Alexa On Your PC Is Now Really Useful!
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- Опубліковано 22 лип 2024
- Amazon have done a big upgrade to the Alexa app for Windows PC. As of now you can use your PC or laptop to have most of the features and functions of a full Echo Show device. You can even drop in on other echo devices and make Alexa calls using your webcam.
Using this I was able to turn my 43" TV screen into a giant Echo Show and make calls to others with Alexa devices while sitting on my sofa. This means that you don't need to buy an Echo device to get all be benefits of the voice assistant and includes the ability to control smart home devices either with your voice or through a dashboard on screen.
You can get Alexa for PC in the Windows Store now for free!
Music: www.bensound.com
#amazonecho #alexa #windows #voiceassistant #echoshow
More videos on this! And thank you for doing these features that people gloss over for some resson
Thanks Andy, Been waiting for this. I also get the "OK" from Alexa when asking to show a camera view on PC app, but then no view. Hopefully available soon. Thanks again.
Yeah its still very buggy unfortunately but a vast improvement on what it had been. Being able to do calling now is great but hopefully they'll update again and get it the same as using an echo device! :)
"herself" lol! I know why he's saying it, but it made me laugh every time XD. Very informative vid though. Thank you!
Tell me you're Irish without telling me you're Irish.
How do you change the farenheit to celcius for the temperatures, as I am in Canada? Thank you!
You should be able to do this in the Alexa app, but you may need to do it for individual devices:
In the Alexa app, go to Settings->This Device->Select the specific device.
Then goto 'Measurement Units' From here you can select either Celsius or Fahrenheit. Hope this helps.
Could you tell me if routines is available on pc, I don't seem to be able to find the more menu
No, they haven't added it to the PC version which is very strange. I think this is because the app can do limited things on the PC itself, but definitely something they should add.
My sir I have a question for you. I’m think of putting my fire tablet 8 with show dock magnetic mount in my room, and I don’t leave my pc all the time on. Should I just not use the app on pc and just use my fire tablet?
The shows and fire tablets when in show mode will still give more functionality at the moment so this is a better option, but its no harm having the PC app installed for when youre at the machine working and don't want to shout across the room to another Alexa device. I have this and an Echo show in my livingroom and I'm picked up by whichever I'm nearer too, and sometimes, particularly for music, its better through the PC
@@AndysTechLife good point thanks!
I type in "Alexa" on the Windows 10 app store and it does not find an app.
It looks like Amazon have pulled it from the Windows Store. You may be still able to find an offline installer for it somewhere but Amazon don't seem to be doing the Windows version any more :( You could try: ccm.net/downloads/lifestyle/9219-alexa-app-for-pc/ but I haven't tried this myself so no guarantees it will work.
After installing the app from the store and launched it, it just shuts down shortly after - Yes, I do use a Sennhiser Headset with Mic. Please help, Thanks.
Not sure how I can help if its an app issue. All I can suggest is uninstall and reinstall and see if that makes a difference. If not you might need to contact support to see what the issue is on your PC.
Excellent to know! This saves me from any reason to consider Echo Show 15, BECAUSE I have a Dell Laptop 15" that lets the screen detach as a tablet. So ultimately exactly same thing. I do want to change it's Wake Word to "Computer". However, from what I understand from Alexa, I can't change the wake work on this device. Is there a way around that?
You can change the wake word for Alexa devices in the app, but it seems that this option is missing from the PC versions and all you can do is turn the normal wake word on and off. :( no work around yet but if I find one I'll update here.
@@AndysTechLife Thanks Andy. Yeah, I also added it to my Samsung Galaxy Tablet and it won't permit a name change either. I wish Amazon would let you do custom wake words. I didn't want the typical Alexa female voice so I changed it to an Australian man. So then I wanted to change the Wake word to an Australian name, which is Dundee not just because of the movie crocodile Dundee but in honor of a dog we lost that we had named Dundee.
Well, it's pretty buggy in the communicate part. It launches a separate app for the communicate and that app apparently chooses what devices it uses separately from the main app. So, while the main app is working with the "correct" microphone and speakers (of which I have multiples connected of each), the communicate app is using completely different settings. For example, the audio comes out of one of my monitors, which has its own speakers, and the microphone doesn't work at all (I haven't figured out which microphone it's choose, but it's not the right one).
I've tried going into app-specific device settings and I see two "Alexa" applications listed, but changing the settings in there appears to affect neither application. So, the communicate application must be going around the Windows settings. Probably for those who only have one microphone and one speaker device, things are working just fine. Also, my camera monitor is saying that the communicate app has activated my camera, even though I'm talking to a device (echo dot) that has no video capabilities. I tried both drop-in and call, with the same results.
I really don't like that it pops open a new window for communication, its an interesting choice on their part. Funnily I had the issue where it got confused over the microphone also, but randomly it resolved itself on my desktop and never occurred on the laptop at all, so I think you're right if there's multiple devices there's confusion, as my laptop only has the built in but the desktop has several input and output devices.
Weird that it tries to video call a non video device! Not sure then if its still sending the video to the cloud and the dot is simply not receiving it. Seems like a waste of bandwidth.
There's still several issues with the windows app, but its a step in the right direction after Amazon doing virtually nothing with it for months. :)
@@AndysTechLife I'll have to make a note to try it in a few months and see if they've resolved the issues. At this point I don't think it's quite ready for prime time. I've subscribed, so I'll probably hear it from you first. ;-)
Thanks will keep you posted so!
"You are being Watched.... We will assimilate you... Resistance is futile".
Kinda always wanted to be a cyborg...
My Mum's in a care home with an Alexa in her room, if i install this app, can i speak to her over Alexa? this would be great if I could as she cant use her mobile anymore.
Yes, you can do Alexa to Alexa calling with 2 different accounts, or you can sign them both in on the same account and drop in to the Alexa in her room from the PC. Just FYI the PC version can be fiddly setting up camera and microphone. Best of luck!
I need your help basically I want my Alexa to open apps such a Netflix etc on my laptop how can I do that I ask Alexa it doesn’t really help hope you can help
Unfortunately the Windows Alexa app has been discontinued and there's not much out there in terms of support. I think your best bet is trying heyvicki.net/ as I've heard good things about it's PC control functions using Alexa, though I haven't tried it myself.
Where can i download the app i cant see it in the microsoft store..
Should be there but might be region restricted :) Here's the link I use in Ireland but hopefully this will redirect you to the correct for your link.
apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/alexa/9N12Z3CCTCNZ
Alexa shuts down when my PC goes to sleep. Do you know of a way to keep her listening without turning off sleep mode?
No unfortunately this isn't possible. The only option would be to have another Alexa device wake the PC up and have the Alexa app start by default. Check out this video for how to do Alexa Wake On Lan: ua-cam.com/video/MDRnVnWt11Y/v-deo.html
After watching this video I was pretty excited to give it a go. After playing around with the app for about 30 minutes I realized that this is not a good app for Alexa. You can't change the wake on word. It only responds to "Alexa." However, you can change the wake on word on other devices to "computer" ironically. The music does not have it's own volume control. I don't see any way to play music to different device groups (one of its best features completely left out of the app). You cannot access or manage any routines. About the only thing it does that my other devices don't do is video calls since I have a web cam. There is much work to be done with this app before it can replace an Alexa device...perhaps that's intentional (one of its best features completely left out of the app). Probably removing this app. Just seems to muddy the waters.
It feels like they started working on it then just gave up to be honest. I had high hopes in the beginning but the lack of updates and features is laughable tbh. :(
Another annoying "feature" is that, unlike the Amazon Music app, the Alexa app does not have its own volume. If you say, "Alexa volume 40" it changes the computer master volume. Well, I don't want to always play music at the system volume, which is outputting a lot of different sources. When I work I set Amazon Music 20 about 20% but my system is at 70%. I don't understand why they didn't just remote control the Amazon Music app from the Alexa app instead of reinventing the wheel by including it in that app. As an aside, the Amazon Music app also allows me to choose what output device to play on.
I made the mistake of leaving the PC at really high volume after a call. I know what you mean though, but this one I think I'll just get used to as I think they probably feel that overall PC volume control is easier and what most people expect, but who knows. I use Spotify myself so I do something similar with the PC about 80ish and Spotify around 40%. Even if you could ask the specific app to change volume that would be handy.
Can it be used to open windows applications?
It's still very limited on Windows control, although with windows 10 and 11 it's slowly coming. In the meantime there are work arounds and plugins that will help. Check out this old video from Paul Hibbert for examples: ua-cam.com/video/4_KhEueyoH0/v-deo.html
Can you do another episode on Alexa on a Mac, please?
I could be wrong but I don't think there's a native app yet, I think for Mac you are just using Alexa through the web interface. I'll try and borrow a Mac and see what I can do. :)
@@AndysTechLife Thank you!
I want to know who installed the ALEXA Driver on my PC... I have never used it or installed it!
Not sure what you mean by the Driver as drivers are to get hardware and peripherals to work with your PC, but if you mean the Alexa app it looks like it's often installed in Windows 10 / 11 through updates so that you have the option of using but you still need to sign in to use it. Some PCs are also coming with it already installed.
Thx.. tracked it down to my sony bluetooth earpods... installing a few devices..
Drop in does not work from Echo Show>PC. PC shows as a choice under Drop In on Echo Show but it’s greyed out. PC is on and Alexa is open. May 2022. Great idea, horrible execution no documentation only web people advice fragmented info is time consuming for the consumer these companies need to realize time is money for their prospective customers. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
I know, its so frustrating that they don't put more effort into this PC app. Dropping in is working for me from PC to device but the other way would be ideal also. Gonna keep trying the new updates until it finally does what we want it to do. Thanks for watching!
apparently you cant add devices on Windows Alexa app either. I've done some searches to see if it is possible but many links automagically think you're talking about adding a windows device. Yes, that's exactly what I meant, "I'm on the windows Alexa app asking how to install Alexa on Windows (????)" OBVIOUSLY one is asking about adding a D.E.V.I.C.E. as referred to in the app or Hub where device = bulb, camera, etc. etc. Given that logic breakdown and that there is no "+" in the device list on the Windows Alexa App leads me to believe its not possible. Hmmm why would I be surprised? Afterall, we're using Microsoft. Ooooooo DIO!!!
It looks like the official Alexa for windows app is dead. They're removing it from the store and no more updates or support.
@@AndysTechLife Good, Microsoft can't do anything right
I put Alexa on my PC and it was going fairly well till one day while I was at work Alexa went on some Gambling websites and spent all my money ! 🫢🤣
Yeah pretty sure that can't happen. :D Gonna try that argument though the next time my partner queries the credit card bill 😂
Wonder how ChatGPT would do playing poker...
That's hysterical. I never save my passwords