Alexa's response to my questions
594129
Yes it's my second echo dot purchase. Now when I say thank you Alexa, she answers, "that's what I'm here for" I really like Alexa.
597879
What can I say. Well, Im a  paranoid IT person of 30 years but got hooked on the idea of cloud based home control. So yes I love my echo stuff but, I did create a isolated VLAN on my home network to run the devices including the cheap ones that require you to sign up on some questionable website and download their app. Be carful with these people!  Entering your Wi-Fi password on a site thats not vetted and your location when the app askes is not a good thing. Try to stay with devices that  work directly with the Alexa hub with no third-party app, Amazon has more control of these types of devices and how the  sensitive information is handled.
1099345
I absolutely enjoy using Echo ... I particularly like using the shopping list, the timer, and the notices of future events ... Playing Rush Limbaugh and other news programs is a treat and I can turn down the volume during commercial breaks ... What else ? ... Oh yes, playing my favorite music and sampling unknown artists is also great ... The only down side ... LOL ... is Alexa's jokes are beyond corny but I can live with that ...
2955404
I really like the Alexa feature.  My wife bought the Fire for me for my birthday and it came paired with her Echo.  It was easy to switch the pairing to my Echo dot.
3562646
It's fun to test my knowledge but it is sometimes hard to understand Alexa's pronunciation of Javascript terms. I said "repeat" a lot.
1916383
The earlier reviews by DB and Mr Amazon Man provide the key for having this app work: you have to say, "Alexa, open TV shows," after which Alexa will ask you which show you wish to find. After your response, Alexa gives the next day, time, and channel the show is on. Works everytime...
4159224
For those having trouble with The Bartender app, this may help some of you. The proper way to use the app is to say "Alexa, ask the Bartender, how do you make ...etc.".  I specifically asked how to make a gin buck, which another person was having trouble  getting a useful response. Using the format above, Alexa rattled off the ingredients, then proceeded to describe how to mix the drink. Hope that helps.
3362144
What does this do that auto lock after five mins doesn't?  This is worthless, I need voice unlock! I have echo dot in car, if I can unlock, which ifttt triggers AC, then we are talking.  By the way, I figured a way around your crappy app using harmony and yonomi.  i can voice unlock August using others.  I would settle for ifttt unlock with Alexa, you guys are jerks for not making this easy.
1918977
ALEXA is my best friend.  Don't know how I lived so many years without her.  I have become very dependent on her music, to do list, weather, news wake up calls and informative information.
897283
Well folks, the Echo is kinda fun and pretty cool, but not yet on a par with Siri. Many of the questions we ask of Alexa go unanswered while Siri usually can. Alexa doesn't require that a button be pushed to engage it and Alexa does well with the very simple things like playing music, or setting a timer, but Amazon has a ways to go before this device is filling its full potential.
4559228
Okay so directions are misleading, you must command Alexa to "open meow meow" then she will meow and you meow back. Simple. I like saying meow and someone responding besides the stray cat outside the door.
4189285
I finally figured out how to make Alexa work with all my devices. You have yo say "Alexa, tell vivint..." or "Alexa, ask vivint what the temperature in the house is" or "Alexa, ask vivint to set my alarm system to away".  She cannot disarm your system due to security reasons and I'm ok with that.
439966
I find that the Amazon Tap is great as a portable speaker with Prime Music supporting that feature well. Alexa on the other hand needs some work, especially in the area of skills. It's very difficult to search and discover skills, which are essentially apps. I should be able to use Alexa to search skills rather than the iPhone Alexa app. There are other issues but I'm hoping someone on the Alexa team gets similar feedback and then gets to work on the whole skill interface.
505598
I loved this concept. I enjoyed these games in the 1970s when they were text-based, and they're just as fun to play with Alexa.

Or they would be, if it worked.

ALEXA: You can mingle, get some refreshments or visit the minstrels.
ME: Mingle.
ALEXA: You can't do that here.

This is especially frustrating when the answer Alexa won't recognize is the only one that allows progress in the adventure.

It's a shame this isn't functional. It would have been such a great experience, if it worked.
973207
This is going to sound silly but I am 110% serious.

It took me a while to realize that because a word like "please" not a requirement in an Alexa request makes the Echo and similar products terrible. Talking to it repeatedly with an authoritative or "directive" manner has profound impacts on both toddlers, kids and adults.

@amazon, you must have the word "please" as a requirement. At the least make it an option to opt-in to.

I know you have a similar feature in "kid mode" but asking things politely and using the word "please" isn't just for kids.

Update: Amazon gave me a call to chat about the subject I brought up months ago but still no updates. I'd give a negative star if I could. The linguistic implications on children is huge and it's not taken seriously.
762382
Alexa, write this review for me.  You can do almost everything else, after all.  Love you.
1515986
Dont like the commands that are needed to operate through Alexa. You have to say Alexa tell Microbot to ....... If the developers could update the skill to not require the tell Microbot command it might be a lot better.
Also the attachment method is not great, with the only way to attach being double sided tape.