I 40th the need for a ST solid voice integration that can parallel the likes of Google Now and Siri (once Nest and HomeKit are up and running). The vast capabilities of Google Now and Siri as personal assistants puts ST behind, but ST has done great in a short time getting ahead in affordable DIY home automation. Ubi is not there yet (although I like it’s open API, it is a dated design/feel, voice, & limited range not a practical solution), Sonos only talks doesn’t listen (also limited), Samsung watch is the only viable solution ST has for its voice of IoT partner right now. The best thing ST has going is its brains by being Open and thereby appeal to informed techs, but ST is lacking a fun, centerpiece for mass appeal (Nest is a slick design, Apple is always well designed), Samsung products are very solid and clean but lacking flash. But no matter how smart ST is, the whole thing could collapse if limited in intelligent voice controls.
I hope Samsung’s pocketbook can allow ST to move even faster (make its architecture even smarter and establish a voice) in this space so it dominates IoT before Google and Apple even have a chance to enter. The iWatch with all its other features is going to make HomeKit very appealing, but Apple’s limited partners and closed system is not appealing. Nest could be the biggest threat but seems to be dropping the ball. ST, Nest, and Apple are my picks as contenders; I would rather Staples Connect, Quirky Wink, and Lowes Iris just drop out put ST on their shelves so more focus from vendors can go into developing the brains of ST. We need more triggers, more actions, more brains outside of simple if this then that (however IFTTT is a Trojan horse in this space - but needs more brains as well). Keep developing you guys are doing an awesome job over at ST.
Small niche markets I would love Samsung to design better solutions for (after ST conquers lights, locks, security/damage, comfort and NEST revamps unloved devices/appliances) Smart Tinting (replacing blinds), AutoSliders, Indoor doors (traditional doors in homes need to go- I like pocket autosliders but I want something completely new), autochanger for washer/dryer, redesign the ac system (Samsung ductless is a start but too bulky), new way to shower, invisible cords, RFIDs, indoor security cameras (non cloud, better quality), Ceiling Fans…
I agree @Crazyk that voice commands will really open the “user friendly” door to a SmartHome.
That said, it also has to be done right. Ubi is fun to play with, and works pretty well in some limited settings. But the flexibility is limited and setup requirement on the back end is rather complex at this point. This is where voice integration suffers.
In a perfect world I’d say some combination of turn off various lights… like: “Turn off the basement lights” or “Turn the Kitchen and Den lights off” or “Turn off the upstairs lights and the Kitchen light.”
But in reality I have to spell out in Ubi what constitutes basement lights. And I have to built phrases for various combinations like: “Turn off the basements light.” or “Turn the basement lights off.” If I deviate from those phrases, Ubi won’t understand. Additionally, If I want “combo” phrases, I need to spell those out.
The problem is that it isn’t easy (with current technology) to have a system that understands a wide range of phrases, knows what devices you are referring too, and is easy to setup. Something that hits all these points is going to be very complex to build.
It’ll come… probably sooner than I think… but the “ready for PrimeTime” voice command setup is still probably a ways off.
I just got my Echo today. Its amazing! Buy one if you get the chance. So far its very very fun to use. Echo, I mean Alexa, amazingly responds almost instantaneously to requests. So far she has only misunderstood my request one time, even when I am sitting 12ft across the room. Right now she is reading the news. Earlier she played Christmas music when I simply said “Play Christmas music.” So far so good and an amazing deal for only $99! I’d love for them to release an API so I can integrate it with Savant or Smart Things.
I wish! I actually checked because I was going to buy 3 or 4 more to have around the house. Oh well, 1 will have to be enough for now. I am using it in my kitchen. She has trouble recognizing the kids voices but so far she is spot on with adults even when I am across the room facing the other direction. Its amazing.
I also just received my echo and concur that this is well done. The quality of the audio is about the same as the small room son is. I have a mid range sonos and it is definitely better large room audio compared to echo. If Amazon opens the echo API then agree with others this could be very useful. While they let you use tune in radio and iheartradio there is not much else 3rd party integration. For instance the to do list I want to replace with my favorite. Likewise connecting ST would rock.
I just got mine today and the audio is awesome, the mic can hear me clearly from 30 ft away. I walked in the house and said amazon play berry white and it planned right away…The audio is amazing for this tiny speaker. Now if we could integrate smart things. .I asked the echo to turn off the lights and it replied sorry I have no way to connect with your home…sounds like something might be in the works. Overall for $99 it beats all bluetooth speakers I was gonna buy from best buy.hands down better than sonos.
They must not like me…I have not been offered the option to get one after I signed up immediately for the invitation. We order a cr@p-ton (yep, that is an official weight standard) via Prime. Of course, there is no where you can say on the website “I’m an IT director that is always on the bleeding edge of everything, so I’m an excellent early adopter for you!”
Since being a first time home owner this January and 80 plus orders from their prime membership and mostly all HA stuff, I didn’t even get an invitation.
I have had mine for about 2 weeks and It is amazing even with the limited capabilities. The voice recognition is amazingly accurate. Even from a couple of rooms away or while vacuuming it still heard my commands.
Minus’ it uses Bing as a search engine and refers you to it (within the Echo app) regularly. Mostly because it’s database of things it knows is still small, but I have read that the more you use it the more it grows which I have seen a little bit. I asked it a question about Dr Who a few (a dozen or so times) a few days later it had an answer for me instead of directing me toward a Bing search.
In terms of Music playing it’s pretty good. For a medium or small room it sounds wonderful. It is currently linked to IHeartRadio, Tunein, and Amazon Prime Music so the content has limits. You can upload your personal collection to Amazon Prime to supplement it. Still overall I Love Echo. I have it and Ubi and it has totally replaced Ubi in terms of everyday usage. (Still have hope for Ubi though).
Do us a favor as you are one of the fortunate ones! Please ask echo when will the hues, sonos, harmony etc. will be out of lab and fully integrated with ST?
I let my Prime lapse a while ago and I got an invite (requested it the first day they opened the floodgates). Coworker HAS Prime and requested an invite the same day and didn’t get an invite. My guess is that non-Prime people might have gotten preference in case it enticed them to sign up for Prime (which I did when my Prime-using girlfriend also did not get an invite).
Yeah, that’s been my observation as well…and it blows! The difference between Amazon and Apple. Amazon is about the monetization at the cost of the experience. Apple knows the monetization will come if the experience is top notch. Different philosophies of two incredibly successful companies. Although, Amazon didn’t really think it through too well with the Fire Phone.
I think Apple provides a more polished product so they can double-monetize. You can’t have more than one or maybe two companies in a product sector that are “king of the hill” that can charge out the ass for their products. But you can have dozens that make a decent product for a reasonable price and make just as much money.
Anyway… all that aside… I believe Amazon’s recent ventures into hardware are all just vehicles to sell more on Amazon. I don’t think they really care if the Echo becomes a household fixture… or the Fire TV or any of that… they want to pump out something that’s reasonably useable and “new”… so people who crave the latest gadgets, especially around the holidays, will snatch them up and maybe it’ll lead to some extra people adopting the Amazon ecosystem.
My girlfriend is already talking about moving away from Google Play (which she’s already invested in for music) because it’s easier to buy and use music through Echo for her day to day usage patterns. Even talked about a Fire tablet when she’s used to her Nexus 7 and all the Google services, which you don’t get at all on the Amazon tablets. Just because you can say “buy this track” on Echo or you can play your music uploaded to Amazon via Echo just that much easier than using her Nexus 7 to stream to the bluetooth speakers we already have.
And I consider her a fairly smart consumer not typically swayed by marketing gimmicks. All the rubes out there who are just consumer zombies will get sucked into Amazon’s ecosystem even faster if someone buys them a tablet or an Echo or something. hah
Not saying it’s not a good device and that Amazon isn’t a good service… but just emphasizing the idea that Amazon’s hardware are just vehicles for their other more profitable services. Just like game console hardware never sells at a profit but the games have like 60% markup, an Echo or a Fire tablet is just a way to sell more movies, music, Prime memberships and other services and products.
PS. Played with the Echo a bit last night… I think for our use… predominantly playing music in the kitchen and things like adding stuff to a shared grocery list (you can attach multiple Amazon accounts to your Echo in “Household” mode but the To Do and Shopping lists are shared) that it’s worth the $99. When/if they open up an API it could be extra useful for home automation fans like us.
OK…Ok…OK! Echo is crap and so is Siri from Apple! I backed this from Kickstarter and it is going to be the best way to interact with al the Android and IOS and PC/MAC base. Project J.A.E.S.A.
I think it may even give UBI a kick in the ASS. As it is a learning AI platform and will integrate into ST in the near future. They are releasing the Beta this Christmas for IOS and later in the month for Android.
I was able to the “first” home automation hack with Hue lights and phone integration (twilio) but at this point I can integrate with anything… Not the most elegant/effective way but is fun! Check my video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r58ERvxT0qM
Mybe it is regional.
