Amazon Dot and Tap My Experience. . .

If you are like me, automating certain tasks are important. I’m not just talking about turning your lights on or off, but even obtaining the weather report, current news headlines and even how to spell a difficult word! All this is possible with the Alexa voice service that is part of the Amazon family of automation products: Amazon Echo, Tap and Echo Dot. I have all three and each is unique in the fun and entertainment they can provide.
When I first heard of the Amazon Echo, I will be honest with you I was not impressed. I am a an Amazon Prime member, but when they were advertising the device for $99, I ignored it and didn’t take the time to look into it. Because of this site, I researched the devices and found out about the Tap and Dot that were recently introduced.

Amazon Tap

My first purchase was the Amazon Tap because I was intrigued with the Alexa voice service/assistant and the automation that could be provided. Then, I stumbled upon the Dot, a miniature version of the Echo. So, I decided to give it a try also. However, there was one problem. You had to order it using Alexa voice. That posed a problem for me because I had no idea how I was going to get that accomplished. All my boxes were checked. You had to have a Prime membership and be able to order the Dot via Alexa on certain devices.
One of the devices was the Fire TV which I have two of them.  Well, ordering standing in front of my TV giving it verbal commands was really odd and took me out of my comfort zone. I was so glad no one was around to see my going through the steps of ordering. However, I will admit that it was very easy and really kinda fun.   It was just a neat experience as far as what you can do with technology these days. Wow!

In the meanwhile, my Tap arrived along with the sleeve I ordered to go with it.  I really liked the Tap, but soon had two problems with it.

• In order to use Alexa, I had to get up and press the mic button on the Tap anytime I wanted to access the device. That was not good. Then I wondered if you could use the remote that goes with the Echo to control the Tap, but that was a no-no. I was stuck. I thought to myself what an inconvenience!I did feel as though I would get the same benefits from the Tap as those who owned the Echo, but that was not entirely true. Disappointment set in, but not for long (That’s when I discovered the Dot).
• The other issue I had was that using the Sling made it difficult to charge the Tap in the charging cradle. I would have to plug up directly to the device (Luckily, you have two charging options). However, I wanted to use the Sling and also use the charging cradle. So, I chose to cut a crude opening in the bottom of the Sling to allow me to charge it using the charging cradle while it is in the Sling. Now, I get the benefit of using the Sling and the charging cradle!

With the Tap, I was able to move it about the house with me because it is portable. It does not need to be attached to an electrical outlet. This is the beauty of owning a Tap, you can take it anywhere. Don’t forget, you will still need Internet access in order to use Alexa for talking or to access your Amazon Prime music. You don’t need Internet if you are connecting with Bluetooth which means you can play music or audiobooks through the speaker on the Tap from your smartphone or tablet.

I found the speaker to have a clear booming sound. When you turn it up to the maximum level, that is when your sound quality begins to suffer. Let’s face it, if your expectations are a sound quality like Bose  or JBL, you won’t get that from the Tap.  For me, the speakers work fine for intimate type activities where the sound won’t be drowned out by a lot of people.

Echo Dot

Recently, I received the Echo Dot. I also ordered one for a friend. The Dot is a smaller version of the Echo. The speaker’s sound quality is good. I don’t have a complaint with it. I could hear it clearly in an adjoining room from the room where it was located. I like the small size of it also which means it is easily portable, but you will have to take the charging cord and power adapter with you. I tried plugging it into my computer, but it wouldn’t work. It would light up, but the computer wouldn’t recognize it.

The experience with the Dot has been good. I have it connected to my smartphone and Fire tablet. It works well. I am also looking forward to using it with some smart home devices like lights, switches, and other compatible devices. Also, the Echo Dot can be connected to your home stereo system with the included 3.5 mm audio cable or via Bluetooth (adds voice control to your home stereo system).

Amazon Echo

I’ve noticed that some users that have the Echo, expresses that they want to purchase another one to control a different room in their house. With that in mind, I purchased the Amazon Echo when it went on a one day sale, recently. I also ordered the voice remote  for the Echo and Echo Dot. The Amazon Tap is not compatible with the remote.  You will find that the remotes are hard to come by. I have read stories where users have tried purchasing them on Ebay, but they were more than triple the price on Amazon. That’s a shame, but it’s all about the money. So, if you don’t get one off of Amazon, I would be hesitant to purchase anywhere else because of the price jump. I may order a second one at some point, but it will be from Amazon even if I have to wait if they are out of them. I don’t like having to keep up with one remote for two devices.  The remotes had been unavailable for awhile since they are no longer being included with the Echo.

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