No idea what's going on: Smart Life + Alexa (not SmartThings)

My first, and I suspect, last foray into Smart ??. Nothing seems to work right. A simple link to a functioning (via their app) TanTan outlet mini smart socket and proving impossible to link with Alexa. Trying to “Enable” says “account linking in progress” and never actually does anything else. If this is what I can expect from Smart ??, I’m afraid I’ll need to look elsewhere. Very frustrating and evidently not ready for prime time app.

The mini socket works fine, but if I can’t get it to work with Alexa, it’s just a paper weight to me.

I’ve tried Smart Life, Smart Things and all are pretty useless to me

1 Like

Wow! Thanks for letting us know… that explains why all of my stuff is working…

5 Likes

Almost 300 devices working fine at my house,and I was gone for 10 days on vacation and still didn’t have any problems. I also have Alexa working great with SmartThings.

Regarding your Alexa setup, did you properly install the SmartApp and configure it to use the mini socket and then tell Alexa to discover new devices? (assuming account linking was established properly)

3 Likes

John,

Thanks for the reply. In regards to your question, concerns what I did, its as follows, and per manual.

From out of the box until connected to my wifi took all of 3-4 minutes. The TanTan smart socket works fine via it’s Smart Life App. This worked, as expected.

Next, integration with Alexa. Per instructions, via the Alexa App, click “skills” searched for Smart Life. Found it. Next click “Enable” (it says “account linking required” below). Once you click “Enable” it loads, click “done” and now it says, “account linking in progress”. That’s where it ends. It eventually times out and nothing more happens. Have gone through these steps quite a number of times, and it never seems able to “link accounts”.

Could be wrong, but that does seem to be the limit of what I’m able to do?

So smart life and Alexa aren’t Smartthings, right?

1 Like

Hold on moment…

That socket is wifi and is not compatible with SmartThings unless you’ve build a custom DTH and SmartApp that accesses the API to allow control for that device.

The socket itself will work with Alexa per Amazon’s description, so you don’t need SmartThings, maybe just the Smart Life skill in the Alexa app.

I think you’ve gotten yourself a little confused on what you need to get started with HA, SmartThings, etc.

I would kindly ask that you edit the title of your post to something more relevant to the issue you’re having because what you’re experiencing isn’t a SmartThings problem. I can edit the title if needed, but I’d prefer if you do that since you’re the original poster.

3 Likes

Description
If you have any problems, please contact us at feedback@ismartlife.me

Smart Life offers the most comprehensive voice controlled smart home experience with Alexa. Control your home lighting and other devices hands free. Just say it, Smart Life will obey.

Here’s a step by step guide:
(1). Download our “Smart Life” app in Google Play or iOS App Store;
(2). Launch the app and register a new account (or login if you’re already registered);
(3). Turn on Smart Life devices and connect them with “Smart Life” app;
(4). IMPORTANT: You can rename the devices with Smart Life App. So if you rename a smart bulb “Livingroom Light”, then Echo will get that same name after discovered the devices in Step 9;
(5). Download Amazon “Alexa” app from Amazon Market, Google Play or iOS App Store, and connect Echo with “Alexa” app;
(6). Search the Alexa Skills directory for “Smart Life”;
(7). Click Enable skill of “Smart Life”, then input your account username, password and region on the linking page;
(8). Talk to Echo "“Alexa,discover devices.”. Wait till Echo says “Discover is completed”;
(9). Now all setup is done. Try talk to Echo to control your devices.

Here are the voice commands Smart Life has:

Lights:

  • Alexa, turn on my livingroom light
  • Alexa, turn off my livingroom light
  • Alexa, dim my livingroom light
  • Alexa, brighten my livingroom light
  • Alexa, set the livingroom light to 20 percent
  • Alexa, set bedroom light to green.
  • Alexa, set bedroom light to cool white.

Plugs:

  • Alexa, turn on my plug
  • Alexa, turn off my plug
3 Likes

Thanks John. I started out trying the “smart life” then tried the smart things as well. Results are the same, and never does link accounts. Evidently these two similarly named apps are not at all related.

You have two totally separate issues here:

  1. Trying to link Alexa with Smart Life account. It appears there is a skill associated to link/use it with Alexa. That’s a problem all by itself and nothing to do with SmartThings. Follow steps from @Matt_Behnken above.

  2. Getting this device connected and working with SmartThings is a totally separate issue from 1 above. @johnconstantelo explains that in his reply above.

3 Likes

Future Note for SmartThings developers:

If creating a SmartApp for Gear Watch, Fitbit or anything else that monitors heart rate, try not naming it “Smart Life” or “Life Things”. It might cause more confusion and pandemonium to the general public :joy:

2 Likes

No problem Keith. Thanks for changing your post title.

As mentioned already a couple times above, follow the directions for Smart Life.

John,

Thanks for the patient advise. I have those exact instructions as posted above. The “enable” part works, but accounts never link.

Obviously wrong forum. Sorry to be such a bother, especially to Robin.

1 Like

Do you have a SmartThings hub?

:rofl: my bad @anon36505037. Saw your post after I posted.

I suspected confusion between Smart… and what might have led him here in the first place after I read thru everything.

1 Like

Going to be difficult to add a custom DTH without a hub.

:joy: but you had a hub at one point. Try explaining how to set up that scenario for the new user. Someone just trying to setup hub, create account and enter code already causes some to contemplate suicide.

2 Likes

tumblr_inline_mud23avpkJ1ry1cgi

2 Likes

:rofl: See what he did there?

Panda ------ monium!

3 Likes

Someone is going to read this thread a month later and be like

200w (1)

3 Likes

On a somewhat related topic, my iRobot is a pretty good vacuum but it’s lousy at making phone calls. I was hoping it would be more like an iPhone. Help?

3 Likes

Now if you could get that largemouth bass to say Someone is "lure"king at the door, gulp gulp when motion is detected or the doorbell rings…

2 Likes