To avoid shipping cost,
sign up free for Amazon Prime
Update on Echo Dot (4th Gen)
I have Echo Dot 4 in my living room and Echo Dot 2 in my basement.
the biggest upgrade in Echo Dot 4 is that it is much bigger in size. the quality of the music is much much better. I let it play my favorite song in summer time a lot.
One day, on the deck, where I did my BBQ, I got my Echo Dot 4 outside and play a list of songs. it feels awesome.
you can consider it a mini speaker with a solid bass.
Echo Dot - Manage time
One of my friends gave an Echo Dot (older version) to me as a gift back in 2019. we used it for couple of times and then things get busy because kids go to school and my wife and I both go to work. As a result, the device has been sitting in my book shelf for about 1 year.
Several days ago, family was having a dinner and parents started to check how kids were doing in various things. The air froze when the questions were asked. Looks like kids spent too much time doing their favorite – screen time, and when they were asked about the piano time and reading time, there is a bit of hesitation or uncertainty.
Finally, I came up with this great idea of reviving the Echo Dot and letting the Echo Dot manage the time so that kids do not overdo their screen time and under-spend their learning time.
Now when they start to play piano, they will say: “Alexa, please set a timer for half an hour” (they spend 1 hour each day), and they will not stop when the Echo dot indicates their time is over. When they start their recess, they will say the same thing, and will stop when the alarm sounds.
I hope parents can enjoy Echo Dot as a great time management tool to make sure kids spend the precious time doing the right things, especially in this stay-at-home time period during the Covid-19 pandemic season.
Echo Dot - Play music
in another day, while we ate lunch, we asked Alexa to play a song in Amazon Music and Alexa did it faithfully.
Echo Dot - Tell you time
I lost my watch couple of days ago, and there is not clock in my living room. I do not want to pull out my phone to see the time. I ask Alexa, and he tells me what time it is.
Echo Dot - Answer your questions
Early this morning, I was having a conversation with my kids about human beings. out of curiosity, I asked Alexa a question “are all humans made in the image of God”. She said “yes” and explained a little bit. Good job, Alexa.
Echo Dot - Avoid burning pans
Men! we are not good at multitasking
Women! even if you are, sometimes, you forget to turn off your oven when you are distracted or disrupted by so many things.
Echo dot can set up an alarm for you. All you need to say to Alexa is “Alexa, please set up a timer for 30 minutes” and she will reminds you to turn off your oven and this could potential save you from buying a new pan or spending your previous time to cleaning it up.
