Amazon Dot/Echo

TrickyTris said:
As others have said..

Think they are utterly pointless and yet another tech trend/gimmick. Its effectively just Siri, slapped on an object that is 1/10th as useful as your phone, tablet or PC. Much like Siri, the UK version is also missing a lot of features that our friends in the US have.

Sorry, but think you've either got to be somewhat gullible or not clued up on your tech to end up buying one of these! This is not new technology. Its old-tech stuck in a shiny new case - much like apple Macbooks etc. "You can Polish a turd..."

/Rant over
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I've done some work on the retail side of this industry - you're absolutely correct that it's just Siri slapped into a less clever object than your phone.

But to me, 'Smart Home' only gets interesting when I don't need to use my phone as a remote control or microphone. Therefore, for me, interaction points around the home to link my Smart stuff together will always be of interest.

Eventually, all the gadgets that are smart will have the mics and other sensors built in, removing the need for standalone dots. But that requires early adoption of this tech first to prove its worth.
 
Darkangelv2 said:
But to me, 'Smart Home' only gets interesting when I don't need to use my phone as a remote control or microphone. Therefore, for me, interaction points around the home to link my Smart stuff together will always be of interest.

Eventually, all the gadgets that are smart will have the mics and other sensors built in, removing the need for standalone dots. But that requires early adoption of this tech first to prove its worth.
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"Echoes" my thoughts - See what I did there :D

I see it as a way of automating/controlling the stuff I have now, rather than buying new, just to get additional features. Plus, as I have actually replaced wall sockets with "controllable" ones, rather than just using the plug in adaptors, I feel it is also a more discreet way of doing it, and lends itself to more use. Having had "cheapo" plug in remote sockets in the past, they have been unplugged and lost/binned when the remote could not be found, whereas the integration into our phones, which we always have to hand is great, and I see the dot/echo as further improving the functionality of the system I already have.


Mike
 
The garage / gate system I developed also does away with remote controls, GPS controlled using the GPS chip in your mobile phone, or using your mobile as the remote itself (via access control) is what I also think is the future in that area of automation. Well, I certainly hope so as I am just manufacturing 10000 of them :lol:
 
pvr said:
The garage / gate system I developed also does away with remote controls, GPS controlled using the GPS chip in your mobile phone, or using your mobile as the remote itself (via access control) is what I also think is the future in that area of automation. Well, I certainly hope so as I am just manufacturing 10000 of them :lol:
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I have fitted a similar device to my Chamberlain motorlift, as the original RF remotes are forever eating batteries, or falling off the keyring. Got a module from Ebay for £20 that has a SIM controlled relay on board and wired it to the opener.

Interested in seeing this one of yours though PVR..

Mike
 
Hi Mike,

Sorry to hijack this slightly, but how do you find the TRV's? I'm interested in fitting these, but I have heard they are quite noisy when they calibrate, and you can't set when they do it, so not great in bedrooms.

Thanks

Sheldon
 
SUBstandard said:
Hi Mike,

Sorry to hijack this slightly, but how do you find the TRV's? I'm interested in fitting these, but I have heard they are quite noisy when they calibrate, and you can't set when they do it, so not great in bedrooms.

Thanks

Sheldon
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They only calibrate when first fitted, takes a min or so. After that, they just turn on/off as required. They do make a noise, but it's not intrusive IMO, I have them in all of the bedrooms, and they don't annoy me..

Mike
 
I have the Honeywell system, and yes, you can hear them adjust as a whining noise. To my daughter who gets up at 6 am, it is the welcoming noise that heat will enter her bedroom and bathroom (only).

I love the system, works great. I have had it for a year now on the first set of batteries, so that is good as well. Savings - probably not, but much more comfort as the bedrooms were not getting warm due to the thermostat kicking the boiler off as the rooms downstairs were warm.
 
Mike - I will send some details on the system via pm, production launch is in January sometime.
 
pvr said:
Mike - I will send some details on the system via pm, production launch is in January sometime.
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I can vouch for this system - it's great and has been faultless since installation earlier this year - no longer have need for the key remotes :D

mrs gannet still doesn't know it's installed :P

as for the dot/echo... not a need I see, seems to me to be answering a question nobody asked...
 
gannet, we have a number of new features added that we can update your system with as and when. As you are the poor sod with an Android phone who can test it :lol:
 
Why!? Have you lost the use of your legs? Can you no longer walk to the device you use to play music or write reminders?
Or maybe you're lonely and need someone to talk too? :
I use a lot of kit but not the sort of thing that starts to reduce my life to sitting in a chair dribbling down myself. :rofl:
 
Ok, that's interesting. Some of the reviews I saw said they re calibrated daily, but it sounds like they don't.

I'd be interesting in some info on the Honeywell system too. PVR, sounds like you had exactly the problem I'm trying to solve.

SUB
 
What you do need to though, is to change the default password on each gadget. Hackers can easily find the suppliers default password and take over the devices. They would probably only use them to launch denial of service attacks on you ISP, but they could order lots of Caviar and Champagne via the fridge I guess. :roll:
 
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