How has SmartThings affected you?

[bdavison2011]

I actually have 4 of these devices. You do not need to touch the screen to active Alexa. They have come a very long way since launch and have a very strong team to make improvements weekly. This is going to be the next big smart home device. They are working on multiple smart home integrations as well.

[JDRoberts]

@bdavison2011

I actually have 4 of these devices. You do not need to touch the screen to active Alexa. They have come a very long way since launch and have a very strong team to make improvements weekly. This is going to be the next big smart home device. They are working on multiple smart home integrations as well.

You have 4 of the Nucleus intercoms and you don’t have to touch anything to activate Alexa? Because I just asked a friend of mine who got two from Amaxon and he says he still does. And I see there are two reviews on Amazon from this week that both say it is not hands-free and they are hoping that it will be in the future. Are you in a beta program?

Also, do you have to touch the device to use the intercom?

@Andy_Armijo is your nucleus now touch free for any functions?

It would be great if it was, I just haven’t heard that anywhere else.

[bdavison2011]

As of now, only Alexa is hands free. As I mentioned before, they are doing lots of improvements and taking customer feedback very seriously. I can see more hands free features coming soon.

[Andy_Armijo]

Of course alexa is hands free. I’m not sure why anyone would think alexa required hands. That’s the point. I think perhaps the discrepancy is in hands free calling from room to room, because alexa can’t handle that. I’ll make a video if anyone wants to debate me on this.

[JDRoberts]

@Andy_Armijo

Of course alexa is hands free. I’m not sure why anyone would think alexa required hands. That’s the point. I think perhaps the discrepancy is in hands free calling from room to room, because alexa can’t handle that. I’ll make a video if anyone wants to debate me on this.

Alexa works two different ways. Even on Amazon devices. The Amazon echo is totally hands-free. The Amazon tap and the Amazon fire TV voice remote both require pressing a button to get Alexa to listen. So it’s not surprising that some third-party devices would require a button.

But I’m glad to hear that that is not true for the nucleus.

[N8XD (I got a hair cut from Alexa)]

Do the nucleus play prime music, audible, and read kindle books in alexa voice, like the echos do?

[Andy_Armijo]

Yes. I thought that was pretty cool cause this is my first go with alexa. I would love that feature if I could play it through sonos. I’m sure there is a way.

[Andy_Armijo]

Go ahead. Point out my ignorance again lol. But yeah no button press needed on this.

[bdavison2011]

I am still playing around with it and haven’t tested much, but I know it does play prime music. I haven’t tried the others. The majority of the development side of Alexa on Nucleus is done by Amazon. Any updates or upgrade have to be done by Amazon, Nucleus doesn’t have control over it.