My Brick Bot skill for Alexa/Echo devices

RogerKirk

I got an Amazon Echo for Christmas and have been playing around with it this evening.

Naturally, I was searching for any skills relating to Lego. It seems there is one called MyBrickBot which you can link up to your Brickset account and then ask Alexa to add/remove sets from those you own or to your wish list, as well as finding info on sets etc.

Is this all legitimate and does anyone else use it?

Huw

It sounds like the one written by @paul_merton last year when he first got his.

So, yes, it's legit.

RogerKirk

Thanks for the reply. I'll give it a go :D

paul_merton

It's not mine! :)

TheFew

Are these Echo dot things any good or are they just a gimmick to get you to buy Amazon services? I was given for Xmas and have no idea what to do with it... perhaps use it as a coaster?

RogerKirk

I've tried adding a couple of new sets and something to my wish list. Just checked now and it mostly seems to have worked. So it seems a good tool to use.

@thefew - I'm liking mine so far. It's getting a lot of use, eg
- playing music as we don't have another method to play other than laptops (we have an echo, rather than an echo dot - not sure the dot is good for playing music but can be linked to other speakers). We already had uploaded all our CD music to Amazon Music and get access to something like 1-2million other tracks included with Prime, so no need at the moment to purchase the additional subscription to get access to over 10 million tracks.
- timers/alarms
- creating to-do and shopping lists
- bus time updates (asking when the next bus is at the stops outside our house)
- controlling a plug socket [I've got a multi-coloured, dimable lightbulb on the way to try that out too - if these additional items work well, we'll get more]
- playing quizes, including multiplayer quizes
- asking about local shop opening hours
- asking for news and weather updates

I can also add 'controlling my Brickset owned and wish lists' as well and I'm sure we'll discover more things :D

A lot of these things require an initial set up, but once done, it's all good to control by speaking to it.

Speedman29

TheFew said:

Are these Echo dot things any good or are they just a gimmick to get you to buy Amazon services? I was given for Xmas and have no idea what to do with it... perhaps use it as a coaster?

We got a Dot last year. Its hooked up in the kitchen to the Aux input on our DAB radio, we use it for streaming Amazon music. As @RogerKirk said there is loads of freee content to play, we took out Music unlimited on the Dot for a few quid and it gives us 40 million tracks, there isn't a song I've tried to play it doesn't have in the library. We also use it DAB radio stations and podcast.

The most useful function is the ability to control it all with your voice, means I can cook or my daughter can paint and get messy and still ask for different songs.

TheFew

Thanks both. I looked at the app on my mobile phone to set the device up and was initially put off by the number of permissions it was requesting. I was then also wondering if i wanted an active listening device in my house 24/7 :-)

Looking at the list of things it can do, the only thing i think i would use is perhaps get it to read audio books... if i can find a source of free content. 

I guess i will have to do some research online before deciding if i flog it on.

Renegade007cjh

TheFew said:

Are these Echo dot things any good or are they just a gimmick to get you to buy Amazon services? I was given for Xmas and have no idea what to do with it... perhaps use it as a coaster?

As others have said, it's good for streaming music (especially if you have an Amazon Prime account) but, as a speaker, it's not that powerful (limited base) so don't rely on it to replace your main music device. I don't have anything around the house that's automated, but I know it can control heating, lights etc. I mainly use mine as a talking alarm clock, gentle music to go off to sleep and calendar / reminder.

There's a mute button on the top (glows red when activated), so if you're concerned about it listening in, just hit that.

Do I get use out of it? Absolutely. Would I buy another? Probably not.

Why not get it set up and give it a whirl.  If you don't like it, you can re-set to factory settings and sell it to someone else (see link below):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201819000

Good luck!

paul_merton

The Echo Dots are currently 3 for 2 on Amazon, which works out at £33.33 each. I have several around my house and would miss them if they disappeared! Being able to turn the lights on/off without getting out of bed, change the colour/brightness of the lounge lights without getting up, listening to the radio whichever room I transition to...  great stuff :)

TheFew

@Renegade007cjh @paul_merton thanks for the info both. I still have gotten as far as getting the Echo Dot out of the box. I do have Hive, but it seems just as easy to make any adjustments from my phone as opposed to asking the ED. I do like the idea of Hue lights however, so maybe I will have a use for it in the future. 

I am just so overwhelmed by Lego at the moment (bricklink sales, general sorting and a pile of stuff to build) that I never get closer to that little blue box :-)