I’m going to buy the previous model. Quality of audio isn’t a priority for me here as I intend to use the Apple TV as a Homekit Hub so I’ll consult Santan on this.
********** “For the gardener nothing is more handier than bulbs, I mean the 1’s you put in the ground and not the electric light 1’s.” > On 17 Nov 2017, at 11:45 pm, Gordon Smith <[email protected]> wrote: > > Apple has increased the price of the 4K model it seems, and is still selling > the previous generation at its usual price. I’ve thought about this and > decided that my priorities lie elsewhere. > > ======================================== > > My compliments and kindest regards > Gordon Smith: > <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> > Accessibility & Information Technology Support Specialist.. > > This Message Was Created Using 100% Recycled Electrons. If you can avoid > printing it, please do so. Think of the environment, save a tree! > > Contact: > > • UK Free Phone: > 0800 8620538 > • UK Geographic / Global: > +44(0) 1642 688095 > • UK Mobile/SMS: > +44 (0)7804 983849 > • Vic. Australia: > +61 38 82059300 > • US/Canada: > +1 646 9151493 > > ---------------------------------------- > > > > > > > > > On 16 Nov 2017, at 20:13, Dane Trethowan <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: > > To be honest I don’t know whether I’d make all that use of the onboard > storage of the Apple TV. > The idea of the storage is to download Apps? Last time I heard there weren’t > too many IOSTV Apps that were accessible or useable by blind people so - if > that’s indeed the case - then onboard storage isn’t gong to be an important > issue, something I’ll have to research before purchasing. > Sound quality - strange as it may seem - may not be a pressing issue for me > either given I wish to use the Apple TV as an Apple Homekit hub, plenty of > time to find out the pros and cons. > > > ********** > “For the gardener nothing is more handier than bulbs, I mean the 1’s you put > in the ground and not the electric light 1’s.” > > > > >> On 17 Nov 2017, at 3:11 am, Gordon Smith <[email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >> >> To be utterly fair, I own a third generation Apple TV, and I find it off >> great use. However, I am contemplating an upgrade for no other reason than >> the improvement in sound quality it brings. I believe the onboard storage >> has also be increased. >> >> ======================================== >> >> My compliments and kindest regards >> Gordon Smith: >> <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> >> Accessibility & Information Technology Support Specialist.. >> >> This Message Was Created Using 100% Recycled Electrons. If you can avoid >> printing it, please do so. Think of the environment, save a tree! >> >> Contact: >> >> • UK Free Phone: >> 0800 8620538 >> • UK Geographic / Global: >> +44(0) 1642 688095 >> • UK Mobile/SMS: >> +44 (0)7804 983849 >> • Vic. Australia: >> +61 38 82059300 >> • US/Canada: >> +1 646 9151493 >> >> ---------------------------------------- >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On 15 Nov 2017, at 15:18, Dane Trethowan <[email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >> >> I’m mystified as to why the Echo Tap isn’t available in the United Kingdom, >> would save you heaps of money and time buying all these battery bases. >> The device that sounds mild interesting to me right now is the Google Home >> Max which will be available shortly. >> Good to see the Amazon Echo+ has a lie out so perhaps in time Amazon will >> see fit to have that line out jack a digital connection as well as an analog >> one. >> Now I have to admit that - for the first time - I’m thinking of purchasing >> an Apple TV 4K as I’m toying with the idea of setting up a Homekit Hub. >> I already have some home automation in my house in the form of the Demo >> light bulbs and I can control these with Google Home. >> There are some interesting Homekit compatible devices around such as an >> indoor sensor that measures air quality etc, you can use SIRI to ask for >> measurements such as indoor temperature and so on. >> >> >> ********** >> “For the gardener nothing is more handier than bulbs, I mean the 1’s you put >> in the ground and not the electric light 1’s.” >> >> >> >> >>> On 15 Nov 2017, at 11:56 pm, Gordon Smith <[email protected] >>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>> >>> Another subtle difference I forgot to mention is that the Plus has a line >>> output, whereas the Echo does not. I’m off to look for a battery base >>> actually, similar to the ones I have for the Echo and for the Dot. >>> >>> I’m quite surprised that Amazon haven’t yet established a presence over >>> there. I would have thought that there is quite a market. >>> >>> ======================================== >>> >>> My compliments and kindest regards >>> Gordon Smith: >>> <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> >>> Accessibility & Information Technology Support Specialist.. >>> >>> This Message Was Created Using 100% Recycled Electrons. If you can avoid >>> printing it, please do so. Think of the environment, save a tree! >>> >>> Contact: >>> >>> • UK Free Phone: >>> 0800 8620538 >>> • UK Geographic / Global: >>> +44(0) 1642 688095 >>> • UK Mobile/SMS: >>> +44 (0)7804 983849 >>> • Vic. Australia: >>> +61 38 82059300 >>> • US/Canada: >>> +1 646 9151493 >>> >>> ---------------------------------------- >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On 14 Nov 2017, at 21:16, Dane Trethowan <[email protected] >>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>> >>> Interesting. >>> >>> I've decided to hold back on any further Amazon Echo purchases until Amazon >>> officially start their services in Australia, that won't be too much longer >>> in coming. >>> >>> >>> >>> On 11/15/2017 7:39 AM, Gordon Smith wrote: >>>> Just to clarify. I said that the audio hasn’t changed much. Not true. My >>>> error, when writing the message I posted a few moments ago, was that I >>>> forgot that I’d tried them both in the same room conditions previously, >>>> and noticed the difference. On my last test, I had them in totally >>>> separate rooms, which moves the goal posts. As I said below, the speakers >>>> have indeed been upgraded. >>>> >>>> Regarding the Echo Show, I think that there are probably better ways of >>>> accomplishing an upgrade, without losing accessibility. Several >>>> manufacturers are now producing speaker products with Alexa built-in. So >>>> look around before buying an Echo Show. >>>> >>>> ======================================== >>>> >>>> My compliments and kindest regards >>>> Gordon Smith: >>>> <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> >>>> Accessibility & Information Technology Support Specialist.. >>>> >>>> This Message Was Created Using 100% Recycled Electrons. If you can avoid >>>> printing it, please do so. Think of the environment, save a tree! >>>> >>>> Contact: >>>> >>>> • UK Free Phone: >>>> 0800 8620538 >>>> • UK Geographic / Global: >>>> +44(0) 1642 688095 >>>> • UK Mobile/SMS: >>>> +44 (0)7804 983849 >>>> • Vic. Australia: >>>> +61 38 82059300 >>>> • US/Canada: >>>> +1 646 9151493 >>>> >>>> ---------------------------------------- >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On 10 Nov 2017, at 10:00, Kulvinder Singh Bhogal <[email protected] >>>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>>> >>>> Hi there Gordon >>>> >>>> Thanks for the review. >>>> >>>> you have just helped me decide against getting the Show since it isn’t >>>> going to be all that useful to me. >>>> >>>> Thanks again and keep it coming sur. >>>> >>>> Regards. >>>> >>>> Kulvinder Bhogal >>>> E-mail: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >>>> Facetime: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >>>> Skypename: bobba2006 >>>> >>>>> On 9 Nov 2017, at 18:10, Gordon Smith <[email protected] >>>>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Hello everybody >>>>> >>>>> Yesterday I took delivery of my new Echo+, which has relegated the >>>>> previous generation Echo to my bedside table, and my Echo Dot too my >>>>> studio. Both will still be used a lot, so I’m not worried about that. >>>>> >>>>> Downstairs, here in the lounge, the Echo+ now sits beside my multimedia >>>>> equipment. So here are my initial impressions of the Echo+. >>>>> >>>>> If you got your hands on an Echo+, and sat it beside an Echo, you >>>>> wouldn’t be able to tell them apart. Not, at least, without examining the >>>>> silicone sheet that they both sit upon. The power connectors are the >>>>> same, but orientated at right-angles to one another. In the case of the >>>>> Echo, the power connector protrudes from the back of the case, indented >>>>> from the outer rim of the case. On the Echo+, the power connector is >>>>> mounted on the rim of the case, and the indentation does not even exist. >>>>> >>>>> In every other respect, the appearance of the two devices are absolutely >>>>> identical. >>>>> >>>>> Another difference is that the Echo previous generation had 7 discrete >>>>> microphones. The new generation of Echo and Echo+ has 8. Tests have >>>>> proven that this is quite an important addition. Even with music playing >>>>> at a considerable volume, the Alexa interface can still detect your voice >>>>> and comprehend your commands. >>>>> >>>>> The processor in the new generation of Alexa-based devices has been >>>>> upgraded. It now seems to be somewhat more responsive. This shows up most >>>>> when you compare the new Echo and Echo+ to the second generation Echo >>>>> Dot. But that doesn’t particularly worry me. >>>>> >>>>> There are two reasons why I opted to go for the Echo+ rather than the >>>>> Echo. Firstly, I’m not convinced that an upgrade, new for old, would have >>>>> been particularly advantageous. The Echo+ has an integrated Smart Hub, >>>>> meaning that it’s no longer necessary to “bridge” an external hub to >>>>> support those smart devices that need a hub. Not all of them do, of >>>>> course. >>>>> >>>>> But the real reason why I upgraded was the quality of the audio. The >>>>> speaker system has been upgraded, and the audio is now much more rich at >>>>> the top end, and deep at the lower end of the spectrum. >>>>> >>>>> Setup was a piece of cake. Because I already have an Amazon account, the >>>>> device was pre-registered for me. All I had to do was to set up the WiFi, >>>>> Bluetooth® and Voice Remote, the latter of which I have hijacked from the >>>>> Echo Dot, where it never really worked too well anyway. >>>>> >>>>> I’ve only had the device for just over 24 hours. But really, >>>>> configuration was like home from home. It took me no more than 2 minutes >>>>> in the Alexa app to get the thing set the way I wanted it set. >>>>> >>>>> I’m not about to start raving about how good the device is. Yes, as I >>>>> said, there are advantages. However, unless the quality of the audio in >>>>> the previous generation Echo really grates you, (and I can’t imagine why >>>>> it would), and unless you are particularly in need of a smart hub, it’s >>>>> probably not worth upgrading. In actual fact, I’m not really sure why >>>>> Amazon bothered with the Echo upgrade. As in the Echo, not the Echo+. >>>>> Upgrading from the previous generation Echo which, I think, was the >>>>> second generation to the current generation Echo is, to my mind, >>>>> completely vacuous. I had originally planned to go for an Echo Sow. But I >>>>> bottled out because of the possibility that some of the more used >>>>> commands might have been visual. But that is apparently not the case. >>>>> Amazon tell me that although their quick start guide discusses setup >>>>> using the touch screen, it can in fact be performed using the Alexa app >>>>> just like any other echo. >>>>> >>>>> Thereafter, the Touch screen is an optional extra. The primary use of the >>>>> screen is just to display video content. There is also a 5MP camera which >>>>> can be used for video calls and chat. The Show has twin 4.9-Inch woofers, >>>>> and twin side-facing tweeters which, if memory serves, are 2.6-inch. It >>>>> also uses ambient audio, meaning it adjusts the audio to suit the >>>>> characteristics of the room in which it is in use. This is one facet >>>>> which it shares with the Google Home Max. >>>>> >>>>> Whether I decide to go for a Show at a later date is, at this time, very >>>>> much in the lap of the gods. But I would doubt it. I think that their are >>>>> other options which, were I in the market for another speaker system, I >>>>> would opt for in preference to the Echo Show. >>>>> >>>>> Just my thoughts, for whatever they’re worth. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> ======================================== >>>>> >>>>> My compliments and kindest regards >>>>> Gordon Smith: >>>>> <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> >>>>> Accessibility & Information Technology Support Specialist.. >>>>> >>>>> This Message Was Created Using 100% Recycled Electrons. If you can avoid >>>>> printing it, please do so. Think of the environment, save a tree! >>>>> >>>>> Contact: >>>>> >>>>> • UK Free Phone: >>>>> 0800 8620538 >>>>> • UK Geographic / Global: >>>>> +44(0) 1642 688095 >>>>> • UK Mobile/SMS: >>>>> +44 (0)7804 983849 >>>>> • Vic. Australia: >>>>> +61 38 82059300 >>>>> • US/Canada: >>>>> +1 646 9151493 >>>>> >>>>> ---------------------------------------- >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> ********** >>> "For the gardener nothing is more handier than bulbs, I mean the one's you >>> put in the ground and not the electric light one's." >>> ********** >>> >> >> > >
