Alexa echo

[Elijahsmama]

We decided to get an Alexa spot because other family members have them and it’s amazing to quickly drop in on them. Especially our elderly parents   However this thing is super cool. She has “skills” that read the Bible reading and daily text. Plays our music. It’s amazing. Definitely not encouraging people to spend money but if you are considering getting an Alexa or already have one consider looking at all the things she can do.     Maybe I am late to the party but I all

so excited. 

[cricket246]

We have like an Amazon Echo (standard alexa) that I am still learning to control lol How does one get it to read the Daily Text?

Edited April 2, 2019 by cricket246

[cricket246]

Okay found an app Called "Jw Access" and another for the Daily Text, awesome! Thank you because I didn't even know the Alexa could do anything close to that!

[Omoyeme]

2 hours ago, Elijahsmama said:

She has “skills” that read the Bible reading and daily text. Plays our music.

 

Not meaning to be facetious sis but,...doesn't our JWL app do all of that?

[Paradise-Lover]

17 minutes ago, Omoyeme said:

 

Not meaning to be facetious sis but,...doesn't our JWL app do all of that?

In fact, JWL does all of those in an even matchless fashion.

Edited April 2, 2019 by Chuka

[Pjdriver]

45 minutes ago, Omoyeme said:

 

Not meaning to be facetious sis but,...doesn't our JWL app do all of that?

The benefit of Alexa is you don’t have to read, or pickup your tablet, or sit down at the computer, or look at your phone. Just tell Alexa what you want.

 

How lazy are we?! 

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

A Visually impaired brother was given one as a present. As it is voice controlled, he is thrilled! However, I cannot find the 'skills' section to turn on the 'reading' function. He can ask for weather updates, footy scores, but I cannot find how to read the bible, text or magazine etc.

It's the Echo.

I created an Amazon Account and a Gmail Account.

It is connected to Wi-Fi only.

Does it need an update?

Any help would be appreciated by both of us.

TIA

Tony

Just Older

 

 

 

 

[campanula]

20 minutes ago, Pjdriver said:

How lazy are we?! 

Can she be sent in service? 

[Pjdriver]

9 minutes ago, campanula said:

Can she be sent in service? 

No, but she counts the time. I think she gets about 3000 hours a month. 

[DarinS]

so...say

"alexa"

'Whats todays weather?"

"open the days text"

https://www.amazon.com/Synapse-Research-Systems-Examining-Scriptures/dp/B01FB6A31I

"tell me a joke"

 

all of these are voice driven - great when your hands are full making a meal---or if your visually impaired...or cant find your glasses

 

there are many other things it will do also - read watchtower...awake...audio dramas

http://certdoctor.com/wp/getting-jw-org-content-on-your-amazon-echo-or-other-alexa-device/

 

flash briefing opens the jw.org newsroom

 

or you can use a separate alexa app called JW access

https://www.amazon.com/JWAccess-JW-Access/dp/B071JQBBXZ

[Pjdriver]

20 minutes ago, TonyWenz said:

A Visually impaired brother was given one as a present. As it is voice controlled, he is thrilled! However, I cannot find the 'skills' section to turn on the 'reading' function. He can ask for weather updates, footy scores, but I cannot find how to read the bible, text or magazine etc.

It's the Echo.

I created an Amazon Account and a Gmail Account.

It is connected to Wi-Fi only.

Does it need an update?

Any help would be appreciated by both of us.

TIA

Tony

Just Older

 

 

 

 

Tony, go to YouTube and search the specific model you have, and you’ll probably find an instruction video, and be you’ll be visually instructed on how to do all that stuff. 

[DarinS]

26 minutes ago, campanula said:

Can she be sent in service? 

sure sounds great

maybe I can figure out a drop-in to another Alexa Echo or DOT

and then get her to play a WT or dramatic Reading......

 

sideways

kinda reminds me of our SO - I demo'd my presentation for him at the door and explained what i was planning on saying and then the scripture i was using and the short video

then i walked away from the door...he asked me what i was doing

I told him i played it to the RING doorbell and was gonna count it as a video placement - he was cracking up laughing

 

(i mean either they watched it while hiding.....or they saw it remotely....or they would see it later when they reviewed the video......still counts ...right?)

[Elijahsmama]

I have been an iPad, roku and jw app user since the beginning. It’s my serious love (maybe even more than my family 😘) I love the technology that we have. The echo is different. It will read things automatically or plays music right away. The speakers are awesome. Plus as someone else said it does take lazy to a whole new level and it is awesome to have wet hands in the sink and just yell and it  will read the Bible reading for the week.    So cool. Wasn’t original purpose for it but it is so amazing!! 😀😀😀😀😀

[Ludwika]

Ok, now I want one! How can I convince my better half that this has suddenly become an essential need and not just a want?!!

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

He can 'ask' it for a joke to tell his mates...

Just Older

Off, course, you could also just ask 'Google' on you smartphone.

Just Older

[campanula]

12 hours ago, DarinS said:

so...say

"alexa"

'Whats todays weather?"

"tell me a joke"

.....or marry me....

[Elijahsmama]

7 hours ago, Ludwika said:

Ok, now I want one! How can I convince my better half that this has suddenly become an essential need and not just a want?!!

I know. It’s definitely not a need but it’s cool. My parents are elderly and my mom has dementia. It’s going to be good for them if they need to call some quick.  It’s one of those stupid things you didn’t live without now you wonder how you did. But I used to say that about the cell phone in service. 🤪

[campanula]

2 minutes ago, Elijahsmama said:

I know. It’s definitely not a need but it’s cool. My parents are elderly and my mom has dementia. It’s going to be good for them if they need to call some quick.  It’s one of those stupid things you didn’t live without now you wonder how you did. But I used to say that about the cell phone in service. 🤪

But what if someone would hack it? Then he will get access to whole house...

[jwhess]

We have a witness family whose daughter's name is Alexis.  Alexa listens to everything you say just waiting to break into the conversation...😎

[Womandriver]

The benefit of Alexa is you don’t have to read, or pickup your tablet, or sit down at the computer, or look at your phone. Just tell Alexa what you want.
 
How lazy are we?! 

I think this would be helpful because when I pick up my phone I tend to get "lost". Pics sent from one of our kids of a grandchild, oh an email notification, oh that's right I meant to check out this weeks grocery sales and before I know it I forgot why I picked up my phone to begin with.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The benefit of Alexa is you don’t have to read, or pickup your tablet, or sit down at the computer, or look at your phone. Just tell Alexa what you want.
 
How lazy are we?! 

I think this would be helpful because when I pick up my phone I tend to get "lost". Pics sent from one of our kids of a grandchild, oh an email notification, oh that's right I meant to check out this weeks grocery sales and before I know it I forgot why I picked up my phone to begin with.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Thesauron]

Here is one reviewers opinion on the differences between Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/11/21/i-live-with-alexa-google-assistant-siri-heres-which-you-should-pick/

 

Here are other smart speakers:

 

https://www.wired.com/story/best-smart-speakers/

 

Also, what are the downsides of having a virtual assistant in your home?

 

https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Alexa-and-other-smart-speakers-may-endanger-12982917.php

 

[Loopy]

Did you know Amazon workers can listen to your conversations with Alexa? 

 

 

https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending-now/did-you-know-amazon-workers-can-listen-to-your-conversations-with-alexa/939230327?fbclid=IwAR1B2Ncgsd6qy_QGtlh-i15riaRvRvANl4xk37vSHXX810yvaWOcqy5A55Y

 

We take the security and privacy of our customers’ personal information seriously,” an Amazon spokesman told the publication. “We only annotate an extremely small sample of Alexa voice recordings in order (to) improve the customer experience. For example, this information helps us train our speech recognition and natural language understanding systems, so Alexa can better understand your requests, and ensure the service works well for everyone.”

 

Each member of the Alexa voice review team is responsible for mulling over about 1,000 audio files during each shift, Bloomberg reported. Once the recordings are transcribed and annotated, they are fed back into the software. Employees do not have information that can identify users or accounts.

 

While some reviewers told Bloomberg they’ve heard users singing in the shower, others said they’ve come across potentially criminal behavior. Amazon has a list of steps for workers to follow if they hear something concerning.

[Qapla]

A report about that was just on the National News.

 

The thing is - they do not know who or where the people in the recordings are located at. They do not have access to the actual accounts - only the recordings.

 

This could be good and/or bad

[Jeanie]

3 hours ago, Loopy said:

Did you know Amazon workers can listen to your conversations with Alexa? 

 

 

https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending-now/did-you-know-amazon-workers-can-listen-to-your-conversations-with-alexa/939230327?fbclid=IwAR1B2Ncgsd6qy_QGtlh-i15riaRvRvANl4xk37vSHXX810yvaWOcqy5A55Y

 

We take the security and privacy of our customers’ personal information seriously,” an Amazon spokesman told the publication. “We only annotate an extremely small sample of Alexa voice recordings in order (to) improve the customer experience. For example, this information helps us train our speech recognition and natural language understanding systems, so Alexa can better understand your requests, and ensure the service works well for everyone.”

 

Each member of the Alexa voice review team is responsible for mulling over about 1,000 audio files during each shift, Bloomberg reported. Once the recordings are transcribed and annotated, they are fed back into the software. Employees do not have information that can identify users or accounts.

 

While some reviewers told Bloomberg they’ve heard users singing in the shower, others said they’ve come across potentially criminal behavior. Amazon has a list of steps for workers to follow if they hear something concerning.

I saw an article similar or it may be the same one, that talked about this.  It really made me nervous with how vague it was about the "workers".  We decided to unplug ours today and not use it. 

[Qapla]

We don't have one to turn off ...

 

On my phone I have the voice thingy turned off - not because I don't want Google to hear what I say - it slows the phone down if I leave it on.

 

Don't get me wrong ... I can touch the mic icon and it will let me compose a text by voice - but, I have to touch the icon each time I want it to hear me. 

 

If I say "Hey Google" or "OK Google" - it will not respond with that option turned off ... it is not listening all the time.

Edited April 12, 2019 by Qapla