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We were at our daughters yesterday and Alexa responded to any voice. They are not voice sensitive as long as you speak clearly and use as few key words as possible. My wife will go on with a long description of what she wants and that doesn't work.
You have a high degree of control via the app so you can set times during which Alexa can be switched off. If you have more than one then you need to program them independently otherwise what one calls up will be played on the others. But this can all be sorted on the Alexa app.
For grown ups it could mean that one person could place orders on anothers account but that should not be a problem with the kids. If they have friends with Echos or Dots they can talk direct to them..
I need to read my book with all the tricks and shortcuts....
@Grandad - Good to know that a Dot or Echo will respond to any clear voice. The twins birthday is towards the end of January and I'm going on holiday right around then and since I don't really have anything for them this year for their birthday yet the daughter and I have decided that they will celebrate their Birthday with me when I'm back in February (so as to give me a chance to shop in the States). They have no problem extending out the date of getting prezzies and celebrations!
I'm thinking I might just order them a Dot which I could pick up en route south. Am sure they'd LOVE it and I'm also sure I'd love having one too.
I can't tell their voices apart which was my query if they would each need one and/or if they were that sensitive to sound.
My only issue with getting one (on sale) is that I have to order it so that it doesn't end up sitting in the Post Office in the States for more than 2 weeks as if it does I then have to stand in a line, hand in a paper to claim my item AND explain WHY I don't need a larger PO box and/or why I can't get ME to the Post Office in a timely manner to collect my stuff (and if they're real testy run the risk of having them cancel my PO Box) but will sort it OR break down entirely and order Amazon Prime AND open a Canadian account too although I'd get so much more having a US account...... decisions decisions!
Let me know if you come across any other tidbits re: the App.
I'm not sure what your all talking about with " Dot and Echo " but one of Roy's presents a "Mini Google" it is quite good with a clear voice answering to you, it also has quizzes where you can play in a group and all given a name so you know who is next for answering.
Myself and Roy was playing against each other till 3 am Christmas morning, it is really a bit of fun
Forgot to add Roy surprised me a couple of days before Christmas by showing up here, that was my best Christmas pressie
He is going back to Canada for another year but Edmonton this time, not as team leader but doing his usual of hands on mechanical engineer
Kiya the Mini Google is much the same thing, it is Googles equivalent of Amazons Alexa so they will do more or less the same as each other but with a few things specific to each type.
Great that Roy turned up for Christmas, that must have made your holiday.
@Kiya - GREAT that Roy surprised you with a visit! If he is heading back to Edmonton (Is he crazy going THERE to NORTHERN ALBERTA in the WINTER?!!?!?! Braver than ME) soon they're in the grip of super super cold Artic conditions now. Like the bone numbing MINUS 40+ Make sure he takes the warmest clothes he can. Most of Canada right now is experiencing extreme cold (like WE are at what feels like MINUS 15!)
Not sure what I'm doing today given this extreme cold. Tomorrow the crew are coming for a sleep over so was going to head out and grab some more fruit for them but BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Roy was saying he came at the right time as snow was falling as he left, he did say he liked Canada but far too cold, I also noticed the thermal underway amongst his washing, must have been cold when I see he was wearing "Long Johns"
I can only imagine how cold it is there just now, oh well he might now take 1 or 2 scarfs I've knitted, also fingerless gloves, he'd be glad of them
Truly honestly Kiya get him as much thermal heavy duty stuff as you can. All the guys here suit up with thermals, wool (real wool) socks and then wear a survival suit over top. They must otherwise run the risk of hypothermia.
Out of curiosity does Roy grow a beard when he works? Most of the guys do but that is only to defend themselves against the cold and frost bite They all usually reappear looking super shaggy.
As for this years new toy I'm thinking I'm going to buy 2 Dots or 1 Dot (for the twins) and 1 Echo for me when I go to the USA then when I come home after holidays I'll sign up for PRIME Canada (and probably donate to the twins signing up for PRIME via their mom & dad too). Here when you sign up you get 30 days FREE use so since I'll be gone for 3 weeks I'll wait 'til I'm back.
I'm assuming that the purchase of a cheaper ECHO & DOT in the States will mean they'll still work here.
@H - what do you think the range between units should be? This place is roughly a U shape. I live in half the U which is like an entire side of the house and all open to living room/dining room/kitchen and then another small area I call the Netflix room but OPEN so 1 Dot or Echo would work for this entire area unless I went to the bedroom which is going to the end of the other prong of the U. Am thinking I ultimately might need a Dot (bedroom) plus Echo for the livingroom as nothing in the livingroom would hear me if I was IN the bedroom. I'm also assuming a Dot would control an Echo and vice versa?
Each one works independent of the other, so one does not control the other device. You could have one device located elsewhere say the living room and another in say an upstairs bedroom, so if you asked the one in the bedroom to set a timer then it would only sound the alarm on that device in the bedroom and not the one in the living room. You can of course interact with either device, so if the twins had one each and they were in separate rooms (out of ear shot) then they could both use their own devices, basically the nearest device of several would respond to the ‘Alexa’ wake up call, it all depends upon how loud you speak.
Thanks H - good ot know. I was thinking they might be intertwined in that the one in the bedroom would interact with the one in the living room. The twins share a bedroom so there would be one in there but possibly another one in the other living room area of their house. It is also open but essentially the kids get one end to play in while on the other side of the kitchen/dining area is another living room (TV area).
Seriously I think they're an interesting thing and am thinking that getting one with Amazon Prime is the way to go.
I rather wish though as a security measure that "I" could make up the name it uses.
Unless Grandad knows something I don't then you can only use one of four names for any device, they are “Alexa”, “Amazon”, “Echo”, and the recently added “Computer” as far as I am aware you connot personalise the name.
That is correct H. I understood that you could use your own name but it is as you say, just 4 options. I was thinking of Hive where you can give any appliance any name.
I don't think the options are very attractive but 'Echo' is probably the best so if you have two devices they could be Alexa and Echo and each would only respond to their 'wake up' word even if they were sitting side by side in the same room.
Not being able to choose your own wake up name has always been the biggest criticism of this device, but who knows in the future they may be able to roll out this option and in theory even older devices would be able to benefit from that improvement. You have to remember that the wake up word needs to be a bit unique and not in common everyday conversation otherwise normal chat would activate it. Since having mine I have had it on several occasions respond to something it has heard on the TV.
@LovelyLadyLux Well LLL, I have now read my little book and if you used Alexa to her fullest capability you wouldn't leave the house without getting her to check what you are wearing and to recommend changes. She will already know the content of your wardrobe. You can order your pizza direct from Pizza Hut or Dominos. You can get her to recite the recipe for your dish or cocktail and with another gadget the details appear on a screen. You can talk direct to a friend or keep your diary up to date.
It seems endless and to me a bit pointless.
I shall probably add diary items like appointments etc but otherwise she will just answer questions and play me some music.
Oh! And if I want a laugh, she will tell me a joke or do a fart.
@Grandad interesting stuff re: Alexa. Do you have to spend time feeding her all that info?
Not that I'd ever give a hoot re: my wardrobe but would you have to put a wardrobe inventory into her? Give her all your recipes?
If you were using her to her fullest how much data do you have to feed into her?
I'm thinking I'd be happy asking questions? I.e. tell me what the weather is? what time is it now? What is the rating of XX show? And/or tell me facts re: gorillas in Africa?
@LovelyLadyLux. I tried to avoid a long diatribe but forgot who I was talking to.
Very briefly, Alexa needs additional devices to work to full potential. Echo Look is a camera that records now you look each day. There is a 'Skill' called Style that works with Look and compares different outfits and suggests what best suits you for, the time of year, and the weather etc.
Another device is Echo Show which is actually a small screen on which can be seen live information.
I think it is all going too far and who has time to get all this stuff set up and who would actually use it?
The little book that I have tells you WHAT Alexa can do but NOT HOW to set it all up. Does not look straightforward to me but I have no intention of going down that road so I am not too interested.
Geez - me either! Sometimes these devices take more work to get them set up than the actual benefit one derives from it.
Simple voice commands i.e. play me "abc song" or "what is the weather?" or some such works for me. Am going to see if there are any after New Years sales and will then purchase so I can pick up towards the end of January but if the sales disappear then I won't be acquiring one now.
LLL, just forget all of that other bumf it will just confuse you, get an Amazon Dot and just play about with it like asking how the weather is where you live, ask her to play me my music, or what's on at the cinema, give me a recipe for ginger cake, or ask it a Wikipedia question, just keep it simple.
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although I'd get so much more having a US account...... decisions decisions! 
so they will do more or less the same as each other but with a few things specific to each type.
