Showing posts with label Amazon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Amazon. Show all posts

13 November 2018

Nearly Free $1.00 @Amazon #EchoDot Score! @AmazonMusic Unlimited #Promotion

A few days ago Amazon ran a promotion (that ended quickly once folks ahem started abusing it, which allowed one to get an Amazon Echo Dot 3rd Generation (i.e., the latest model) as a $1.00 add-on to any Amazon Music Unlimited subscription. One could choose to purchase a 1-month Single ($7.99) or Family Plan ($14.99) and qualify for a $48.99 account credit that would be applied to the purchase of an Echo Dot [MSRP $49.99] thus making the item $1.00.

A person could score an Echo Dot for a mere $8.99, if choosing the low-end Amazon Music Unlimited plan (one month term). But the deal got sweeter once folk discovered that Amazon Music Unlimited Trial Plans (which offer 30 days free service for new users) also qualified for the Echo Dot account credit. Thus, if you possessed an account that was offered an Amazon Music Unlimited Trial (if you were a new user) you could score an Echo Dot for only $1.00 including free shipping!

Needless to say, I splurged and got an Echo Dot 3rd Gen (Heather Grey) for $1.00, even though I already have an Echo 1st Gen (the Big Guy). I used Gift Card funds that I keep on my account to pay for it, so was pretty much a freebie. I always have Amazon Money just for such purposes and because this makes shopping simpler. (I am an old-timer Amazon customer.) I earn GCs from all manner of online surveys and rewards programs to keep my family's accounts funded. (I don't think I've ever in the life of my family's accounts added money out of pocket and the oldest account is like 15 years or so.) Heck my pup even has her own Amazon account with a replenishing GC balance to cover her various treats and medicines subscriptions. She's got it like that LOL! Pretty certain that she recognizes the Amazon Delivery guy and definitely expects that any Amazon package is for her. Some spoiled pup, huh?

But I digress. Of course once word got out about the (true) $1.00 Echo Dot promotion, in another sordid tale as old as time of "there is always someone to spoil a promotion for the honest and ethical folks," reports quickly surfaced that greedy people were making new Amazon accounts left and right to stock up on $1.00 Echo Dots (presumably for resell). Of course, Amazon got wind of this and/or noticed all the new accounts being generated by a handful of IPs and pulled the promotion early stated that all promotional supplies had been exhausted.

Hope you scored an Echo Dot for only $1.00, if this was on your holiday list and that you got in on the deal before the Grinch spoiled it. I just happened to catch the deal myself. It went dead like 30 minutes after I placed an order. But I guess, this is the true spirit of the consumer holidays, you have to keep an eye out to catch the limited-time deals bubbling up.

12 August 2018

#AmazonEcho Fun: Avenger's #InfinityWar Trivia Game #AlexaSkills

Marvel Studios: Avengers Tweet (Screenshot)
Do you have an Amazon Alexa-enabled device? Or at least have an Alexa-enabled Amazon app on your smartphone/s? Alexa is so darn ubiquitous, which was rather Amazon's point in order to gain access to more consumer data, that I'm betting you do. I mean, I have an Amazon Echo (1st Gen), an Amazon Fire Tablet (originally called Kindle Fire, 3rd Gen) and various Alexa-enabled apps installed on several smartphones --- and this is all without actually trying --- merely because I've been an Amazon customer for better than a decade and I also happen to be a natural born geek.

So do you use your Alexa-enabled whatever to play games? There are some fun Alexa Skills out there. (There are quite a few useful ones, also.) I noticed a tweet from Marvel Studios this morning about a new Avenger's Infinity War Trivia Game (Alexa Skill). I haven't played it yet, but it might be fun. I like Marvel. I read the comics, watch the movies and play the games (each at varying levels).

ASIDE: Apparently, today is also Thor's (Chris Hemsworth's) birthday as I saw a tweet to this effect while scrolling through my feed this morning. I do enjoy his portrayal of the character in the Marvel movies (MCU). I've always had a soft spot for Thor, as a both a Viking and a Mythology devotee (since childhood). Happy Birthday to him!

Have you found any must-have Alexa Skills? Di mi, cara. Do Tell.

Well, the pup is stomping her paw ready to go out for second walk. Adieu!

10 May 2017

Amazon #EchoShow: Now #Alexa Can Show You the #Video or Watch You... #AlwaysOn #HomeSecurity #VideoCalls #SmartDevices #MsgSvc #Device2Device

Fresh on the heels of debuting the Echo Look (see here), Amazon has announced the Echo Show, basically an Echo device with a built-in touchscreen monitor and camera, so now you can ask Alexa to show you video clips or display song lyrics when music plays. (The addition of a camera also adds more potential for unauthorized surveillance, so be aware and be safe. Remember, Always On comes with an [Off] button --- you can always turn off or unplug the device when not in use. Regardless, make certain to setup security measures to prevent hacker hijacking.) It's still an Amazon Echo, only now with "webTV." Big whoop. (I'm being a bit facetious here. Obviously, there ARE uses for a Smart Assistant with a camera and video screen built-in, like the ability to pair it with a doorbell camera --- Alexa, show me who's at the door? But this, can be accomplished with the old Echo and your own monitor. Adding a touchscreen to the Echo and re-christening it as "Echo Show" is mainly a convenience factor upgrade.)
Amazon Echo Show. Image (c) Amazon.com
Amazon Echo Show
In my opinion, the biggest gimme in this product debut, however, is the announcement of a new feature that will be made available across all compatible Alexa-enabled devices --- the ability to make free calls and send free messages device to device or D2D! (Folks with camera enabled Echo devices like the new Echo Show can make video calls.) Have the Alexa app on your smartphone "dial" your home Echo device for a nice chat...

Considering the field of Smart Assistants is becoming ever crowded, Amazon is obviously seeking to continue the dominance it gained from being an early, well functioning entry into the marketplace. Will it work?