no kids anymore but would be cool to ask if presence sensor is home
also now that I merged my audible account with amazon… it is cool to listen to audio book on alexa and also on phone and have them sync…
SmartThings + Amazon Echo Official Integration
There is now a direct connect with alexa through the Alexa App.
Go to settings/ connected home
Then to smartthings
Then authorize devices.
Then tell Alexa to discover devices
It can now see all switches and lights directly and you can also create and name artificial groups of devices.
No more virtual switches or tiles and no more ifttt needed.
It is also ligtening fast compared to going over ifttt.
No locks or door states and no direct color control but we are getting there.
It’s an excellent integration. The official announcement was in August. Many people in the community have been using it since then. 
The virtual devices are only used when you want to control a device of a class that is not currently supported by Echo.
What’s new this week is that the same capabilities are now available for the Amazon fire TV voice remote.
Ya I read that and it us not real clear that there is direct control outside of ifttt… All the examples on this site seem to talk only about iftttt
Read the first post. It describes two completely different methods of integration. The first one uses the “Alexa, trigger kitchen lights” format which is using the Alexa IFTTT channel.
The second one uses the “Alexa, turn on kitchen lights” format which uses the smartapp method you mention in your first post here. No IFTTT.
Both have their uses. Both are detailed in the FAQ thread, including with screenshots.
The Second Official Integration: Connected Home Devices
The second method is an integration specific to SmartThings and echo. With this method, you will be able to group multiple devices together, such as a group of lights. You also won’t have to include the word trigger. Set up is a little more complicated, but straightforward.
Thanks …instead of turn on…xxxx I have found it better to say alexa xxx on. This is because once in a while it says…I cannot find device turn off xxx in you profile.
Whatever works for you.
To save somebody else the trouble. The FireTV remote is not compatible with the Echo, it can only be used with the Fire TV. I was under the impression that I could use the remote for both devices. That is not the case. You need different remotes to control the Fire TV and the Echo. I’m sure this was in the fine print somewhere but I missed it. That was actually the reason I ordered the Fire TV was to get the remote for the Echo. 
I didn’t realize at the time that Alexa was baked into Fire TV. So I ended up being both disappointed and happy.
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Each remote pairs to a single device. Can you pair the remote with the echo?
Amazon has two separate remotes. Each must be paired with a master device before it will work.
The Amazon echo remote will pair only with one echo. It does not pair with the fire TV.
The Amazon fire TV voice remote will pair only with one fire TV. It does not pair with the echo.
Once paired, all the remotes can, as of this week, control any of your connected home devices that are associated with the Amazon account assigned to the master device that you paired with. This is because the Alexa request goes to the Amazon cloud and from there To SmartThings.
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So I ordered the fire stick with voice remote last night… I’m going to see how I like it.
I have a tv in the 12 y/o sons room, 2 in the 15 y/o boys room (2 bits in there), one in the guest room, and one in the exercise room.
I’ve been wanting some kind of localized control for each room, kind of a zone type of set up, and if these live up to my expectations I will soon own many if them. The echo device is just too expensive. I already have three of them, with remotes.
I know each fire tv stick will be able to control everything in the account, but my son’s will be told what they can control… Only the automation in their rooms. They are actually really good kids and tend to not screw with my electronics… They enjoy theirs to much and they have seen what I can do just using my phone.
So, I’m hoping these will do what I want.
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Annoyingly the Alexa service only works with US Zip codes even though for some strange reason my UK fire TV that is attached to my Amazon.co.uk account shows up as available for Alexa on my Amazon.com account.
Can anyone confirm that the Fire TV Alexa can control SmartThings? Seems like an easy way to extend control to other parts of the house without another Echo? An older thread seemed to suggest otherwise.
I have all of my devices connected via ST. I also have 3 echo to control them.
The fire tv stick with voice controls all of my HA. And the bonus, once it’s set up, it no longer had to be connected to a tv. It just had to be plugged in the wall.
I got my fire stick less than a week ago.
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Sweet, thanks. Funny how hard that is to figure out. Definitely a less expensive way to get in the game, and since things are on sale this week, added bonus. Time to retire one of the Roku’s.
I’ve been through the X-10 stuff a decade ago, and was wary of getting back into this. But, the ability to shut off all the lights downstairs when your arms are full with a single spoken command is rather handy.
Yeah, I really love having my echo’s. But with the firestick you have to use the remote. You can’t just speak to it like the echo.
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I am new to this whole smartthings thing so please bare with me. I have a v2 hub and 3 echos. I just hooked up one of these Utilitech Flood Sensor http://www.lowes.com/pd_422362-45367-TST01-1_?productId=4740940 and the audible alarm is very very low. Is there anyway for Smartthings to trigger Alexa to say an announcement? Maybe use ifttt or something?
The short answer is No.
The long answer is unfortunately, No.
I’m really hoping that soon a Friday email will tell us about this new and exciting feature.
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That is unfortunate. I appreciate the quick feedback!
Yeah, it was a big disappointment for me as well. But Alexa is a seamless integration with st and you can do so much with then both. Have fun!