Alexa updates

[glacier991]

I received a notice to upgrade the Alexa App, and in fact did so. The changes I have seen thus far are interesting. Whereas before, whenever you asked Alexa to turn on a light, for example, she would reply by saying "okay". Silly, but it got a little annoying. My wife and I would parody that on occasion. Now, unless you set a preference for that, what you get when the command is implemented in a short chime like noise.Less annoying.

The screen setup now makes the Alexa app a hand held controller in your mobile device. controlling ISY devices from the device.... VERY NICE.

[baabm]

My Alexa devices are on version 601481020 and I am not seeing this behavior. In settings, I see “Sounds/Request sounds/start of request and end of request”. When I enable “end of request” sounds, and I tell Alexa to do something, she responds with a short tone, but also says OK after the tone. I am not seeing a selection to turn the OK response on or off. Perhaps you can post the version # of your alexa device. Thanks

[glacier991]

When I check the "settings" page, it says the client version is 1.24.200584.0. Under "voice responses" is simply gives an option to turn on or off a "Brief Mode" which it explains "In this mode, Alexa speaks less, and for some simple messages plays a short sound instead of a voice response." If I turn this off, the old Alexa "Okay" reappears once she caries out the response. I am finding thatt his may be a mixed blessing to turn "Brief Mode"  on. In the past, when an Alexa response returned:  "I have several devices with that name, which one do you want?" it was often helpful to correct a less than perfect call out of a device name to be controlled,  contrasted with a response that is merely replaced by a different "short sound". (Not a raspberry, but different than the one indicating success - call it a friendly, socially correct raspberry maybe - in fact at first I didn't realize it was not the same "short sound" of success.

Edited March 19, 2018 by glacier991
clarity

[smokegrub]

I have only been using Alexa for a couple of months but there is no option to turn on or off a "Brief Mode" in Alexa on my iPhone.

 

Edited March 18, 2018 by smokegrub

[baabm]

My client version number is the same as glacier991, but I do not see a “voice responses” choice nor a “brief mode”. Could it be that I am using all Apple devices (IOS) and perhaps glacier991 is on android?

[glacier991]

I am sure that may possibly explain it, or Amazon may choose folks like me out in the hinterlands (Montana) as "beta" testers, without explainnig what they are doing.

[larryllix]

I was using Android 4.4 and the Alexa app was missing many newer features without any mention of being half crippled.

Android 5-7 shows many more features despite running the same app. Amazon sucks for this arritude.

[baabm]

Apparently Glacier911 is one of the beta testers according to this writeup....

 

https://lifehacker.com/how-to-enable-amazons-new-brief-mode-for-alexa-1823880787

[Bumbershoot]

I've got "brief mode" on as well, but I never turned it on.  Alexa chimed in after some command and asked if I wanted to have her turn on "brief mode".  I said yes, and it's been that way ever since.  Never touched an app.

[Teken]

4 hours ago, Bumbershoot said:

I've got "brief mode" on as well, but I never turned it on.  Alexa chimed in after some command and asked if I wanted to have her turn on "brief mode".  I said yes, and it's been that way ever since.  Never touched an app.

Did anyone have the large Echo begin to speak out of no where and announce this new feature? Mine did last week and has been doing the bee boop sound. Yet the smaller Dots are still speaking?!?!

I won't lie the Alexa OK has grown on me and it feels odd hearing and seeing the flash and bee boop.