# Echo for $89 on Prime Day



## Someone Nameless

So, I've held out but this price is tempting me.

Tell me why I need one.


----------



## The Hooded Claw

Mine is super convenient for verbally setting a timer or alarm while doing something else, or adding an item to my shopping list while doing something else. I also use it for listening to music and podcasts and to get my news briefing or weather while dressing or doing other stuff. I have one in my living room and in my bedroom. Especially if I wake up during the middle of the night I will ask what time it is and Alexa will tell me. Maybe not such a good plan if I had a sleeping spouse or SO in the room!

I have gotten so used to mine that I miss it when I am traveling...


----------



## CegAbq

The Hooded Claw said:


> I have gotten so used to mine that I miss it when I am traveling...


Can you do that with the Dot (isn't it travel size)? I see it's on sale for $35
My kids gave me a Dash Wand & I still haven't figured out what to do with it.


----------



## The Hooded Claw

CegAbq said:


> Can you do that with the Dot (isn't it travel size)? I see it's on sale for $35
> My kids gave me a Dash Wand & I still haven't figured out what to do with it.


I could with Dot and a Bluetooth speaker, and actually considered getting one when I saw the Prime Day offer of a Dot for $35! The. I decided that was pathetic, and firmly shoved the idea away!


----------



## CegAbq

The Hooded Claw said:


> The. I decided that was pathetic, and firmly shoved the idea away!


----------



## Jane917

Someone Nameless said:


> So, I've held out but this price is tempting me.
> 
> Tell me why I need one.


Sandra, you need the Echo for times when your hands are stuck in Brad dough and you ne S to set a timer. Or to,check what is on your calendar today. Or to remind you to do something. Or to listen to your audible books. Is that enough reasons cuz I can go on longer.


----------



## Sandpiper

I'm in a one bedroom condo.  I have two Echos.  Yesterday I could not think of the "other" Echo -- Echo, Dot and ?  Tap.    Amazon doesn't promote it much?  Looks like it's now hands-free when plugged into 'lectric.  So it's a mini Echo with good sound?  Tap the Tap when using portable.  Still small enough to take-with when traveling?  Put one in my cart.

Do I need a Dot too?


----------



## Someone Nameless

OK.  I sprang for the white Echo this morning.  Excited to try it.  I think the grandkids will enjoy pestering Alexa anyway.


----------



## Jane917

I am thinking I will get a DOT. I can't rationalize a need for another Echo. Someone said I can get a $10 credit if I order the Dot with my Echo. 

ETA: I just ordered a DOT using Alexa. Way too easy!

ETA #2: Just ordered a second DOT!


----------



## Sandpiper

Someone Nameless said:


> OK. I sprang for the white Echo this morning. Excited to try it.


_You_ will like it. Music? All you have to do is ask. Any music you want especially with Amazon Music Unlimited or pay Spotify or Pandora (probably pay also). There's many nature sounds and white noises to choose from. Echo knows so much -- just ask. I love my Echos. Will order a Tap today.


----------



## Jane917

Sandpiper said:


> _You_ will like it. Music? All you have to do is ask. Any music you want especially with Amazon Music Unlimited or pay Spotify or Pandora (probably pay also). There's many nature sounds and white noises to choose from. Echo knows so much -- just ask. I love my Echos. Will order a Tap today.


I like to take the Tap out on the patio to have music outside.


----------



## Someone Nameless

Reviews say the speaker on the Tap is not nearly as good as the Echo.  I have a Bose wireless speaker that I can use with my iPhone.  I also have an Apple Watch and I ask it to set timers etc all the time.  I'm sure the Echo is not a need but I'm going to give it a try.


----------



## CegAbq

Someone Nameless said:


> Reviews say the speaker on the Tap is not nearly as good as the Echo. I have a Bose wireless speaker that I can use with my iPhone. I also have an Apple Watch and I ask it to set timers etc all the time. I'm sure the Echo is not a need but I'm going to give it a try.


My other devices that I already own that do the things that the Echo can do - that's why I think I can't figure out why I would want one.


----------



## Someone Nameless

CegAbq said:


> My other devices that I already own that do the things that the Echo can do - that's why I think I can't figure out why I would want one.


What devices do you use? I'm hoping that the speaker will be great enough that I'll love it. It will be less trouble than connecting my iPhone to the wireless speaker and then searching for what I want to play. We'll see.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

CegAbq said:


> My other devices that I already own that do the things that the Echo can do - that's why I think I can't figure out why I would want one.


Arguably they're easier to set up -- especially for the technologically challenged or averse.

If you like that sort of thing, of course. I confess I don't get the attraction of talking to things. As Arthur Weasley says, "Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain?".


----------



## CegAbq

Ann in Arlington said:


> If you like that sort of thing, of course. I confess I don't get the attraction of talking to things.


Yeah - that's me, I can't see my self talking to it.



Someone Nameless said:


> What devices do you use? I'm hoping that the speaker will be great enough that I'll love it. It will be less trouble than connecting my iPhone to the wireless speaker and then searching for what I want to play. We'll see.


I guess I use my smartphone (Samsung S7 Edge) for everything: music & audiobooks (through bluetooth headphones so I don't disturb people around me), my weather app, my news feeds, Kindle reading (I don't even use any my my dedicated Kindle e-readers anymore).
Maybe it's because I live with other people, I'm too self-conscious to speak to an Alexa device & I just don't play audio outloud, I use headphones.


----------



## Andra

I used my Echo this morning to purchase a Dot for our new travel trailer.  We had already decided on the Dot vs another Echo partly because of the size, partly because of the cost, and partly because the trailer has an extensive speaker system and I can use a 1/8" cable to connect the Dot to the stereo...  So I got a $10 credit for something I was going to buy anyway.
I have gotten very used to walking into a room and saying "Alexa, turn on living room."  or whatever.  I feel like I'm in Star Trek.
I use my Tap in the back yard when I'm outside with the puppy.  I have it in a sling so I can hang it up and to provide a little extra protection when she gets hyper.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Andra said:


> I used my Echo this morning to purchase a Dot for our new travel trailer. We had already decided on the Dot vs another Echo partly because of the size, partly because of the cost, and partly because the trailer has an extensive speaker system and I can use a 1/8" cable to connect the Dot to the stereo... So I got a $10 credit for something I was going to buy anyway.
> I have gotten very used to walking into a room and saying "Alexa, turn on living room." or whatever. I feel like I'm in Star Trek.
> I use my Tap in the back yard when I'm outside with the puppy. I have it in a sling so I can hang it up and to provide a little extra protection when she gets hyper.


One of the 'wake words' should be "Computer".


----------



## The Hooded Claw

Ann in Arlington said:


> One of the 'wake words' should be "Computer".


And of course, she must respond "working" in a flat but feminine voice. If we are thinking of the same thing...


----------



## Ann in Arlington

The Hooded Claw said:


> And of course, she must respond "working" in a flat but feminine voice. If we are thinking of the same thing...


If you're going TOS. She had a more nuanced voice in TNG and later series.


----------



## Someone Nameless

Can Dot work independently?  For some reason I thought it needed to be connected to an Echo.


----------



## Someone Nameless

Someone Nameless said:


> Can Dot work independently? For some reason I thought it needed to be connected to an Echo.


OK, I just read that it can. So, other than speaker improvement, what can the Eco do that Dot can't?


----------



## Sandpiper

Someone Nameless said:


> OK, I just read that it can. So, other than speaker improvement, what can the Eco do that Dot can't?


I'm not terribly techie. My head starts swimming with all this stuff. How it all "works". I'm purdy sure that the Dot is basically a smaller-in-size Echo with not as good sound as the Echo.

On Amazon's Tap web page, there's photo of a guy biking down the street. Great! Got to be connected to wifi? I'm thinking he has it bluetoothed to his phone?


----------



## readingril

Someone Nameless said:


> OK, I just read that it can. So, other than speaker improvement, what can the Eco do that Dot can't?


Here's a comparison link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=202009700


----------



## gdae23

Sandpiper said:


> I'm in a one bedroom condo. I have two Echos. Yesterday I could not think of the "other" Echo -- Echo, Dot and ? Tap.  Amazon doesn't promote it much? Looks like it's now hands-free when plugged into 'lectric. So it's a mini Echo with good sound? Tap the Tap when using portable. Still small enough to take-with when traveling? Put one in my cart.
> 
> Do I need a Dot too?


I'm very late to this thread, and glad to see you did decide on the Tap. I have the Tap and really like it because of the portability. Just to clarify, you can now make it hands-free without it having to be plugged in or placed in the charging cradle. It's still fully portable in hands-free mode. It's very easy to change between tap mode and hands-free mode using the Alexa app.

The only down side is that the battery will drain faster in hands-free mode and off the charging cradle. When you use it with the Tap function, you get about 9 hours, and hands-free, I think it's about 6 hours. If you have it in hands-free mode and you're not using it, you can turn off the microphone and that will stop the battery drain.

I've tested it a bit. I fully charged the Tap, put it in hands free mode, and left it on all night off the charger (mic turned on), and the battery was dead by the morning. The next night, I left it fully charged, in hands-free mode, off the charger, but I turned off the microphone. (I didn't turn off the power completely, just the mic.) In the morning, it had a 95% charge.

Anyway, enjoy!


----------



## Sandpiper

gdae23 said:


> I'm very late to this thread, and glad to see you did decide on the Tap. I have the Tap and really like it because of the portability. Just to clarify, you can now make it hands-free without it having to be plugged in or placed in the charging cradle. It's still fully portable in hands-free mode. It's very easy to change between tap mode and hands-free mode using the Alexa app.
> 
> The only down side is that the battery will drain faster in hands-free mode and off the charging cradle. When you use it with the Tap function, you get about 9 hours, and hands-free, I think it's about 6 hours. If you have it in hands-free mode and you're not using it, you can turn off the microphone and that will stop the battery drain.
> 
> I've tested it a bit. I fully charged the Tap, put it in hands free mode, and left it on all night off the charger (mic turned on), and the battery was dead by the morning. The next night, I left it fully charged, in hands-free mode, off the charger, but I turned off the microphone. (I didn't turn off the power completely, just the mic.) In the morning, it had a 95% charge.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!


Thank you for all the info.  Good to know. From what I read on Amazon's Tap web page, I thought it had to be plugged in to be used hands-free. It really can be a small Echo when in hands-free on charger. Many ways to use it -- just have to remember it will need to be charged depending . . . . Will be delivered today via USPS.

How is the sound thinking music compared to the Echo?


----------



## gdae23

Sandpiper said:


> How is the sound thinking music compared to the Echo?


I'm happy with the sound. Maybe a bit less full sounding than the Echo, but not tinny or anything. I'm listening to music on the Tap right now. Playing it very quietly while I do things online. Because of the portability, I can keep it close by and play it at a quieter volume than the stationary Echo across the room.


----------



## Sandpiper

Got my Tap.  Set it up.  Intro video during set-up doesn't play well at all on my Mac.  I like it.


----------



## Someone Nameless

That was fast!


----------



## Sandpiper

gdae23 said:


> I'm happy with the sound. Maybe a bit less full sounding than the Echo, but not tinny or anything. I'm listening to music on the Tap right now. Playing it very quietly while I do things online. Because of the portability, I can keep it close by and play it at a quieter volume than the stationary Echo across the room.


Yes, sound is different than Echo. I like it though. As you say, good for playing softly. Try something with it tonight . . . . I have one flat surface near my bed. Small oscillating fan needs to be closest to cool me. So Echo is on the other side of it. Have to play Echo a little louder over sound of fan and because it's not so close. Tap sling will be delivered tomorrow. May be able to hang Tap from metal headboard and set it hands-free or mess with buttons during the night if need be.


----------



## gdae23

Considering its location, you might like to enable the Alexa skill "Sleep and Relaxation Sounds", if you haven't already tried this one. I stumbled upon it recently and I'm still sampling all the sounds. I'm glad to hear your Tap came so quickly and that you're happy with it. I think I actually use the Tap more than the original Echo.


----------



## Sandpiper

gdae23 said:


> Considering its location, you might like to enable the Alexa skill "Sleep and Relaxation Sounds", if you haven't already tried this one. I stumbled upon it recently and I'm still sampling all the sounds. I'm glad to hear your Tap came so quickly and that you're happy with it. I think I actually use the Tap more than the original Echo.


I found the Sleep and Relaxation Sounds a while ago. So happy that nature and white noise sounds are an option. I also have a Bose Wave Music System which includes a CD player. (Radio and CD player can be set to turn off after 1.5 hours or less.) Had used that for years with nature sounds CDs.


----------



## Someone Nameless

My Echo is being delivered today.  Can't wait to test it. How do you tell Alexa which Sleep and Relaxation Sound to play?


----------



## Sandpiper

Someone Nameless said:


> My Echo is being delivered today. Can't wait to test it. How do you tell Alexa which Sleep and Relaxation Sound to play?


After your Echo is set up, go to Amazon home page > Departments (on the left) > Echo & Alexa > Echo Skills > search for "Sleep and Relaxation Sounds" by Jeff Bolton. Enable it. Your done! When you want to play it on Echo say, "Open Sleep Sounds". She replies. Then say, "Play Thunderstorm" (or whatever sound you want to hear from the list).

There's a long list of sound choices on that skill. It's a good one. Excellent reviews. Works well. There's many many skills.

Have fun! I love my Echos and Tap. Woke up this morning to blinking rings on both Echos. Whazzat?? I've never seen that before. I called Amazon. Yesterday I turned on Notifications. Echo was notifying me of delivery of my Tap.


----------



## Jane917

I have my two DOTs set up, one in our bedroom, one in my sewing room. Now I think I need one in our guest room so I can just throw out the radio alarm clock, which is rarely set to the right time or even right time zone. So now I have sleep sounds going in the master, James Taylor in the sewing room, while Echo and Tap are silent for now. Geesh!

Sandra, I don't remember ever selecting a skill for Sleep Sounds, but as soon as I set up the Dot in the master I told it to play sleep sounds and it started some white noise for babies. I said play ocean sounds and it immediately changed. I hope you enjoy your Echo. My next step will be to figure out how to get it control the thermostat and lights. I would like it to water plants when the temp gets to 80 degrees, but that might be a stretch.


----------



## Someone Nameless

I'm still waiting for my delivery.  Ocean sounds....oh yes.  I'm all for that.  If it could just transport me to the beach too!


----------



## Someone Nameless

Jane, so now you have the Echo, the Tap and two Dots?  Goodness, you do like them!


----------



## Jane917

Someone Nameless said:


> Jane, so now you have the Echo, the Tap and two Dots? Goodness, you do like them!


You got it, Sandra! And there is a use for each one! I am looking forward to hearing how you like Echo.


----------



## Someone Nameless

Going on 6:45 p.m. here and the Echo is still out for delivery.  It will be time to test those sleep sound by the time it arrives.


----------



## Someone Nameless

She is finally here and we are getting acquainted.  Right now she thinks I'm in another town when I ask for the weather.  I have a lot to learn!


----------



## Someone Nameless

Sandpiper said:


> After your Echo is set up, go to Amazon home page > Departments (on the left) > Echo & Alexa > Echo Skills > search for "Sleep and Relaxation Sounds" by Jeff Bolton. Enable it. Your done! When you want to play it on Echo say, "Open Sleep Sounds". She replies. Then say, "Play Thunderstorm" (or whatever sound you want to hear from the list).
> 
> There's a long list of sound choices on that skill. It's a good one. Excellent reviews. Works well. There's many many skills.
> 
> Have fun! I love my Echos and Tap. Woke up this morning to blinking rings on both Echos. Whazzat?? I've never seen that before. I called Amazon. Yesterday I turned on Notifications. Echo was notifying me of delivery of my Tap.


And how did you stop the notification? Mine is blinking green right now which should mean that I'm getting a call but no one even knows I have it.  I couldn't be getting a call.


----------



## Jane917

Someone Nameless said:


> And how did you stop the notification? Mine is blinking green right now which should mean that I'm getting a call but no one even knows I have it.  I couldn't be getting a call.


The Orange ring that lets you know a notification is available is a rather new feature. If you ignore it goes away. It can. I tidy you when your package has been delivered, which is handy for us when the mailbox is a block away. We use our front door, so it is handy to be notifi d when a package,is delivered to the door which happens when it is too big for the mailbox. I am not sure what other kind of notifications she can give. I wonder how long it will take you to order a Dot.


----------



## Someone Nameless

Ha!  I asked her to play sleep sounds.  She went through the list of available sounds and my head was spinning.  There were so many I forgot which one I wanted to choose.


----------



## Sandpiper

Someone Nameless said:


> Ha! I asked her to play sleep sounds. She went through the list of available sounds and my head was spinning. There were so many I forgot which one I wanted to choose.


Here they are. Copy, paste into a word program, and print. 

Thunderstorm 
Ocean
Rain
Wind Chimes
Fireplace
Beautiful Dream
Brown Noise
City Rain
Heartbeat
Heavy Rain
Jungle Night
Mountain Lake
Relax
River
Sleep Little Babies
Small Lake
Swiss Massage
White Noise
Rainforest
Underwater
Wind
Forest Birds
Music Box
Box Fan
Airplane
Train Ride
Rain On Tin Roof
Oscillating Fan
Forest Night
Grandfather Clock
Cat Purring
Waterfall
Distant Train
Distant Thunder
City Sounds
Car Ride
Crickets
Cicadas
Frogs
Coqui Frogs
Native American Flute
Whales
Rain on Tent
Pink Noise


----------



## Jane917

I hadn't no idea there were so many sleep sounds. Not sure how to copy/paste from KB.


----------



## Sandpiper

That list is just within the one skill.  There are many single skills with just one sound.


----------



## D/W

Sandpiper said:


> Here they are. Copy, paste into a word program, and print.
> 
> Thunderstorm
> Ocean
> Rain
> ...


Thanks so much for mentioning "Sleep and Relaxation Sounds" by Jeff Bolton. Your suggestion to make a list of the sounds is brilliant! I just enabled that skill and printed the list. I really like it!


----------



## Andra

When the sleep sounds first came out, the email from Amazon said to try "Alexa, help me sleep."  Then she asked if I wanted to enable sleep sounds and told me to look in the app if I wanted to pick a different sound.  I really like the Ocean one.  It sounds just like waves crashing on the shore.


----------



## Someone Nameless

Thank you.  I have saved a copy of all those sleep sounds now.  Alexa is pretty cool.  

Someone please tell me when you see Dot on sale.


----------



## Jane917

Someone Nameless said:


> Thank you. I have saved a copy of all those sleep sounds now. Alexa is pretty cool.
> 
> Someone please tell me when you see Dot on sale.


LOL! It didn't take you long!


----------



## Someone Nameless

What Sleep Sounds do you like?  So far we only like Ocean.

How do the Sleep Sounds sound on the Dot speaker compared to the Echo?


----------



## Jane917

We use ocean sounds every night. I cannot tell the difference between the sounds on the Echo vs Dot.


----------



## Sandpiper

I like most any with water -- ocean and underwater in particular.  Also like trainride.  Just need the bed to rock a little.


----------



## Someone Nameless

I like Alexa, I really do, but sometimes she gets on my last nerve.  After playing SiriusXM for a few minutes she constantly says she is having difficulty playing the music and shuts off.

So, OK, I ask her to play iHeart Radio.  She does that great but she will NOT go to the station I request.  She goes to a similar station but not the title I ask for!


----------



## Sandpiper

In the past I've had a problem getting her to play WGN radio (talk radio in Chicago).  She'd come up with some music station.  NO!  Now it's not necessary to ask for iHeart or TuneIn.  Just say, "Play _ _ _"  Although to be sure I ask, "Play WGN 720 radio."  I always then get the correct station -- sometimes via iHeart and sometimes via TuneIn.


----------



## Someone Nameless

Just an update to say that I was not happy with the second Dot replacement at all so I sent it back.  I like the Echo but the Dot, not so much.  It was playing Sleep Sounds and cut off after just a few minutes.  I had other difficulties and my hubby didn't think it sounded as good as the Echo  so we are back to just one Echo.


----------



## Jane917

I did not realize you got a Dot, and am sorry it did not work out for you. I have two, and they seem to work fine. One is in our bedroom and offers us sleep sounds at night. I think it cuts off after about an hour. The other Dot is in my sewing room, and is often playing music or reading my audible book. I have a Tap in my office that often gets taken out to the patio for music. Echo sits in my kitchen. I know we could "get by" with just the Echo, but the other devices just crept up on us.


----------



## Someone Nameless

Yes, I liked the Echo and decided to try the Dot.  I don't think the first one I got spoke English as her primary language.  She was difficult from the beginning and had trouble understanding me and playing music.  Amazon exchanged it but it cut off within 15 minutes playing sleep sounds and we weren't wild about the speaker.  We will just stick with the Echo that sits between our living/kitchen area and our bedroom.


----------



## Sandpiper

Someone Nameless said:


> Yes, I liked the Echo and decided to try the Dot. I don't think the first one I got spoke English as her primary language. She was difficult from the beginning and had trouble understanding me and playing music. Amazon exchanged it but it cut off within 15 minutes playing sleep sounds and we weren't wild about the speaker. We will just stick with the Echo that sits between our living/kitchen area and our bedroom.


Sleep sounds by Jeff Bolton or other sleep sounds? Jeff's should play until you stop them. Others may or may only play for a set length of time. I don't know if requesting "Loop" works with them or not.


----------



## Sandpiper

I hadn't played Jeff Bolton's Sleep Sounds for about a week. I requested last night.  Now you can play up to three of his sounds at the same time. After opening his Sleep Sounds, say "Play X and X and X."

*ETA:* I was going to try playing 2 or 3 at the same time . . . . That will cost you! If you sign up in the next three days, it's a one-time $14.95 charge. (After that it will be monthly charge?) There will be more sounds to choose from and better quality sound. I am into nature sounds, etc. so I signed up. You can pay through your Amazon account. You can play it on all Echos, Taps, Dots registered to your account.

*ETA:* Interesting article about the skill / app. Link


----------

