services through your stereo and to allow voice control of the stereo system.

The original Echos can not be synced with each other. I'm guessing the new devices can't either, but I haven't read all the details yet so that could be incorrect.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked

I've ordered a Dot, it should be here around the end of the month. I'd wanted another Echo to put in the bedroom for controlling my Home Automation system, but didn't want to pay that much.


Mike


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## Atunah

jmiked said:


> I've ordered a Dot, it should be here around the end of the month. I'd wanted another Echo, but didn't want to pay that much.
> 
> Mike


That was about us. Now that the Echo's don't cost a nice $99 anymore as they used to in the early days. 
My husband emailed me to get a dot. He wants it upstairs in the bedroom/bathroom area. He loves to listen to various talk radio or news in the morning and ask the weather and stuff. Now he basically yells down over the loft wall and Alexa doesn't always get it. . The Echo is in a central location in the living/dining area. So now I can fold the piles of clothes on the bed and let Dottie read a book, or such thing.

I love that you have to order it through the Echo or no can do. You also have to be a Prime member by the way to order it. Said so on the page. That might just be for limited stock like they did with the Echo early on.


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## Toby

I need help in deciding. I have the Echo in the den, but my 2'nd remote did not work from my bedroom when I set an alarm & had to turn it off. Now, I can barely hear the alarm & have to get out of bed & go down the hall to the den to stop the alarm. Should I get the Dot, & leave it plugged in my hallway, where it's near my bedroom or get the Tap, where I can take the Tap in my bedroom? The alarm is my main reson, but I could also listen to audio books, etc. Which would you get?


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## Atunah

The Tap you have to press the button each time. It does not listen to you like the Dot and Echo do. If that is important for you.


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## Toby

I do like being able to use my voice over the tapping on it while at home. Which one would you get? This is what I learned. The Dot has to be plugged in the wall like the regular Echo, so you don't have to worry about running out of battery. The Tap doesn't have to be plugged in to work, but is claiming to have 9 hours of battery, but we really don't know yet on this one until people start reporting results of battery usage. I spent around a half hour on the phone with Amazon when I got home on the 1st call. After I checked out the Tap page on Amazon, I called back Amazon because on the Tap page, it doesn't list that you can set an alarm. The CS Rep said yes, you can set an alarm. Afterwards, I was thinking that maybe it will set an alarm like go ring in 5 min's & not in the morning. The reason why I wondered this was because when I typed in the Echo question, & they called me backach time, it wasn't from the Echo department on both calls. Then the Echo CS Reps, who were nice & helpful, but had to put me on hold repeatedly to look up an answers. They were not trained & ready to answer questions on the new devices. However, they were both really nice, helpful people, though.


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## The Hooded Claw

Ha, I tried asking "Alexa, tell me about the Echo Dot" and it actually gave a useful answer!


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## Toby

I'm going to try that now. Thanks for the mention.
Okay, I just did that. I asked if the Echo Tap would work if you take it outside where you don't have wifi. Alexa didn't know the answer. LOL! It did know about the Dot & the Tap to tell me what they were. That was still fun.


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## gdae23

Toby - 2 things re the Tap:

Take a look at the pictures on Amazon for the Tap and for the Tap sling case cover. The tap charging cable can either be plugged into the back of the Tap directly or the cable can be plugged into the charging cradle which will be plugged into wall power. The description says you can listen to the Tap while it's in the charging cradle. So if you're concerned with the battery running down, I guess you could leave it in the charging cradle much of the time. In that respect it wouldn't be any different from the Dot.

Re the alarm: From the description it sounds like the Tap will do all the same things that the original Echo does in terms of timers, alarms etc., at least when it's on Wi-Fi. On the original Echo, you can set an alarm for the next morning. Now you've got me wondering what would happen if you set the alarm at home on Wi-Fi and then took the Tap around with you during the day away from Wi-Fi, and then reconnected to your Wi-Fi at home. Would it hold the alarm setting or not?


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## Jane917

I don't have the Dot, the Echo, or Alexa. I would like to have a device that is compatible with my wifi, lets me listen to radio, and allows me to listen to audiobooks with the option to use earbuds. Presently I only listen to my audiobooks when I am driving. Where should I start? The Tap is cheaper than Alexa and appears to do all that Alexa does, at least for my purposes.


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## Leslie

I ordered both. The Tap will be here on April 15 and the Dot on April 20. It sort of reminds me of the old Kindle watch days!

Who knows if I really need both but I am sure we'll figure that out. I like the idea of having the Tap on the porch in summer.

Like Jane, I usually only listen to Audible books in the car, but I recently bought a 66 hour book (!!). Getting through that in 20 minute commutes might take me the rest of my life! So, having the Dot to read to me in the bedroom might actually be a great thing.

Lots of excitement...


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## Atunah

Jane917 said:


> I don't have the Dot, the Echo, or Alexa. I would like to have a device that is compatible with my wifi, lets me listen to radio, and allows me to listen to audiobooks with the option to use earbuds. Presently I only listen to my audiobooks when I am driving. Where should I start? The Tap is cheaper than Alexa and appears to do all that Alexa does, at least for my purposes.


Just remember, you have to press the button each time you ask anything. The Echo you can talk to and it listens hands free. Other than that, it should do the same I guess.
For me the hands free is one of the main features of Alexa. But the Tap would make a great carry out on the porch kind of thing. As long as it can still pick up a signal I guess


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## cagnes

I went ahead & told Alexa to order me an Echo Dot! The Echo resides in the kitchen/dining room & the Dot will reside in my bedroom.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked

Atunah said:


> Just remember, you have to press the button each time you ask anything. The Echo you can talk to and it listens hands free.


I find that more than half the time I have to use the remote to get Alexa to pay attention to me anyway (even if I raise my voice considerably), so pressing a button each time wouldn't be that much more trouble. The only time Alexa responds reliably to hands-free is with a dead-silent house. I listen to the TV or stereo at medium-low levels, but it still interferes.

Not everyone has that trouble, I know.

Mike


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## Leslie

Now that I have very impulsively ordered both the Tap and Dot--

are these independent devices? I mean, if you buy a Tap and don't own an Echo, will it work? Same for the Dot. I know you have to order the Dot via your Echo (although I read a few websites that had workarounds for ordering) but are the Dot and Echo connected? Or do they work independently from each other?

L


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## Sandpiper

> Included in the box: Echo Dot, 3.5 mm audio cable (4 ft.), power adapter (9W), USB charging cable, and Quick Start Guide


Above is from Amazon Dot page. What am I not understanding? Because power adapter and USB charging cable are included, I thought Dot was battery powered. It has to be plugged into 'lectric all the time?


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## Leslie

Sandpiper said:


> Above is from Amazon Dot page. What am I not understanding? Because power adapter and USB charging cable are included, I thought Dot was battery powered. It has to be plugged into 'lectric all the time?


Yes, the Dot needs to be plugged in. The Tap is the one that has a battery (good for 9 hrs, they say) with a charger.

L


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## Atunah

I would not have gotten the Dot if it didn't have a plug with it. I don't want to constantly worry about if I charged it or not. Just like the Echo, I just want it to be always ready to go without thought. 

They really should give us the option to call it Dottie.  . All we get is Amazon, Alexa and Echo. I guess I'll have to use Echo as to not by off chance confuse Alexa. Watching TV with the always running new Echo ads is a challenge. Even watching the Dot video from my computer in the loft activated my Alexa.

Then of course husband had to let Alexa Echo and Alexa fire stick play Knock knock, who's there with each other. The things we do to entertain


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## Toby

The Tap is independent of the Echo. I did ask this question of CS, but because he told me 2 different things I can't remember what he said about the Dot. I would think the Dot would be independent. Maybe Amazon wants to give a deal to previous Echo customers that already paid for the Echo. Just my opinion, no facts here.


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## Toby

Gdae23, that's true about having it plugged in. Good point. Thanks!


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## Ann in Arlington

Here's a link to a blog with an overview/compare/contrast about the Echo, Dot, and Tap . . . . written by the guy that does the "I Love My Kindle" blog.

https://measuredcircle.wordpress.com/2016/03/03/the-alexa-family-grows-two-new-devices-from-amazon/

It's brief, but informative, I think.


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## Jane917

I just pre-ordered the Tap. I don't have an Echo. I hope I ordered the right device. I want to tell it to play music and read my audiobooks. Hope the setup is not too complicated, but time will tell. At this point I don't plan to order the Dot.


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## Leslie

Jane917 said:


> I just pre-ordered the Tap. I don't have an Echo. I hope I ordered the right device. I want to tell it to play music and read my audiobooks. Hope the setup is not too complicated, but time will tell. At this point I don't plan to order the Dot.


I am sure the setup will be simple.

I thought I would just listen to music, but it is fun to ask for weather reports, news headlines and other stuff. I think you will enjoy it.

L


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## Jane917

Leslie said:


> I am sure the setup will be simple.
> 
> I thought I would just listen to music, but it is fun to ask for weather reports, news headlines and other stuff. I think you will enjoy it.
> 
> L


Ordered the Tap today. Now for the wait. I did not order the sling.


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## Leslie

Jane917 said:


> Ordered the Tap today. Now for the wait. I did not order the sling.


I didn't order the sling either, because it said when it is on, the Tap doesn't fit into the charger. That seemed like it could be a pain in the neck, taking it on and off.

L


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## Andra

I was at my Mom's with no internet and no Echo when the announcement came out so I was late ordering my Dot.  It is not scheduled for delivery until the end of April.
I'm still debating on the Tap.  We probably have 4-5 bluetooth speakers in various locations around the house so I don't know that the voice addition will add much for me.  I think I'll wait to see what you guys think about it before making a decision.


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## Sometimes Lucy

I just ordered my Dot. It said it is to be released March 31st, and I noticed here that a few people had delivery dates in April. However, mine said not until June 10th! Is that for real?


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## Mike D. aka jmiked

Sometimes Lucy said:


> I just ordered my Dot. It said it is to be released March 31st, and I noticed here that a few people had delivery dates in April. However, mine said not until June 10th! Is that for real?


Sure. The same thing happened when the Echo was released. I ordered pretty quickly, but the delivery date ran out over two months.

Mike


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## DawnB

I ordered the Tap, I've been waiting for a battery powered Echo. I plan to keep it by my desk. The biggest thing I use the Echo for is streaming music (mostly from my music in the Amazon Music Cloud.) I really like being able to play streaming music directly to the speaker without having to use bluetooth via my phone/tablet/computer. I plan on doing the same thing with the Tap. (as of right now, my Tap will arrive 4/15).


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## Patricia

I've ordered the Dot, but I'm beginning to think that I'd be better off just ordering another Echo if I want a second one.  From what I've been reading, it looks like I'm going to have to buy a bluetooth speaker to go with the Dot.


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## Atunah

Patricia said:


> I've ordered the Dot, but I'm beginning to think that I'd be better off just ordering another Echo if I want a second one. From what I've been reading, it looks like I'm going to have to buy a bluetooth speaker to go with the Dot.


Funny, I been kind of thinking the same. My husband told me to get the dot as soon as he hear it, but now thinking on it, I think I'd rather have another Echo upstairs with the nice speaker already in it. The dot does have a speaker, but surely it can't be very loud or good for the size, right? And although I have some other speaker, bluetooth sitting around I never use, I'd have to constantly charge it up to make it work, defeating the purpose of always being read. I still have a bit time before it ships in 20 days, or so it says. But man I wish the Echo didn't cost this much now. I am bummed I didn't get another for $99.


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## cagnes

I've been rethinking my Dot order too because of the small speaker. I'm debating whether to cancel or keep the order as is & just return it if I don't like it.


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## gdae23

I've ordered the Tap, but not the sling. From the sling photos, it does show that you can charge the Tap without taking the sling off.  You can plug the charger directly into the Tap, but you can't use the charging cradle when the sling is on. 

My impression about the Dot is that it's meant to be used to connect with something like a home stereo system,  or as an auxiliary speaker for simple voice interaction with Alexa.  I'm not sure how it would be as a standalone speaker for playing music.


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## MagentaSunset

_I ordered both. The Tap has a late April arrival date and the Dot is 7/11! Wow! We were thinking about ordering 2 Dots....I think we need to do that soon or we'll be talking Christmas delivery! _


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## Atunah

cagnes said:


> I've been rethinking my Dot order too because of the small speaker. I'm debating whether to cancel or keep the order as is & just return it if I don't like it.


I am going to cancel my order. We thought to hook it up to a sound bar thing we have and couldn't use on the TV in the bedroom. The TV didn't have the right thing to plug it in. Nice sound and all. But there would be a delay before the sound kicks in everytime making it useless for echo. And the tiny speaker it comes with is not useful for me. So I might in the future get another Echo, maybe there will be a sale one day. If I have to buy another speaker, I might as well get the Echo. That speaker on it is nice.

So someone is going to move up the line.


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## cagnes

Atunah said:


> I am going to cancel my order. We thought to hook it up to a sound bar thing we have and couldn't use on the TV in the bedroom. The TV didn't have the right thing to plug it in. Nice sound and all. But there would be a delay before the sound kicks in everytime making it useless for echo. And the tiny speaker it comes with is not useful for me. So I might in the future get another Echo, maybe there will be a sale one day. If I have to buy another speaker, I might as well get the Echo. That speaker on it is nice.
> 
> So someone is going to move up the line.


I canceled mine too. I think another Echo is the only thing to fit my needs & like you I'll be on the look out for a sale.


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## Sandpiper

I never ordered a Dot or a Tap.  If anything, another Echo is what I "need".


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## Atunah

Sandpiper said:


> I never ordered a Dot or a Tap. If anything, another Echo is what I "need".


Yep, that is what I decided also. The all in one device, no extra speaker needed. I wait for a sale hopefully. Sure wish I had gotten another for $99 way back.


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## Jane917

I have the Tap on order, but not the Dot. I don't need the Dot as a speaker, do I? I thought the Tap could be stand alone.


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## gdae23

Jane917 said:


> I have the Tap on order, but not the Dot. I don't need the Dot as a speaker, do I? I thought the Tap could be stand alone.


You don't need the Dot as a speaker in order to use the Tap. They're two separate products that just happened to be released at the same time. The Tap is a portable speaker all by itself.


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## Patricia

I also canceled the dot. Even if I buy an Echo at regular price, it would still be cheaper than the dot with the speaker I was looking at.  I'm hoping for the Echo to go on sale, too.  Just hoping they don't raise the price!


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## DawnB

Looks like the Tap will be delivered on 3/31 (Release Day) now . When I first ordered it on the 4th, it said it will be delivered on 4/15.


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## Jane917

DawnB said:


> Looks like the Tap will be delivered on 3/31 (Release Day) now . When I first ordered it on the 4th, it said it will be delivered on 4/15.


My delivery date is also set for 3/31. I sure hope I don't regret ordering the Tap instead of the Echo. I do't mind that I have to push a button to talk. I look forward to taking it out to the patio in the summer. I haven't checked, but I am pretty sure we get a 30 day trial with this device like we did with Kindles.


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## Ann in Arlington

Jane917 said:


> My delivery date is also set for 3/31. I sure hope I don't regret ordering the Tap instead of the Echo. I do't mind that I have to push a button to talk. I look forward to taking it out to the patio in the summer. I haven't checked, but I am pretty sure we get a 30 day trial with this device like we did with Kindles.


Yes . . . pretty much all the stuff they sell has a 30 day return policy . . . . you just pay for return shipping.


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## Leslie

DawnB said:


> Looks like the Tap will be delivered on 3/31 (Release Day) now . When I first ordered it on the 4th, it said it will be delivered on 4/15.


My delivery date also moved up to 3/31, but the Dot is still scheduled for April 21.

L


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## mlewis78

I might buy the Tap for the bedroom.  Going to wait a while to see user reviews (especially among you). I've been spending a lot of money lately.  

I was interested in the Dot at first, but I don't see the point in using a device to control my stereo component system.  If I knew for sure that it was a speaker and not just something to control other devices, I might be more interested.  The Dot doesn't even have a page on Amazon's site, as far as I can see, since you have to order it by talking to the Echo Alexa.


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## readingril

mlewis78 said:


> The Dot doesn't even have a page on Amazon's site, as far as I can see, since you have to order it by talking to the Echo Alexa.


https://www.amazon.com/b?node=14047587011


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## mlewis78

readingril said:


> https://www.amazon.com/b?node=14047587011


Thanks. I saw it when it was first announced, but when I searched on Amazon for Amazon Dot or Dot and other variations on that, it would not come up. I see that is is indeed a speaker, yet they don't list that on the features list near the top of the page.


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## Andra

Bufo Calvin explained the differences pretty thoroughly in one of his blog posts.  Basically he said that the Dot has a small speaker mainly so Alexa can talk to you.  But the quality is not like the Echo speaker.  He suggested the Dot would be a good choice if you were mostly interested in asking Alexa questions or using the home automation options, not listening to music.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked

Andra said:


> But the quality is not like the Echo speaker. He suggested the Dot would be a good choice if you were mostly interested in asking Alexa questions or using the home automation options, not listening to music.


IMHO the speaker in the Echo isn't all that great. It sounds pretty boomy to me, especially at normal or lower volume levels. In any event, I'm not expecting great sound from the Dot, it's more of a utility thing.

I got a shipping notice this morning. It should arrive Thursday.

Mke


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## Jane917

Shipping Notice! My Tap is arriving tomorrow!


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## gdae23

Jane917 said:


> Shipping Notice! My Tap is arriving tomorrow!


You took the words right out of my mouth! Looking forward to getting mine tomorrow as well.


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## readingril

Mine's in Pennsylvania, should arrive at my house in Maryland tomorrow. Unfortunately I'm in Florida! 

from my Galaxy S6


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## DawnB

My Tap is in my state & will be delivered tomorrow


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## MagentaSunset

_My Tap is being delivered today as well! And it's case. I'm stuck at work, so have to wait a while to play. _


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## Mike D. aka jmiked

The Dot has been received and installed. I like it more than I like the Echo. The sound isn't as boomy.


Mike


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## docmama28

I ordered the Dot to use in my bathroom as I am presently carting the Echo back and forth from my Family Room to the master bath every morning to listen to my local talk radio station while I get dressed.  Will the Dot work for that?  Is the speaker good enough to just listen to the news and traffic in the morning or will I have to connect it to another speaker, which I really don't want to do.


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## Jane917

This Tap is incredible. How did it know to play Bonnie Raitt when I asked for music? I am already considering a Dot.


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## gdae23

Listening to the Tap right now and happy with my purchase. Playing it very quietly since it's after midnight here and have it sitting right by me on the bed.  I like the sound from the speaker.  It's a nice full sound and if I let it,  it could play very loudly.  I thought it would work exactly like the Echo remote,  but it's slightly different.  On the remote once you press the button you have to keep it pressed while you speak.  On the Tap, you really do just tap it and then let go and then you speak.  

If you need to know what level of charge your battery has, you can just ask,  and the Tap will tell you. I've been listening for a least half an hour now, probably longer, and it just told me that the battery is fully charged.  You can also check the percentage in the Alexa app. I briefly tried out Bluetooth linking with my iPad, and that worked fine. All the usual Echo things ( timers, shopping list, etc.) are working fine.


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## Jane917

gdae23 said:


> Listening to the Tap right now and happy with my purchase. Playing it very quietly since it's after midnight here and have it sitting right by me on the bed. I like the sound from the speaker. It's a nice full sound and if I let it, it could play very loudly. I thought it would work exactly like the Echo remote, but it's slightly different. On the remote once you press the button you have to keep it pressed while you speak. On the Tap, you really do just tap it and then let go and then you speak.
> 
> If you need to know what level of charge your battery has, you can just ask, and the Tap will tell you. I've been listening for a least half an hour now, probably longer, and it just told me that the battery is fully charged. You can also check the percentage in the Alexa app. I briefly tried out Bluetooth linking with my iPad, and that worked fine. All the usual Echo things ( timers, shopping list, etc.) are working fine.


I have not yet linked the Tap to bluetooth on my iPad or iPhone. I am not sure what the advantage would be.


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## D/W

docmama28 said:


> I ordered the Dot to use in my bathroom as I am presently carting the Echo back and forth from my Family Room to the master bath every morning to listen to my local talk radio station while I get dressed. Will the Dot work for that? Is the speaker good enough to just listen to the news and traffic in the morning or will I have to connect it to another speaker, which I really don't want to do.


The Dot should be fine for listening to talk radio, news, traffic, audio books, etc. You may be interested in this video, which compares the Echo and Dot:


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## gdae23

Jane917 said:


> I have not yet linked the Tap to bluetooth on my iPad or iPhone. I am not sure what the advantage would be.


I'll probably only use the Bluetooth method occasionally but I just wanted to make sure it works. I would use it if I was out somewhere where there was no Wi-Fi access available, and wanted to play music off of my phone for example.

I also have an iPod Nano that has Bluetooth capability, and use that once in a while when I want to listen to items in my own music library and want to save the batteries on my other devices. I've found it to be somewhat of a nuisance to get my own music into the Amazon cloud and then have it play correctly on the Echo. (This would be the music that I didn't purchase from Amazon so it wasn't automatically added to the cloud. It's possible to get the music into the cloud, but I find it to be a very slow and laborious process.) I do find plenty of music to play using the Echo, but I also have a lot of other music that I might want to listen to.


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## cagnes

DreamWeaver said:


> The Dot should be fine for listening to talk radio, news, traffic, audio books, etc. You may be interested in this video, which compares the Echo and Dot:


Thanks for posting that! After watching the comparison I'm glad that I canceled my Dot order. I wanted to use it in my bedroom mainly for music, audiobooks & an alarm clock and that tinny little speaker wouldn't have worked out well.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked

I have the Dot hooked up to an external Logitech cheap ($20) powered sound system with stereo speakers w/ woofer beside my bed. It sounds much, much better than the Echo does. It probably draws a minuscule amount more amount of power than the Echo does. Music sounds great and the voice is much more intelligible. 

Mike
A confirmed audiophile (I still have my turntable for vinyl LPs)


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## mlewis78

jmiked said:


> I have the Dot hooked up to an external Logitech cheap ($20) powered sound system with stereo speakers w/ woofer beside my bed. It sounds much, much better than the Echo does. It probably draws a minuscule amount more amount of power than the Echo does. Music sounds great and the voice is much more intelligible.
> 
> Mike
> A confirmed audiophile (I still have my turntable for vinyl LPs)


What does the Dot plug into? Is it a receiver and if so, what is the port on the receiver it plugs into? I am confused about how this works and I have also asked on mobileread forum (in their lounge which has a Echo thread).


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## Mike D. aka jmiked

mlewis78 said:


> What does the Dot plug into? Is it a receiver and if so, what is the port on the receiver it plugs into? I am confused about how this works and I have also asked on mobileread forum (in their lounge which has a Echo thread).


The Dot has a standard 3.5mm stereo audio output jack on the side (next to the USB port). It plugs into any audio input port on an amp or powered speaker system.


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## DawnB

I decided to order a Dot, now I have to wait patiently till the end of July.


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## mlewis78

I thought I wanted the Dot, but I need some instant gratification, so I will get the Tap for the bedroom and use as a portable speaker as well.  I have uses for both.  July is too long a wait for me.


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## mlewis78

Ordered the Tap yesterday and will have it Tuesday.


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## DawnB

I found a Dot on eBay that after using my eBay Bucks costs the same price as Amazon (after tax) so I brought it (luckily I saw it both Dots they listed sold in under 30 mins) & cancelled my Amazon order. The Dot will be here within a week  Now I don't have to wait till July.


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## DawnB

Got my Dot yesterday, its prefect for my bedroom. I'm using it to play sleep sounds & quiet music. The internal speaker is good enough for what I need it for, which is great because I didn't want to hook up an external speaker.


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## Sandpiper

Toby said:


> The Dot has to be plugged in the wall like the regular Echo, so you don't have to worry about running out of battery.


Does it have to be plugged in? From Amazon's Echo Dot page -- Included in the box: Echo Dot, 3.5 mm audio cable (4 ft.), power adapter (9W), *USB charging cable*, and Quick Start Guide.

I'm starting to give it some serious thought -- especially if it does't need to be plugged in. If not, how long does a charge run?


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## Mike D. aka jmiked

The Dot needs to be plugged in. The USB cable connects the Dot to the wall adapter.


Mke


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## Leslie

I have the Dot in my bedroom and I really enjoy getting the Flash briefing in the morning, weather, and update on my calendar, all while getting dressed.

L


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## Sandpiper

Once I'm pretty certain my Echo is working (more reliable voice), I think I will get a Dot for my bedroom.  As I have limited 'lectric outlets, I got a nice looking strip in preparation.


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## Jane917

I have the Tap, not the Echo. If I get a Dot for the bedroom, can I control it in the bedroom, or do I have to control it from tapping on the Tap? At first I thought it would be easy enough to just carry the Tap from room-to-room, but this seems not to happen often.


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## Andra

Jane917 said:


> I have the Tap, not the Echo. If I get a Dot for the bedroom, can I control it in the bedroom, or do I have to control it from tapping on the Tap? At first I thought it would be easy enough to just carry the Tap from room-to-room, but this seems not to happen often.


You can voice control the Dot from its location (or use the app or optional remote).


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## Andra

Drat. We are heading out this weekend and my Dot is on a truck for delivery today - 2 weeks ahead of schedule.
I guess I get to play with it on Sunday.


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## Leslie

Jane917 said:


> I have the Tap, not the Echo. If I get a Dot for the bedroom, can I control it in the bedroom, or do I have to control it from tapping on the Tap? At first I thought it would be easy enough to just carry the Tap from room-to-room, but this seems not to happen often.


The Dot works like the Echo..."Alexa, what's the weather?" "Alexa, tell me a joke." No hands needed.

I like(d) my Tap but it has disappeared into my daughter's room (along with the charger), probably never to be seen again. I did ask if she could make it available when it is warm enough to sit on the porch, so we could use it out there.

L


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## Sandpiper

I just ordered a Dot.  Alexa said $10 discount?!  So with tax came to $85.58 -- less than the regular $89.99 price without tax.    She also said out of stock so delivery date is June 28.


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## ireadbooks

Sandpiper said:


> I just ordered a Dot. Alexa said $10 discount?! So with tax came to $85.58 -- less than the regular $89.99 price without tax.  She also said out of stock so delivery date is June 28.


Did you do anything special to get the discount offer? My friend has multiple Echoes but it charged her full price for the Echo Dot.

Posting from my shiny new Nexus 7


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## Sandpiper

No, just told Alexa to order a Dot.  When she answered, said $10 discount.  Just looked at my order -- says "Courtesy Credit: -$10.01".  When I was having problems recently with Alexa, told Brandon, Echo CS person, that I might be ordering a Dot.  I wonder if he . . . .


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## Andra

That's cool Sandpiper!
My Dot(s) were delivered Friday and I've just set up the first one. The speaker is noticeably more "tinny" on piano instrumental music than the Echos but for listening quietly to unwind it is fine.


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## Andra

This book is $2.99 and in KU. Amazon Tap User Guide. It has a lot of good reviews - may be worth a shot if you are trying to decide whether to purchase one.


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## Jane917

Andra said:


> This book is $2.99 and in KU. Amazon Tap User Guide. It has a lot of good reviews - may be worth a shot if you are trying to decide whether to purchase one.


Although I think this book should be cheaper for the Kindle (I don't have Kindle Unlimited), I just ordered it. As a non-techie, my Tap has me confused sometimes and I know I do not use it its advantage. Thanks!


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## Andra

I caved and ordered a Tap since it was on sale.  What can I say, I'm weak...
(I'm also trying to not order an additional Echo or Oasis and the Tap was less expensive.  Sigh - I have a problem.)


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## Jane917

Andra said:


> I caved and ordered a Tap since it was on sale. What can I say, I'm weak...
> (I'm also trying to not order an additional Echo or Oasis and the Tap was less expensive. Sigh - I have a problem.)


We need a 12 step program. I am pretty sure I will not get through the day without ordering the Echo on sale. Our Tap is less than a month old. I considered returning it, but we realize it really has a place in our house.


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## Leslie

Jane917 said:


> We need a 12 step program. I am pretty sure I will not get through the day without ordering the Echo on sale. Our Tap is less than a month old. I considered returning it, but we realize it really has a place in our house.


I made it until 10:30 pm and caved. LOL. I bought a Tap--for my office, maybe, or to tote around. I had points on my credit card so I ended up paying only $5.65. It arrives on Friday.

L


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## Andra

Jane917 said:


> We need a 12 step program. I am pretty sure I will not get through the day without ordering the Echo on sale. Our Tap is less than a month old. I considered returning it, but we realize it really has a place in our house.


Well I managed not to purchase another Echo.
But my Tap will be here on Friday.


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## Jane917

Leslie said:


> I made it until 10:30 pm and caved. LOL. I bought a Tap--for my office, maybe, or to tote around. I had points on my credit card so I ended up paying only $5.65. It arrives on Friday.
> 
> L


You lasted much longer than I did! I think I ordered about 3PM. In the meantime I am still trying to figure out what my Tap will do for me. I have to wait until May 4 for delivery.


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## Sandpiper

Geez, now I sorta wish I had gotten a Tap.  Need it -- no.  Oh well.  It's not like I can't get it.  Just gotta pay full price.


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## Andra

Interesting thing about the Tap. I keep forgetting that I have to press the button...


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## Jane917

I have a bunch of purchased songs from Amazon. They are not titled as a playlist, just as purchased. I can't figure out how to get them to play on the Tap. Any suggestions?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Sandpiper

Jane917 said:


> I have a bunch of purchased songs from Amazon. They are not titled as a playlist, just as purchased. I can't figure out how to get them to play on the Tap. Any suggestions?
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Try these exact words --

"Alexa, play track [name of track] from my music library."

If you want them all to play, try --

"Alexa, play my music library" or "Alexa, shuffle my music library".


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## Jane917

Sandpiper said:


> Try these exact words --
> 
> "Alexa, play track [name of track] from my music library."
> 
> If you want them all to play, try --
> 
> "Alexa, play my music library" or "Alexa, shuffle my music library".


I finally got them to play by saying "play my purchased music." I can't figure out how to name my library, but this works for now.


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## Betsy the Quilter

I'm thinking of ordering a Dot for my office.  Sometimes it would be nice to ask Dot a question. . Of course, it's better for my health to get up and go ask Alexa.

Betsy


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## Betsy the Quilter

OK, so I broke down and asked Alexa to order me a Dot and they're not available until June 29.  I placed the order, but I may cancel it at some point.  We're not going to be here during that time frame.  If it doesn't become available sooner, I may cancel and try reordering after we get back.

Betsy


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## rlkubi

I just got an email yesterday that my Dot was coming this Thursday - 3 weeks earlier than anticipated.


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## Betsy the Quilter

rlkubi said:


> I just got an email yesterday that my Dot was coming this Thursday - 3 weeks earlier than anticipated.


Yay! Hope for me!

Betsy


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## rlkubi

I love having the Dot in the bedroom.  I use it for alarms now and music and weather etc.  It's nice to have this option.  The voice is a little tinny but for music I have a Bluetooth speaker.


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## Betsy the Quilter

rlkubi said:


> I love having the Dot in the bedroom. I use it for alarms now and music and weather etc. It's nice to have this option. The voice is a little tinny but for music I have a Bluetooth speaker.


Looking forward to my Dot. Hoping it arrives early!

Betsy


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## mlewis78

I took my Tap to work on Saturday.  Had some trouble with the set-up.  I was going around in circles, connecting to bluetooth on iphone and then trying to connect to Wi-Fi but it kept sending me back to connecting with bluetooth.  Probably doing something wrong, but it took a while to get it connected at home the first time.  Had to call Amazon support (and the phone # was not showing on the home page).

Unfortunately with the wi-fi at work, we have to log into it every day.  I do that with my phone. When the sign-in screen finally showed up in the Alexa app, I had to fool with it for a while to reach the password sign in on the page.

I am only taking the Tap in to work on days when I am working alone.


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## docmama28

Does anyone know how far the Dot can be away from the bluetooth speaker it is connected to?  I'm planning on keeping the Dot on my nightstand, but would like to have a small bluetooth speaker in my bathroom to listen to the news and traffic as I get ready for work.  They would be about 20 feet apart.  Still waiting for delivery on June 8!


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## readingril

I still haven't decided what sort of bluetooth speaker to get for my Dot but most of them say a distance of 10 meters (32.81 feet per Alexa  ). I keep forgetting to ask my daughter if the Dot I bought for her has been paired with her shower radio and if she's tried it out.


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## Betsy the Quilter

readingril said:


> I still haven't decided what sort of bluetooth speaker to get for my Dot but most of them say a distance of 10 meters (32.81 feet per Alexa  ). I keep forgetting to ask my daughter if the Dot I bought for her has been paired with her shower radio and if she's tried it out.


Text her now! NOW! Enquiring minds want to know!   . LOL! JK!


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## readingril

Actually I did... but a 26 year old school teacher needs her beauty sleep!


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## Betsy the Quilter




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## cagnes

I'm on Tap watch!   I broke down & ordered one this morning. I use my Echo as a speaker for listening to audiobooks & have to set the volume ridiculously loud to hear it in other parts of the house. I sometimes miss things if I can't hear it all that well. It will be nice to be able to lug the Tap around with me to whichever room  I need to be in & keep it on a reasonable volume setting.


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## Betsy the Quilter

cagnes said:


> I'm on Tap watch!  I broke down & ordered one this morning. I use my Echo as a speaker for listening to audiobooks & have to set the volume ridiculously loud to hear it in other parts of the house. I sometimes miss things if I can't hear it all that well. It will be nice to be able to lug the *dot* around with me to whichever room I need to be in & keep it on a reasonable volume setting.


Tap, right? The Dot needs to be plugged in.

I'm on Dot Watch, but it's not scheduled for the end of June.


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## cagnes

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Tap, right? The Dot needs to be plugged in.
> 
> I'm on Dot Watch, but it's not scheduled for the end of June.


Oops, yes Tap! I had placed an order for the Dot when it was 1st announced, but canceled it since the small speaker didn't meet my needs.

Originally I wasn't interested in the Tap because it doesn't have the voice activated feature.... I think it would be perfect if it had that. But oh well, I guess I'll just have to exercise my legs and walk over to it & then exercise my finger by tapping it.


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## Betsy the Quilter

cagnes said:


> Oops, yes Tap! I had placed an order for the Dot when it was 1st announced, but canceled it since the small speaker didn't meet my needs.


I have a lot of Bluetooth speakers, so the small size of the Dot appealed to me (though the built-in speaker will probably work for most of my needs. I'm also thinking I will be able to use my Bluetooth headphones with it while in my office. Sometimes I want to listen to stuff without disturbing hubby in bed. We'll see!

Betsy


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## Mike D. aka jmiked

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I'm also thinking I will be able to use my Bluetooth headphones with it while in my office. Sometimes I want to listen to stuff without disturbing hubby in bed.


Betsy, I don't think that will work. The Alexa devices will accept audio in via Bluetooth, but I don't think they will do audio out. Which is why the Dot is nice, it has an audio out jack on the back.

Mike


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## Betsy the Quilter

jmiked said:


> Betsy, I don't think that will work. The Alexa devices will accept audio in via Bluetooth, but I don't think they will do audio out. Which is why the Dot is nice, it has an audio out jack on the back.
> 
> Mike


And I may have to do that, but my understanding is that, unlike the Echo, the Dot can be connected to Bluetooth speakers... Off to check....

Here's instructions on how to do it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=202011820

Connect Echo Dot to Bluetooth Speakers

You can stream audio from Echo Dot through another Bluetooth speaker.

Before you begin:

Set your Echo Dot and Bluetooth speaker at least three feet apart. When Echo Dot is close to external speakers, it may be more difficult for Alexa to hear the wake word and other requests.
For best results, use a Bluetooth speaker certified for use with Echo Dot. For more information, go to Certified Speakers and Supported Bluetooth Profiles for Echo Dot.
Make sure you can connect your speaker to other Bluetooth devices, like a mobile phone.
Turn your Bluetooth speaker on and turn the volume up.
Disconnect any other Bluetooth devices from Echo Dot. Echo Dot can only connect to one Bluetooth device at a given time...


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## Mike D. aka jmiked

Well, that's nice to know. I'm a bit handicapped in that area because I don't have any BT speakers. Yet.


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## docmama28

My Dot is on it's way...2 weeks earlier than they had estimated!!!


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## Betsy the Quilter

docmama28 said:


> My Dot is on it's way...2 weeks earlier than they had estimated!!!


Yay!

Ooh, ooh, off to check date on my order (currently scheduled to arrive June 29)! Sigh...no change yet. *keeps fingers crossed.*

Betsy


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## Betsy the Quilter

Missed the email yesterday, but I just saw that MY Dot is also being delivered two weeks early, woohoo!  I should have it on Wednesday!

Docmama--have you been enjoying yours?

Betsy


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## Betsy the Quilter

$20 off on Tap now--$109 vs $129


Amazon Tap - Alexa-Enabled Portable Bluetooth Speaker

No sale on Echo or Dot.


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## Betsy the Quilter

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Missed the email yesterday, but I just saw that MY Dot is also being delivered two weeks early, woohoo! I should have it on Wednesday!
> 
> Docmama--have you been enjoying yours?
> 
> Betsy


My Dot scheduled to arrive tomorrow but still no shipping info. Must be coming from a nearby warehouse.

Betsy


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## The Hooded Claw

Betsy the Quilter said:


> My Dot scheduled to arrive tomorrow but still no shipping info. Must be coming from a nearby warehouse.


I hear that sitting at the window and watching for the truck sometimes speeds these things up.


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## Betsy the Quilter

The Hooded Claw said:


> I hear that sitting at the window and watching for the truck sometimes speeds these things up.


 










Betsy


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## Betsy the Quilter

Got my shipping notice; it's apparently going to be delivered by Amazon.  This will be interesting.  I think this is the first time I've had something shipped by the A.

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Got my shipping notice; it's apparently going to be delivered by Amazon. This will be interesting. I think this is the first time I've had something shipped by the A.
> 
> Betsy


It's not that exciting.  Just a generic white panel van with a magnetic Amazon logo on the side. 

They're quite reliable, however! And don't mark it delivered unless it actually. is. delivered. . . . . . unlike some delivery services I can name.


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## Betsy the Quilter

Well, the last update was that it was delivered to Springfield at 1:34am this morning--which could mean that it's been transferred to the USPS.

I've not had too many problems with things marked delivered that weren't.  I had a heart attack a few years ago when a UPS guy tagged my delivery as delivered about twenty minutes before it was delivered.  It was something I was On Watch for (can't remember--maybe a Kindle? ) and when I checked the tracking and it said it had been delivered, I called UPS and was actually on the phone with them when it was delivered.  The UPS guy said, yeah, he sat and checked off all the deliveries in a neighborhood before setting out to deliver them.  The UPS person on the phone overheard said "Oh, he's NOT supposed to do that!"  I think they've flagged my address to not do that. 

We'll see.  We're going to be gone in the middle of the day, when the mail gets delivered.  Should be back by the time UPS would normally deliver it.  Have no idea when it might get here if the A delivers it.

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington

I haven't had UPS do that, but I have had LaserShip -- I think that's the name -- do it more than once. The package had been marked delivered around 7:30 p.m. . . . but it hadn't been. I'm dead certain that the delivery person marked it as delivered on the day because he didn't want to get in trouble for not getting it delivered when promised -- there were no weather issues or any thing like that to use as an excuse -- and also wasn't willing to actually finish the route. ('course, that could have been because HIS company wouldn't let him go into overtime.) I contacted Amazon and they advised me to let them know if it DIDN'T arrive the next day and gave me a $5 credit for my trouble. 

When the guy showed up the next morning I made it clear that I didn't appreciate that it had been marked delivered in their system before I actually had it -- might not even have been, the same guy, who knows -- but I think it was because he got a kind of sheepish look on his face. And I contacted Amazon to let them know it had been delivered the next morning but that I would prefer my items not be sent via that service if possible. 

I have gotten a few things from them since, now and again -- not so much since A. now has it's own trucks -- but it's not happened again and I wouldn't be surprised if Amazon alerted the company to my complaint in their own interest: Amazon wants happy customers and if the shipping company is the weakest link in making that happen, well, they CAN be replaced.


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## Betsy the Quilter

Well, Dorothy the Dot is out for delivery now, and we're going out.  I'm thinking, as it went through Springfield, that it's the USPS.  But it could be a USPS special delivery as opposed to the regular deliverer.

Betsy


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## Betsy the Quilter

It's so cute!


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## Betsy the Quilter

Decided to call the Dot "Baby Alexa."  Wish I could make that the wake word.  Setup was the same as with an Echo.

She looks like a hockey puck and weighs almost a pound.  Speakers are better than I expected.  I was able to hook up my headphones, so that's cool.

Tomorrow we're going to try hooking it up to the stereo--not sure how that's going to work.

I decided to get a skin for the Dot and for the Echo in my studio, since I had 25% off.  The first Echo that lives upstairs will stay nekkid.

Betsy


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