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Good news from Amazon.


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Posted

Well, thats better but not quite what I'm waiting for.  I would really like the ability to have the ISY cause the Echo to speak without me needing to ask it to.  I used to do this with UBI before it went defunct.  I can understand the desire to not have all notifications just blurted out as they arrive however, for my HA use cases, thats exactly what I need.

 

This is certainly a step in the right direction though.  Maybe further down the line, we will be able to give certain skill the ability to speak up on their own.

 

-Xathros

Posted

Nice!

 

My biggest beef is I need a white board beside my gadgets. Almost every time I try to use a skill, I find I can't remember the syntax so I would need to write down the skills I have enabled, in order to use them a few times, before they stick in my brain.

 

Like a kid looking into a new toybox it's hard to find just the ones you really want so none get used.

 

This seems like a nice advancement for the science of the vocal arts.

Posted

Thanks for posting Gary. Agree with others re: having to ask for the notification (seems like an unnecessary step). I simply want Echo to tell me things based on triggers. (e.g. "Someone is driving up the driveway"). I'm sure they will get there at some point. 

 

Dave

Posted

FYI, it can be done with Google Home, since Google Home is also a Chromecast Audio device.

 

This is my node.js "public-address" system for Chromecast:

 

    https://github.com/watusi/google-cast-public-address

 

I forked it from:

 

    https://github.com/noelportugal/google-home-notifier

 

I basically just added a number of options and ways to configure it (config file, command-line options, environment variables) without having to modify code, and fixed the mDNS client implementation.

 

The biggest caveat is that it will stop any audio that was playing. But I am hopeful that when I get some more time to work on it, I can restore the previous audio when the announcement is done. I believe the Chromecast API does make that possible.

 

I use this every morning when I make Espresso!

 

It is an obvious use-case for these devices, and hopefully both Amazon and Google will provide a native API for "play an announcement" in the future.

Posted

It can be done in Google only because Google Home is also a Chromecast Audio device and you can command it to play some audio.

 

So Google has some catching up (with obvious needs) as well!

 

Announcements should be a part of the APIs, not a kludged external solution.

 

Surprisingly, Google is further along for video! Chromecast video devices have an API for displaying messages in an overlay on top of whatever is playing.

 

It is an exciting leapfrog game like Intel vs. AMD or Microsoft vs. Apple. Except more viable players. The technology is in it's infancy.

Posted

Sorry I posted off topic

 

 

Glad you realized that!

 

On-topic would be: straight shot vs. cappuccino vs. macchiato vs flat white. 

Posted

Glad you realized that!

 

On-topic would be: straight shot vs. cappuccino vs. macchiato vs flat white.

 

ewwww...legalised Columbian drugs are reported to damage egos!

 

I like the idea of a light on to attract the user to command reports. If they came at random with the event, it would have to repeat until acknowledged otherwise it may be talking to an empty room. I don't see that ever as a working solution.

 

Light notification and then ask "What's up Doc?" is probably the best solution yet.

Posted

I like the idea of a light on to attract the user to command reports. If they came at random with the event, it would have to repeat until acknowledged otherwise it may be talking to an empty room. I don't see that ever as a working solution.

 

Light notification and then ask "What's up Doc?" is probably the best solution yet.

 

There are use cases for both ways, or even both at the same time.

 

You can't even implement a useful egg timer without the ability to force the device to speak.

 

A light would not be very useful for my morning espresso routine. (See how I gently nudged this back on topic?) It's unlikely I would be watching for the light to come on. She speaks to me when the machine is ready.

 

On the other hand, I might have gone off down to hall to throw out the garbage, and missed the announcement. And then a light would be useful. But maybe not on Alexa (or whatever) itself, but perhaps on one of the buttons on the KPL at the front entrance.

 

(I still think they should bring back the Nabaztag...)

Posted

There are use cases for both ways, or even both at the same time.

 

You can't even implement a useful egg timer without the ability to force the device to speak.

 

A light would not be very useful for my morning espresso routine. (See how I gently nudged this back on topic?) It's unlikely I would be watching for the light to come on. She speaks to me when the machine is ready.

 

On the other hand, I might have gone off down to hall to throw out the garbage, and missed the announcement. And then a light would be useful. But maybe not on Alexa (or whatever) itself, but perhaps on one of the buttons on the KPL at the front entrance.

 

(I still think they should bring back the Nabaztag...)

I guess the difference for the egg timer is you are expecting a response. Good example.

 

I think this came up before and either Alex needs an MS system or ISY, with it's innate  if it's "owner" is around, could control when the reports are blurted out.

 

OMG! Are we building Skynet? :)

Posted

I believe Google announced 'Announcements' are coming to Home very soon, so integrations can push useful timely data to be spoken... :)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Posted

I believe Google announced 'Announcements' are coming to Home very soon, so integrations can push useful timely data to be spoken... :)

 

 

Do you recall where you read that?

 

This is one of those impossible Google searches! All I get are all of the announcements that Google has made about Home...

 

(I've had that search problem with unfortunately-named products as well. I have to rid a server of the pox upon the Interwebs known as Parse. It is/was a failed and badly-designed Platform-As-A-Service that Facebook bought, promoted, and then shut down when they realized what junk it was. They should have seen the handwriting on the wall just from the unsearchable product name! Of course, it has absolutely nothing to do with "parsing"!)

 

Relevance: I am enjoying a cappuccino as I write this.

Posted

I believe Google announced 'Announcements' are coming to Home very soon, so integrations can push useful timely data to be spoken... :)

 

 

Found it. Notifications. Darn it, I've been trying to avoid Slashdot. But that's where i saw it.

 

Now, NOTIFICATIONS I can search for!

 

Looks like they are just copy-catting Amazon, though. At least initially, it will just be a light, and you have to ask Home "Hey Google, what's up?"

 

    https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/17/15648858/google-home-notifications-reminder-lights-io-2017

 

(Sorry for the off-topic post. I have no form of coffee in front of me at this time.)

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