The story of how I got interested in the Amazon Echo is kind of funny. I didn't want any of those speakers either because I've heard that they are always listening, which of course they are. My mom had gone for a visit to see my cousin who had an Echo and was showing her how you can play music on it all with voice commands. When my mom got back she decided to get one. She is not tech minded at all and asked if I could help her learn to use it. I admited that I knew nothing about them but said I would try. When she received it, she brought it to my place and asked me to play with it for a few days and to bring it over once I figured it out which was fine. She did not have an Amazon account at this point but I did, so I tied the Echo to my account planning on doing a hard reset on it and setting it up with a new account for my mom when the time came. Then I started playing with it, and, well, I got hooked. Having radio stations and just about any album or song at your command was awesome. I called my mom and told her I wasn't sure I could give this up. So, what ended up happening was, she gave me that for my birthday and she purchased another one for herself which I helped her set up, she loves it. I then got a Google Home as well which is also very nice. If you are concerned about the devices listening when you don't want them to, just unplug them.
> On Dec 30, 2018, at 4:51 PM, Sieghard Weitzel <siegh...@live.ca> wrote: > > Hi Mary, > > Do you use Google to search for stuff on the web? I also see you have a gmail > address, I bet Google is happily collecting information about all you do > online. You can choose Apple over Android or choose to buy an Echo over a > Google Home or not buy a smart speaker at all, but you absolutely cannot not > separate this stuff any more today and if you are online you may as well make > peace with the fact that you are giving up a good amount of information for > the convenience of it. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: viphone@googlegroups.com <viphone@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Mary > Otten > Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2018 9:48 AM > To: viphone@googlegroups.com > Subject: Re: Amazon Echo Definitely Better than Apple HomePod, in One Respect > > Yes, I am not surprised that the Google assistant tops the list. However, I > don’t like their business model one little bit. I don’t want to be sold by > Google. So I don’t mess with it. But I understand the attraction. > Mary > > > Sent from my iPhone > >> On Dec 29, 2018, at 9:21 AM, Donald Roberts <donald.robert...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >> I agree Mary with everything you said in this message. However, I would add >> that if you are looking for substantive information rather than silly games, >> the Google home and mini is the best. My wife uses the Google products to >> get gardening info, medical information, recipes, and all kinds of factual >> information. The echo provides more choices in terms of music services. >> >> Don Roberts >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mary Otten" <motte...@gmail.com> >> To: <viphone@googlegroups.com> >> Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2018 1:55 PM >> Subject: Re: Amazon Echo Definitely Better than Apple HomePod, in One >> Respect >> >> >> I agree with you, Ed. I own a couple of echoes. Generally, I find that the >> Alexa system is horrible with respect to giving the information I actually >> need or could use, outside of the weather and a little bit of news briefing. >> and most of the skills are junk games and other Time wasters. That said, I >> do appreciate the echo for the easy access to SiriusXM and to its ability >> for reading kindle or audible books while I exercise. I’m not into the >> automated so-called smart home, so I have no comment on HomePod or echo in >> that regard. But as a music listening sores, the HomePods kill the echoes. >> They should, they are more expensive. I have a pair of HomePods that I got >> when the price came down to $500 for the pair. They sound almost as good as >> my wonderful floorstanding stereo speakers it cost me over twice what I >> paid for the HomePods. I would never consider any pair of echoes as any sort >> of real hi-fi system even for moderately good audio quality listening. >> >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >>> On Dec 27, 2018, at 1:31 PM, Ed Worrell <blindworr...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> I have both an Apple HomePod and an Echo Dot connected to Bose speakers. I >>> am not sure why everyone thinks the HomePod is so far behind on “skills”. >>> The HomePod is a far better device, Now with Siri short cuts you can use >>> third party apps to do things from the HomePod. I find the Apple speaker >>> much simpler to use than the Amazon Echo. You have to remember very >>> specific application names and commands to use the Echo’s 3 million fart >>> applications. The skills on the Echo aren’t that impressive to me. It’s >>> next to impossible to set up using the app, you almost always have to use >>> the internet browser on a computer for full access to the settings. >>> >>> JMO >>> >>> Ed Worrell >>> >>>> On Dec 24, 2018, at 11:06 AM, Mike Arrigo <n0...@charter.net> wrote: >>>> >>>> The home pod is behind both the Echo and Google home in many respects. >>>> Even with general features, the home pod is really lacking, and I think >>>> you can now play Apple music on the echo so there is little reason to get >>>> a home pod. Hopefully Apple will catch up but they have a ways to go. >>>> >>>>> On Dec 23, 2018, at 5:36 PM, M. Taylor <mk...@ucla.edu> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Hello Everyone, >>>>> >>>>> You know, one of the most popular request made to both Apple and >>>>> Amazon is that they provide independent sound equalizer support for >>>>> their music/speaker devices. >>>>> >>>>> When I purchased my first Echo device, a while ago, this feature >>>>> was not available. The same was true for HomePod. >>>>> >>>>> However, recently, this feature has now been added to the Echo >>>>> interface, under audio from within the Settings area of the Alexa >>>>> app. This is very, very nice. >>>>> >>>>> However, Apple has not added this feature to HomePod. At least, if it >>>>> has, >>>>> I have not been abel to locate it in the HomePod interface. >>>>> >>>>> And yes, I know there is a general sound equalizer, of sort, in the >>>>> iOS settings area of the music app but, hereto, Apple falls short >>>>> as these options are merely presets, not true customizable >>>>> controls. Moreover, one should not have to adjust the sound levels >>>>> for an entire operating system in order to customize the sound >>>>> setting for one specific device that is marketed as an entertainment >>>>> listening device. >>>>> >>>>> Besides, it's ridiculous to pay over $300 for a speaker and not >>>>> have the ability to adjust its sound settings, independently. >>>>> >>>>> I have owned my HomePod for over a year or so, I think, and have >>>>> only used it 3 times because there is just too much bass, for my liking. >>>>> >>>>> With the overwhelming success of Echo, you'd think that Apple would >>>>> realize that, especially when it comes to hearing, as well as >>>>> vision, one size definitely does not fit all. >>>>> >>>>> Just some venting, on my part. >>>>> >>>>> Mark >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone >>>>> list. >>>>> >>>>> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or >>>>> if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the >>>>> owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. >>>>> >>>>> Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. Mark can be reached >>>>> at: mk...@ucla.edu. Your list owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach >>>>> Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com >>>>> >>>>> The archives for this list can be searched at: >>>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ >>>>> --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>> Groups "VIPhone" group. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>>>> email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>> To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. >>>>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/viphone. >>>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>> >>>> -- >>>> The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone >>>> list. >>>> >>>> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or >>>> if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the >>>> owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. >>>> >>>> Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. Mark can be reached >>>> at: mk...@ucla.edu. Your list owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach >>>> Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com >>>> >>>> The archives for this list can be searched at: >>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ >>>> --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "VIPhone" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>>> email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>> To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. >>>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/viphone. >>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>> >>> -- >>> The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. >>> >>> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if >>> you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners >>> or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. >>> >>> Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. Mark can be reached at: >>> mk...@ucla.edu. Your list owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach Cara >>> at caraqu...@caraquinn.com >>> >>> The archives for this list can be searched at: >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ >>> --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "VIPhone" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>> email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>> To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. >>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/viphone. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> >> -- >> The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. >> >> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if >> you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or >> moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. >> >> Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. Mark can be reached at: >> mk...@ucla.edu. Your list owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach Cara at >> caraqu...@caraquinn.com >> >> The archives for this list can be searched at: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ >> --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "VIPhone" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. >> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/viphone. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> -- >> The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. >> >> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if >> you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or >> moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. >> >> Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. Mark can be reached at: >> mk...@ucla.edu. Your list owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach Cara at >> caraqu...@caraquinn.com >> >> The archives for this list can be searched at: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ >> --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "VIPhone" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. >> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/viphone. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > -- > The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. > > If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if > you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or > moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > > Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. Mark can be reached at: > mk...@ucla.edu. Your list owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach Cara at > caraqu...@caraquinn.com > > The archives for this list can be searched at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "VIPhone" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/viphone. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > -- > The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. > > If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if > you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or > moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > > Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. Mark can be reached at: > mk...@ucla.edu. Your list owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach Cara at > caraqu...@caraquinn.com > > The archives for this list can be searched at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "VIPhone" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/viphone. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor. Mark can be reached at: mk...@ucla.edu. Your list owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com The archives for this list can be searched at: http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "VIPhone" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/viphone. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
