Fire TV Cube vs the Harmony Hub for TV Voice Control

Amazon Introduces the Fire TV Cube

Combines the Features of an Amazon Echo, Fire TV Stick and Harmony Hub in One Device; Adds Voice Control to Your TV and Components

How Does it Compare to the Harmony Hub?

 

Amazon has announced a new version of their Fire TV, called the Fire TV Cube.  This new device adds voice control to your TV and audio-visual components, much like a Harmony Hub.  But the Fire TV Cube takes things a step further, adding control for other Smart Home devices into the mix.  It's almost like the Amazon Echo, the Fire TV Stick, a Harmony Hub, and a Smart Home Hub all got together and had a baby.

What is the Fire TV Cube?

The Fire TV Cube is a small box, (approximately 3.5 inches square,) that connects to your TV via HDMI, and adds Alexa Voice Control to your TV and associated Entertainment Devices.  With the Fire TV Cube, you can turn the TV on and off, change channels, adjust volume, pause, rewind, change inputs, and much more, all via voice.  Unlike a Fire TV Stick, the Fire TV Cube includes a built-in Echo as well as a Voice Remote.  You can issue voice commands through the remote, or hands free.

Harmony Hub Part 2: Setting Up Your Harmony Hub

The Logitech Harmony Hub, Part 2:

 
Setting Up Your Harmony Hub and Adding Devices

This is Part 2 of a series examining the Logitech Harmony Hub. In Part 1, we reviewed the Hub itself, and we looked at what how the Harmony Hub can add voice control to your existing entertainment components, as well as Smartphone control.   In Part 2, we look at configuring the device to work with your system components.  In Part 3, we will look at adjusting your Harmony Routines to better control your own specific entertainment components.

By  the time you've gone through Part 2, you'll have learned how to add devices to your Harmony Hub, as well as how to set up routines and activities for your various components. You'll also learn how to integrate your Hub and associated devices with Alexa.  You will find many of your devices and routines work well, with no further tinkering.

However, once you begin voice controlling your components, you may find some are not working as expected. In Part 3, we'll talk about how to edit your devices and activities, so that everything functions smoothly.  After using your Hub for a few days, you'll have a better idea of what needs tweaking.

Harmony Hub: Add Voice Control to Your TV and Entertainment Center

The Logitech Harmony Hub, Part 1:

     

Control your TV, DVR, and Other Entertainment Components with Your Voice

If you have a Fire TV and Alexa, you've probably already played around with voice controlling it.  And you may have wished you could extend these voice-control abilities to your TV itself, as well as your other entertainment system components.  Well, what if I told you there was a way to add this voice control to your existing equipment?  Would you like to learn more?

Today, we're going to tell you just how to do that, using the Logitech Harmony Hub.  In Part 1, we're going to introduce you to the Harmony Hub itself, and talk about how it can enhance equipment you already own.  Later, we'll get a little bit deeper into setting up the Harmony Hub, as well as configuring it to work with your equipment.

What is the Harmony Hub?

The Harmony Hub is a small device that connects to your home wifi and turns your smartphone or tablet into a universal remote control. Additionally, once you activate the corresponding skill, it adds Alexa Voice Control abilities to your home entertainment system. So the Harmony Hub gives you BOTH universal remote and Alexa voice control abilities.

Alexa Says My Device is Not Responding: What Do I Do?

Smart Home Glitches and How to Resolve Them:

Fixing Issues with Amazon's Alexa

Smart Home devices are fantastic, when they are working properly.  But like any other electronic device, Smart Devices can experience errors.  So what do you do when you ask Alexa to turn on the lights, and she tells you a device is not responding?  Today, we're going to look at troubleshooting errors with Alexa and your Smart Home Devices.

Alexa Says "I'm Having Trouble Connecting to the Internet."  What Do I Do?

Like any wi-fi device, Alexa can experience connectivity issues.  A user generally discovers the Echo or Dot has lost connectivity when they issue a command, and Alexa responds with "I'm having trouble connecting to the Internet right now."  Additionally, the light ring will flash red rather than blue.  Despite the fact my Dot is the closest device to my router, it seems to experience connectivity problems more often than my other Alexa-enabled devices.

Sometimes, connectivity issues are caused by a blip in the wi-fi. This blip might be caused by interference from a microwave, a cordless phone, a back-up beeper, or any number of things that can cause wi-fi "noise."  I find often, if I wait a few seconds and reissue my command, the connectivity issue resolves itself.  If it doesn't, the next step is to reboot the malfunctioning Alexa device.  You may use the power button on the top to reboot Alexa, however, I often find it easier to yank the power adapter, wait about 30 seconds, and then plug it back in.  That way, I do not inadvertently turn off the microphone by mistake.  Like with most electronic devices, rebooting can clear about 80% of issues.  

Ask My Buddy and Alexa Can Summon Help in an Emergency

Alert Your Personal Emergency Network
Using Only Your Voice,
 with Alexa and Ask My Buddy

Turn Your Smart Speaker into an Emergency Alert Device

Alexa and other Smart Home technologies can make life a lot easier for people who live alone, people who have disabilities, and a lot of older people.   Smart Home technologies and Smart Speakers can automate a lot of tasks, and make physical tasks simpler for those with physical limitations.  Smart speakers and other assistive technologies can help a person continue to live independently, in his or her own home, for a longer time. But what these technologies cannot yet do is to call 911.  Wouldn't it be great if Smart Speakers, like the Amazon Echo or Google Home, could summon help when an individual needs it?  Well, now they can, thanks to a service called "AskMyBuddy.net."

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up

Most of us have seen the commercials. A senior citizen is in distress, but s/he cannot get to a telephone to summon help.  However, the individual wears a pendant, and by pressing a button, s/he can summon assistance from a personal emergency alert network.  And although these devices are marketed to seniors, I know a few women and people with disabilities who live alone and wish they had this "yell for help" capability, but they do not want another monthly expense, especially when they figure they will not use it often. Many people in this category have Alexa or a similar Smart Speaker.    However, despite the fact Alexa has limited calling abilities, she cannot dial 911, no matter how many times you ask her to.  Wouldn't it be nice if Alexa could summon emergency help with a voice command?

Alexa Turns Three: The Evolution of Amazon's Alexa

Happy Birthday, Alexa!
The Amazon Echo Turns Three Years Old!

The Evolution of Alexa and the Amazon Echo

Time sure flies when you're having fun, as the saying goes.  It doesn't seem like Alexa has been around for three years! But today marks the third anniversary of the Echo's release.  Let's take a look at how Alexa has evolved over a three-year period.

Amazon Echo, Generation One, 2014

The Amazon Echo was the first Alexa-enabled product sold by Amazon. Initially, it was offered to Prime Members by invitation only, as well as to a couple of lucky Vine Reviewers.  Generation One Echos cost about $200, but early adopters received them at a 50% discount.  Echos remained an invitation-only item until well after the Holiday Season was over, making them a very hot gift item. And of course, by the time Amazon made them available to the General Public, they stopped the 50% discount for Prime Members.

Generation One Echos shipped with an included voice remote, another practice that was soon discontinued.  For most of 2015, the Echo was available in limited quantities, and was a very hard item to get.  In 2016, used and refurbished Echos started hitting the market, and in fact, refurbished Echos were a hot commodity during Amazon's second "Prime Day" in 2016.

Initially, the Echo was primarily a glorified version of Siri, combined with a voice-activated media player.  Few skills were available, and third-party manufacturers had not begun making the dozens of Alexa-compatible devices we can find today.  In fact, although they supported Pandora, Spotify, Sirius XM, and other music service support was yet to come.  In 2014, the most impressive thing about the Echo was its "cool factor." It was the first and only voice assistant that was NOT part of a phone OS at the time. It also performed better than Siri on many tasks.

TP-Link Smart Outlets, Home Automation, and Alexa (Smart Home Series, Part 10)

The TP-Link Smart Outlet and the Kasa App

Schedule Your Appliances with Kasa, 

and Control Them with Alexa

This is Part 10 of a series on building a Smart Home and using Alexa to control it. Previous articles covered setting up and using both your Amazon Echo and the companion Alexa app.  Again, we recommend you peruse those previous posts if you are interested in learning about all that Alexa can do.

This week, we go back to talking about Smart Outlets.  We previously reviewed the WeMo family of Smart Outlets, as well as the Hue Lighting System.  Today, we're going to discuss the TP-Link Family of Smart Devices, and specifically, the TP-Link Smart Outlet.  The TP-Link Outlet is similar to the WeMo in many ways, but it has a few important differences. Both the WeMo and the TP-Link are worthy entries in the field. Depending on your specific needs, you may find one works better for you than the other.

TP-Link Smart Outlets

We discussed the concept of Smart Outlets when we discussed the Wemo. (If you need a review, please see this post.)  A Smart Outlet is not a plug with a high IQ, but rather, it's a plug that can be controlled remotely.  As we said in that review,, Smart Outlets add WiFi and remote control to standard outlets, and by extension, to your existing appliances.  Whatever you plug into a Smart Outlet becomes a Smart Device, capable of being controlled remotely, from your couch, car, or office.  And for our purposes, we're looking at Smart Outlets that are compatible with Alexa, so we can add voice control to the equation.

The TP-Link Outlet offers all of the above.    With a TP-Link Smart Outlet, you can control your appliances with an app, either while at home, or remotely over the Internet. It also offers Alexa compatibility, so you can control these outlets with your voice.

TP-Link offers several flavors of Smart Plugs.  Some models offer energy monitoring as well as remote control.  One model even integrates a WiFi extender into the mix.

TP-Link Outlet Capabilities

TP-Link Smart Outlets offer all of the functions you'd expect from a Smart Plug.  They offer remote access and scheduling through the Kasa App.  Of course, you can turn attached devices on an off through the app. But you can also do a lot more. TP-Link Smart Outlets are compatible with Alexa "Scenes."   The app has pre-built scenes for "Good Morning," "Good Night," and "Movie Night," and you can create your own custom scenes as well.    "Scenes" may contain one or more of your TP-Link Smart Devices.  (TP-Link offers Smart Lights and Smart Switches as well.)  They're handy for grouping several TP-Link devices together, so you can control them with a single command.