Ok, I have been bitten by the home automation bug, having purchased an amazon echo dot.
I love the idea of voice interaction to control the heating, the lights etc etc.
I should point out that I have MS PP, and mobility due to control (or lack of) in my left leg is becoming a real pain, in fact when I sit down, I’d rather stay sitting than move with all that entails, stumbles. falls. pain etc so shouting to turn the lights on seems a really good idea.
Looking at the British Gas hive, but still looking.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Does anyone know of any grants, incentives etc?
Has anyone ventured into this arena and has a story to tell?
I’m interested in these sort of gadgets did look in to the hive but not gone through with it yet due to selling the house how does the echo work and is it any good
The echo dot, the one I have, not the echo, the difference is the echo has a bigger speaker, the dot has a much smaller speaker but has bluetooth conectivity.
It is constantly connected to the internet via wifi.
I love it,
Its in my kitchen and the small speaker is fine, but connecting to a bluetooth speaker is better.
alexa play radio 2 and it streams from tunein, as its streaming it does drop out occassionaly, but this is down to tunein not the dot or wifi connection.
Streaming music from amazon, alexa play playlist rock, no drop out at all. Having amazon prime really is a must not a deal breaker but.
Alexa, picks up my voice well, and she is linked to my google calendar which is very good, alexa whats on my calendar today and she tells me whats on.
She is good, just a shame that in the uk IFTTT and dlink plugs are not working with her yet, e-mails have said she will soon, but she does apparently work with hive and wemo to name a few.
Hi, I have just bought the Nest device which is similar to Hive . It is excellent , I have to spend a lot of time in bed . The Nest app on my phone allows me to switch on or turn up my heating etc . Can also switch on the heating when you’re nearing home . Perfect for my situation. Probably will not save me money as such but it’s great having that control at your finger tips. I bought it directly from them
And as a 49 year old scaredy cat technophobe, I will join you in the ‘eh?’ And the ‘wow’! Plus hope my OH doesn’t start learning about all this stuff and deciding he ‘needs’ it in his life. He said already made a couple of small comments about Hive. Eeeek!
Sonus is a bluetooth audio system that can stream music around your home from playlists on your pc or other devices you can control each speaker system independantly room to room from one place, even set wake up alarms, but to control it by voice from the amazon echo would be even cooler, boys and there toys lol
1 - Some years ago I bought a nearly new Honda Accord. I went to take a photo of it, switched the digital camera on and the doors unlocked.
2 - If you rely on one device to do everything, and it fails, everything fails (or stays in the same state).
If you can retain individual control if needed and have a central controller as well - go for it.
This reminds me of a few years ago, my OH had a brand new VW Golf - and he left it parked at the B/ham lnternational railway car park. When he got back from his trip - he clicked his remote control key and his car doors unlocked and interior lights came on - all good - but so did the cars either side of his!!.
This reminds me of a few years ago, my OH had a brand new VW Golf - and he left it parked at the B/ham lnternational railway car park. When he got back from his trip - he clicked his remote control key and his car doors unlocked and interior lights came on - all good - but so did the cars either side of his!!.