You took the words right out of my mouth, I was going to ask whether
anyone had yet used this functionality of Alexa so thanks for letting us
know your impressions.
Unfortunately this functionality isn't available in Australia as yet.
On 12/05/2017 5:03 AM, Gary Schindler wrote:
Here are my First impressions of the new Alexa calling feature using the IOS
Alexa app!
The setup was pretty straight forward.
You are asked to sign into the app and enter your credentials and proceed to
the setup. you will need to supply the phone number you will be using to
receive and make calls on your mobile phone whether it be android or IOS.
When you continue you are sent a verification code to your mobile phone. once
you are verified, you will here a chime on your Alexa device, and you are taken
to a screen where you import your contacts, allow Alexa to use the microphone
and so on.
Once this is all done, you are given a brief explanation of how to insert
contacts to make calls and send messages, and so forth.
Making calls from the Alexa devices is quite easy to do. You say, Elexa call so
and so. As long as the person in your contacts has the Alexa app on there
phone, Alexa will make the call for you. Anyone can download the app and enable
the calling feature. I would think they had better have an Amazon account
though!
Making calls from the Alexa app itself is another matter. You search for a
contact in your address book and tap it to make your call. If the person
doesn’t answer,you don’t hear anything at all. You can’t power down the phone
or anything. you don’t have voiceover to end the call. The only way I got
voiceover back was to call myself with one of my Alexa devices. The phone
vibrated and eventually I heard the Amazon ringtone and I could answer or
decline my call. I think I will stick to using the Elexa devices to make calls.
When I called my self, the audio was quite clear. I then told my device at hand
to hang up. it did and my phone when back to normal. I guess the other party
you are talking to will have to end the calls, because there is no way to find
the end call icon if you are totally blind because you have no voiceover.
I think the Alexa calling and message feature has potential, and I am waiting
for some blind individual to buy the Echo show when it comes out and let all of
us know how accessible it is.
If you call yourself for testing purposes, make sure the volume on the device
is turned down low, or you will have ear splitting feedback.
The calls don’t show up in your IOS calls either.
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