Audi’s new traffic-light countdown is the first step to smarter cities

As I get closer to the intersection, a countdown starts on the dashboard. The light is currently green, but the new Audi I’m driving tells me it’ll be 147 seconds before I make it through the junction. Sure enough, the light turns yellow, then red, and I come to a stop as the numbers tick off in reverse. Once it hits four, the timer disappears, and within a few seconds the light turns green. It seems like a trivial feature, a timer telling you when a traffic signal is about to change. But in practice, it’s quite useful. More important, it’s currently available in Las Vegas, a baby step toward a future where cars and cities talk to one another to reduce gridlock.

Audi is showing off its new Vehicle to Infrastructure framework (V2I) in Las Vegas, a town known more for gambling and debauchery than cutting-edge technology. The truth is that Sin City is the perfect place to launch Audi’s new technology, thanks to the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC). The government agency actually oversees all of the city and surrounding area’s transit infrastructure. From buses to traffic signals to new roads, it’s all handled by a single entity, which allows it to move quickly to make changes to its system and partner with companies like Audi.

The result is a car that knows when a light is about to turn green, thanks to the city sharing data with the vehicle through Audi’s partner Traffic Technology Services (TTS). At the server level the technology is a bit complex, with algorithms and data vetting. But as far as drivers are concerned, they don’t have to do anything but drive.

Here’s how it works: When a car enters an area or city that supports V2I, it logs onto the infrastructure’s cloud with a onetime-use token. As it’s driving around, its GPS location and heading determine which traffic signal is coming up. The TTS serves up information about that light, and the car determines if you’ll make it through the intersection (in which case nothing happens) or if you’ll be caught by the red light. In that scenario, the countdown begins until the green light appears.

During my lap of Vegas I found the countdown (which appears on the dash and in the HUD) quite helpful in determining how much time I had before I had to start driving again. In real life, a red light is an opportunity to switch a song or artist on a smartphone, check on your kids in the back seat or take a quick sip of coffee. The problem in all of those situations is you’re not sure how much time you have to complete those tasks. With the countdown clock, you’d know.

It’s also slightly comforting to be reminded that the light will eventually turn green again. There have been plenty of times during my life as a driver when I’ve encountered a red light that didn’t seem to acknowledge my car. I’d back up and pull forward, making sure the sensor detected my vehicle. This feature would tell me that, yes, the light will turn green again, and this is when it’ll happen. And while Audi has been working on the technology behind this feature for years, it wouldn’t be possible without the forward-thinking transit commission.

RTC general manager Tina Quigley said the commission wants to set a precedent to help determine what automakers need and to figure out how it can budget these types of partnerships. “No one has done a cost/benefits analysis of the smart infrastructure benefits,” Quigley said. After the presentation, she was headed to Washington, DC, to talk about what Las Vegas is doing and how it’s accomplishing it.

Meanwhile Audi is talking to other metropolitan areas about rolling out its V2I service beyond Las Vegas. But since most city’s transportation systems are fragmented across multiple commissions, its unlikely they’ll come online as quickly as Vegas did.

While the automaker tries to hammer out deals, it’s also exploring the next series of features for V2I. Think giving the driver an optimal speed to hit as many green lights in a row as possible or tying the start/stop feature of the car into the countdown so that the car doesn’t turn off when there are only a few seconds before the signal changes.

Audi also said that in the future it will share data with municipalities in real time. Currently it sends batches of stats with the city of Las Vegas. Once real-time information sharing goes live, a city like Vegas could adjust how traffic flows in real time and reduce gridlock by redirecting cars and adjusting signal timing. It’s a conversation that ends with an easier commute.

When cars and infrastructure talk to one another, it’ll not only change the way vehicles move through a city but also how that metropolitan builds out future roads and services. But for right now, if you own a brand new Audi (A4, Q7 or A4 Allroad) and you happen to be in Vegas, you’ll know exactly how much time you have to eat that burrito before you continue your trek to other side of the strip.

Goodbye (and maybe good riddance) to Pebble

Before Android Wear and the Apple Watch, there was Pebble. The original Pebble smartwatch was, in many ways, a trailblazer. It was one of the first to play nice with the iPhone, it had downloadable watchfaces so you could switch up the look anytime you wanted, and it was the first gadget to bring in millions of dollars via Kickstarter, putting the crowdsourcing site on the map. Pebble’s luster faded over the years as more sophisticated, feature-rich wearables came on the market.

Still, the company kept going, thanks to a loyal fanbase, making Pebble something of a cult favorite. Now, thanks to this week’s Fitbit acquisition, Pebble is going away, living on only in the form of patents and software code. As it turns out, Engadget editors have been harboring strong feelings about the underdog company. Join us as we say goodbye — or, in one case, good riddance.

Mat Smith
Senior Editor

I got in on the ground floor, buying the first Pebble watch through its debut Kickstarter campaign. It was the “Founder Edition,” which meant I got it ahead of some other people, and it bore some not-that-fancy embossed lettering on the back of the case. Pebble was the poster child for both the initial smartwatch boom as well as crowdfunded electronics in general.

It was hugely popular. Several times. Personally, I was excited by the prospect of the first Pebble and wore it for several months, with updates adding tiny nuggets of extra functionality. But it was never quite enough. And my zeal for smartwatches blinded me to the fact it looked lumpy and felt cheap. (In its defense, I only paid $125 on Kickstarter.)

My initial enthusiasm soon died out, exacerbated by the fact that the rubbery strap was uncomfortable to wear during the summer — which was when my early model eventually arrived in the UK. The Pebble wasn’t perfect or even great, but it was the start of smartwatches as we know them. It was only a matter of time before the big tech players jumped on the bandwagon. We dear consumers had already bought into our smartphones; this was the value-add second gadget that the likes of Samsung, Sony and Apple wanted us to want. The jury is still out on smartwatches being the next big thing, but Pebble was a plucky startup brave enough to test the waters — and I have to respect it for that.

Cherlynn Low
Reviews Editor

Farewell, Pebble. You made the only smartwatch that ever fit under the snug sleeve of my favorite winter coat. You made me defend the advantages of having an e-paper screen that wasn’t even touch-sensitive. You made me learn how to operate a whole new smartwatch OS just so I could wear the Pebble Time Round every day.

I rejoiced when you added voice-dictation features, no matter how limited they were. I was excited to try out the new generation of the Pebble Time Round (although I never got to), and I was psyched to take the Pebble Core out for one of my extremely rare runs through Central Park.

Alas, I probably won’t ever get to do that. I won’t be able to see what it’s like to order an Uber from a tiny black box that doesn’t even have a graphic user interface. I won’t get the chance to brag about your low prices and comprehensive features to my friends. And saddest of all: I won’t have any new Pebble products to look forward to reviewing in the future. Goodbye.

Devindra Hardawar
Senior Editor

It seems only fitting that, as interest around smartwatches cools, Pebble ends up dying. It was one of the first truly successfully Kickstarter campaigns, and the hype around it made it seem as if smartwatches were the next big thing. As it turns out, that’s not true.

Though the Apple Watch represents one of the best attempts at making a compelling wearable, it’s mostly been a disappointment. And despite many solid Android Wear devices on the market, none of them have taken off. Even though Pebble had a head start on those platforms, it failed by not finding much of an audience beyond the geek faithful, as well as by not innovating much beyond its initial release. It’s a shame to see the company go down, but I’m hoping that Fitbit finds some way to integrate its best aspects in its fitness wearables, which have proved much more useful than stand-alone smartwatches.

Nicole Lee
Senior Editor

Even though Pebble has faced stiff competition in recent years from fancier smartwatches that boast a lot more features, I’ve always had a place in my heart for the plucky e-paper wearable. While its rivals piled on the bling, Pebble opted to be sensible, with a design that prioritized long battery life and an always-on display above silly widgets few people would actually use. If all you needed in a smartwatch were notifications and the ability to tell time, the Pebble was more than enough, for a far more affordable price than most of its rivals.

Further, while some might denigrate Pebble’s design, I was a big fan: I liked the look of the Time Steel, and I was over the moon with the design of the Time Round. I maintain that to this day, the Time Round’s slender strap, ultrathin chassis and circular face make it one of the most stylish smartwatches ever made.

Aaron Souppouris
Senior Editor

I owned a first-generation Pebble, and it put me off smartwatches for years. it was slow to respond, it felt tacky on my skin, and, most damningly, it was ugly as sin.

When the Pebble Steel came, my boss at the time heralded its improved looks. I wasn’t sure if we were looking at the same watch. An awkward mix of a rounded square body, sharp triangular lugs and a dollar-store steel strap, it was atrocious to look at and not particularly nice to wear.

Pebble’s design never improved. The Time attempted to ape Swatch’s famously fun design language but failed. Actually, due to a weird two-step bezel, some poor lug design and Pebble’s always awkward side buttons, it might have been the ugliest of the lot.

Strangely, I was somewhat taken with the Watch 2, which at least addressed the awkwardness of the off-black display bezels by adding a splash of color. I mean, I’d never wear one, but I sort of got it.

We all owe Pebble a debt of gratitude for sparking interest in smartwatches. I won’t deny that. But that’s where my fondness for the company ends.

Danish Court Rules Apple Must Replace Man’s iPhone With New Rather Than Refurbished Model

A court in Denmark today ruled Apple must replace a Danish man’s iPhone with a new model rather than a refurbished model in accordance with local law.

(Image: The Sydney Morning Herald)
A trio of judges found Apple was not entitled to replace David Lysgaard’s iPhone 4 with a refurbished model since it may contain recycled parts, which could result in a lower resale value and went against his “legitimate expectation” of receiving a brand new iPhone equivalent to his original purchase.

By providing Lysgaard with a refurbished iPhone, rather than an equivalent new model, the court found Apple to have violated the Danish Sale of Goods Act. The judges upheld an earlier decision reached by Denmark’s Consumer Complaints Board, which also said the replacement should be a new, not refurbished, model.

Apple disagreed with the Consumer Complaints Board’s decision in 2014 and sued Lysgaard, arguing that refurbished iPhones are produced and tested in the same way as new iPhones. Apple also said refurbished iPhones undergo rigorous tests and strict quality control. Apple can now appeal the judgment with a higher court.

If the ruling is upheld, it could set a major precedent in Denmark that could see Apple forced to replace iPhones with new models rather than refurbished models in the future. Earlier this year, a Dutch court similarly ordered Apple to replace a woman’s iPhone 6 Plus with a new model, not a refurbished one.

Tag: lawsuit
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Best Buy Discounts iPad Pro by $125, Macs by Up to $200 in Two-Day Sale

Best Buy is having a weekend holiday sale which will see it discounting a wide range of Apple products, from iPads and iPhones to various Mac models.

All Best Buy iPad models are on sale. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro is available for $125 off, which drops the price on the entry-level 32GB model from $599.99 to $474.99. All 12.9-inch iPad Pro models are available at a $100 discount, dropping the price on the entry-level 32GB model from $799.99 to $699.99.

The iPad mini 2 is also discounted by $50, which means the WiFi-only 32GB model is priced at $219.99 instead of $269.99.

MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar aren’t on sale, but Best Buy is discounting the 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro without a Touch Bar by $100, making it available for $1,399.99, down from $1,499.99.

Select older MacBook Pro models are available at a $200 discount, as are select iMac models, and all MacBook Air machines are also discounted by $200.

Previous-generation Apple Watch models are available for up to $500 off, and some Apple Watch accessories are discounted by 50 percent.

When purchasing an iPhone 7 with an installment billing agreement, Best Buy is offering a $100 Best Buy gift card with purchase for upgrades, and $200 for new activations. Best Buy is also discounting the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, offering them for as little as $14.99 or $19.99 per month, respectively.

Accessories such as the new Apple TV, AirPort Express, iPods, and Beats headphone and speakers are also on sale.

Best Buy’s deals will be available on Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10.

MacRumors is an affiliate partner of Best Buy.

Tag: Best Buy
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Wall Street Firm Says Apple Remains One of the World’s Most Unappreciated Stocks

Wall Street brokerage firm Drexel Hamilton today informed its clients it continues to believe Apple is “one of the most underappreciated stocks in the world,” according to a research note seen by MacRumors.

Apple analyst Brian White retained his “buy” rating for AAPL and $185 price target. Apple shares are currently trading at around $114, their highest level since late October, after rising over 1% in intraday trading.

White said Apple continues to face a never-ending waterfall of “gloom and doom” media reports, just months after launching the new MacBook Pro and iPhone 7.

Nevertheless, he looks forward to 2017, when he believes Apple will have a “more durable iPhone cycle” that can return the company to more consistent sales growth after three consecutive quarterly declines.

Given this weak stock performance over the past couple of years, and our expectation of a more durable iPhone cycle that can return the company to more consistent sales growth, we look forward to 2017. In the near-term, we look for Tim Cook to make Apple grow again in [the first quarter of the 2017 fiscal year] on the back of the iPhone 7 and a happy holiday season, while we look forward increased cash distribution in 2017 [and] the launch of iPhone 8 and more color on future innovations.

Drexel Hamilton said Apple’s stock has risen by 7% this year, trailing the 10% overall increase in stocks among the S&P 500 Index.

Tags: Brian White, AAPL
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Brood with Hollywood’s finest in VR film noir

As part of a magazine celebrating this year’s best actors, the New York Times has put together a murky, monochromatic set of film noir vignettes. The kicker? They were all shot in 360 degrees, giving you complete freedom over the camera angle. You’re also a participant of sorts — a mute character, watching as Hollywood’s brightest stars talk to you in flowery, cryptic tones. (The conversations are rather one-sided, of course.) In each video, you take on a different role — a bartender, a reporter, or a cheating husband, for instance — and get just a couple of minutes to piece together what’s been happening. They’re all short, but powerful scenes.

You can watch all nine videos online or in virtual reality using the New York Times “NYT VR” app. They’re definitely worth checking out, especially if you’re a fan of the newspaper’s chosen actors. Over the course of the series you’ll pour a drink for Don Cheadle, be dumped by Natalie Portman and take a bullet from Ruth Negga. My favorite scene, however, is a tense shootout between Kristen Stewart and some police officers. She bursts through the bar door like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, while you’re left on the floor, watching the scene play out helplessly. Gripping stuff.

If you like the project, I also recommend watching this behind the scenes video. It delves deeper into the set and thought process behind each piece.

Source: Great Performers (NYT)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is finally picking up the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update in India

Latest MIUI 8 build brings Marshmallow.

Xiaomi sold over 2.5 million units of the Redmi Note 3 in India, and the manufacturer is finally starting to roll out the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update to the phone, albeit in beta form. The phone was updated to MIUI 8 — the latest iteration of Xiaomi’s custom ROM — earlier this year, but the base kernel was still Android 5.1.1 Lollipop.

The 1.3GB MIUI V8.1.1.0 MHOMIDI nightly build is now rolling out to select users, and following a successful beta test, Xiaomi will push the update to the stable channel. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can flash the OTA file to get an early look at Marshmallow on the phone.

Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: Which streaming service is best for you?

The rise of streaming services has continued at a swift pace over the last year, with many platforms available offering multiple kinds of entertainment for all manner of different tastes.

However, there are two that remain the most talked about: Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video. They offer similar functionality, with TV shows and movies on tap for you to watch at your leisure. And they have both even expanded to offer 4K HDR content and offline viewing. It makes the choice between them even more difficult.

That’s why we’ve put them head-to-head to find out. Which is best for you, Netflix or Amazon?

Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: Price

Netflix UK prices

• £5.99 a month – 1 screen at a time in standard definition
• £7.49 a month – 2 screens at a time, HD available
• £8.99 a month – 4 screens at a time, HD and 4K HDR where available

Amazon Prime Instant Video UK prices

• £79 a year – 2 screens at a time, part of the Amazon Prime membership that includes other benefits, also includes 4K HDR streaming
• £5.99 a month – 2 screens at a time, includes 4K HDR 

Amazon Prime Instant Video wins the price war hands-down. Netflix has a three-tiered pricing system that starts at £5.99 a month, but that’s for its basic package.

For that fee, you get access to standard definition streams of its films and TV content and can only watch on one device at a time (you can register up to six). The next package costs £7.49 a month and gives access to HD content – presented at 1080p – and can be viewed on two devices at the same time. The priciest plan costs £8.99, adds simultaneous viewing for four devices and gives access to Ultra HD 4K content (2160p) with HDR picture tech and Dolby Vision, depending on your TV.

Amazon Prime Instant Video, on the other hand, is part of an Amazon Prime subscription, which costs £79 a year. As well as give access to the entire range of SD, HD and 4K HDR content, you also get free next and same-day delivery (on millions of items on Amazon.co.uk), unlimited cloud storage space for photos, access to Prime Music – Amazon’s audio streaming solution – and the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, which gives you the change to borrow an eBook to read on a Kindle or Fire device.

Alternatively, if you don’t require the rest of the Prime benefits, you can sign up for £5.99 a month. There is no restriction on how many devices can be registered, but you can only stream to two separate devices at the same time, and they have to be different shows or films.

Amazon also has a large library of more recent movies and TV box sets to purchase or rent through the same account, which naturally costs more but is a nice addition.

• Which is the best movie streaming service in the UK? Netflix vs Amazon Prime vs Now TV and more
• How to watch Netflix on TV: Your complete guide
• How to watch Amazon Video on your Android phone or tablet
• How to watch Amazon Prime Video on TV: Your complete guide

Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: Offline viewing

As well as stream shows or films when you are connected to the internet, both services offer the ability to download certain titles to a mobile device in order to watch them when travelling. This is ideal if you know you will have no access to even mobile broadband – such as on a plane or Tube train.

Amazon’s offline viewing functionality is limited. There are plenty of TV shows and movies available to download, including The Grand Tour and all of the other Amazon Originals series, but you can only store two shows or films at once. That’s not great if you want to binge watch a whole season of something when on holiday, for example.

Netflix, on the other hand, seemingly allows you to download as many shows as you like, to multiple devices. It also has a large library of content available for offline viewing, although it doesn’t seem as well populated as Amazon’s. However, it does put them in an easy to find menu so you know exactly what’s on offer, unlike Amazon’s which is more trial and error.

Both services provide different quality options for downloads, to help you sacrifice resolution and bitrate in favour of smaller files and therefore save storage space.

Amazon has three picture modes:

• Good – around 300MB for 1 hour of video
• Better – around 600MB for 1 hour of video
• Best – around 900MB for 1 hour of video

Netflix has two picture modes:

• Standard – around 270MB for 1 hour of video
• Higher – around 400MB for 1 hour of video

• How to download Netflix movies and TV shows on your phone or tablet

Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: Devices

Netflix wins when it comes to the amount of devices it can be viewed through. The list is seemingly endless, with almost all brands of Smart TV, media player, games console, Blu-ray player, smartphone, tablet or computer operating system having a Netflix app of some kind. Paid TV set-top-boxes from Virgin Media (the TiVo box and new Virgin TV V6 box) and BT and TalkTalk (YouView) also have access. You can find out an impressive list here, but we know of others that doesn’t even cover.

Many of the devices are now also capable of viewing 4K content, with HDR or Dolby Vision where possible.

In comparison, there are still holes in Amazon device list, including the Apple TV – either 3rd generation or the new 4th gen box. It is, however, spreading its wings a little and has recently added support for Roku – something that owners of that device line have been bemoaning for years. You can see the device list here.

Amazon also lags a little behind in making 4K video accessible on all platforms. Most 4K HDR Smart TVs are capable of playing Amazon Video in Ultra HD, but the only external device supporting 4K playback is Amazon’s own Fire TV set-top-box.

Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: Movies

When compared to a service like Now TV – which has on demand and live access to all films on Sky Movies – both Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video are fairly behind current trends. Bar one or two exceptions, even the latest movies in their respective libraries are a six months to a year old.

Netflix has recently started to introduce its own movies though, with The Ridiculous 6, Beasts of No Nation and the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sequel being funded and introduced onto the platform.

Amazon is yet to release its own films, although it does have its own original TV shows, and both sometimes sign exclusives that arrive on their platforms speedily.

Netflix has more than 2,300 movies available on its platform (almost 3,000 videos when you add TV shows), while Amazon Prime Instant Video lists less than that, with just over 2,100 videos in total. It’s hard to get exact figures, but if you apply the same percentage of films to shows on Amazon (a little over a 76 per cent split), you’d get around 1,600 movies.

It’s less but you’d be best to check out what’s on offer on each and decide based on your preferences. It would be unwise to go by the numbers alone and then find out that 1,000 of the films are Police Academy sequels or something.

Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: TV shows

As we’ve proven above, there are more TV shows on Netflix than on Amazon Prime Instant Video. However, when it comes to TV content, the choice between the two is closer than you think. It’s also quite subjective.

While both have content deals with plenty of broadcasters, with many shows being available across the platforms, Netflix and Amazon have each been investing fortunes into original and exclusive programmes.

Netflix and Amazon original programming is not just making it harder to choose between them, with great shows on each – Daredevil, Narcos and Luke Cage on Netflix, Transparent, The Grand Tour and The Man in the White Castle on Amazon, for example – it is also making waves in the more traditional sense. Both House of Cards and Transparent are winning Emmys and Golden Globes, even though they are streaming exclusives.

Essentially, you might make your choice of which to subscribe to through studying which shows are exclusive to which platform.

Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: 4K HDR

Both services embrace ultra high definition, with 4K content available on each and in HDR where possible. However, devices are still to catch up somewhat.

Amazon currently offers almost all of its own original programming in 4K with high dynamic response picture tech, and some UHD films are available to purchase or rent. Netflix’s 4K content is mostly limited to its homegrown shows. And not all of those come with HDR.

You can find all 4K shows on a dedicated menu section on both services if you have a device capable of playing it and pay for the extra subscription (in the case of Netflix).

At present, the apps for both on certain 4K Smart TVs (from around 2014 and up) can playback UHD content, while the latest Amazon Fire TV can play Amazon’s 4K content. Nvidia’s Shield Android TV box, the BT Ultra HD YouView box, the Virgin TV V6 box and the Xbox One S and PS4 Pro consoles can play Netflix 4K content.

Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: Ease of use

When it comes to the applications and front ends, Netflix seems to have it more sussed than Amazon – not least because it has a more standardised approach to presentation. Nearly all of its apps, be they on tablet, smartphone, set-top-box or TV are presented in a similar fashion. There are one or two exceptions, but the content rich user interface is generally identical across formats.

Not so Amazon, which has greater diversity in its approach. Look at the front end of the Amazon Fire TV box and compare it to the Roku channel or Xbox One app, for example. They all present the same content but often in radically different ways.

The Amazon apps can also be confusing for customers in that as well as the content included in a Prime subscription, they give access to paid-for content. There will always be a section dedicated to Prime no matter the app or channel, but you can easily accidentally stray and think a show or film is included only to be faced with a screen listing additional prices.

Also confusing is that, because Amazon Instant Video content is available to those that don’t have Prime membership, third-party apps (those on non-Amazon devices) often show the prices on selectable buttons even though it can also be streamed for free.

Video on both services works the same way though, with similar quality and variable bitrates depending on internet connections. And you can pause and pick up watching later in a similar way.

Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: Other features

Netflix has the ability to set profiles for each member of the family. Each person can have their own profile so Netflix will learn their particular preferences and offer suggestions based on previous viewing. It will also put their current wishlists and watchlists front and centre when they log in.

Kids too can have their own profiles, which can be locked to content appropriate to them. There is a whole kids section, with a dedicated front-end and menu system that can be locked to a child’s profile.

Netflix vs Amazon Prime Instant Video: Conclusion

We’ll say right now that choosing between Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video is not an easy task. It will likely boil down to two things though: price and preference.

For preference, you need to take into account what type of movies and shows you most like and compare the output of each – specifically the original and exclusive content. Top Gear fans, for example, will no doubt want to subscribe to Amazon’s service for The Grand Tour, in order to watch the new exploits of Jeremy Clarkson and his stooges.

Marvel comics fans would rather choose Netflix, as that has a content partnership with Marvel Studios.

Preference also comes into play with what devices you own. Apple TV, for example, doesn’t currently have an Amazon Prime Instant Video application but does have one for Netflix, which makes it simple it that’s your primary viewing source.

Some though might simply look at the price and make a decision that way, and on that front Amazon certainly puts a convincing argument, especially if you buy a lot of products through the online retailer.

One thing is for certain, whichever you choose, you’ll never be found wanting for something to watch again.

You can find out more about Netflix here and Amazon Prime Instant Video here, including subscription details and how to sign up for free month-long trials to try them out.

Doubling up on Alexa: How to use multiple Amazon Echo and Dots

Amazon is currently pushing the Echo and Echo Dot hard, making a push to dominate the connected home market before too many players – like Google – can catch up.

The Amazon Echo got off to a flying start, establishing itself as one of the hottest smart home devices, assisted by the smaller Echo Dot, a capable sidekick that brings its connected skills to existing speakers you might have.  

The Echo isn’t just a standalone device, there’s potential for it to be a playing in all parts of your house. Amazon even has a deal on the Echo Dot where you can buy five Dots and get one free.

The question is: do you really need that many Echo Dots and what will you do with them?

We’re diving into what it’s like living with Alexa on numerous devices, with Echo and multiple Dots spread around your home and whether there’s any great benefit.

Setting up multiple Amazon Echo devices

Adding a new Echo or Dot to your home is straightforward, following the same steps as when you setup your first device. Login to the Alexa app, go to settings and choose “setup a new device” then follow the process as you did before.

You can achieve the same result with your Alexa account on a desktop PC if you prefer.

It’s really as simple as that. Because it links to an existing account, it adopts the skills of the existing device, so there’s no need to setup all the individual elements again.

The next decision is where to place the new device. Amazon built the Echo to be smart enough to respond to your commands across the room. The devices make use of “Echo Spatial Perception” which means the Echo that is closest to you should be the one that responds.

Amazon

We found that if you stood somewhere between two devices then it could cause a problem. With one in the kitchen and one in the lounge, standing roughly halfway between the two confused the system, leading to neither responding, or one responding but not understanding correctly, or both attempting to respond.

You’ll need to experiment with placement to get this balance right and it will also depend on your intended usage. If one is upstairs and one downstairs, you’ve effectively added the convenience is Alexa in multiple places in your house and there’ll likely be no conflict.

Setup is easy, so what can and can’t you do with multiple Amazon Echos?

Multiple Echo functions and features

In reality, not that much. The core functionality of Alexa and the Echo (whether that’s the Dot or not) doesn’t really change when it’s doubled up, with minimal syncing between the two. There are a few areas with all the Echos will sing in harmony, but for the most part, each works as an individual. 

Synced shopping lists and to-do lists

Some things are synced to your Alexa account and those are therefore accessible on the various Echo devices you might have scattered around the house. Add something to your to-do list or shopping list and it’s immediately available elsewhere too.

The shopping list is handy because it’s stored within the app, so you can verbally add things to list through any Echo device to check on your phone when you’re next out shopping.

Music in multiple locations

Although it’s easy to add multiple Echo devices to your home, you unfortunately cannot combine the devices to sync music throughout the house. Each device acts independently and if you’ve set Spotify to your default music source then you can’t even play the same songs on multiple Echos.

You can, however, play music from different sources on different Echos in different rooms. For example, you can play TuneIn Radio in the bedroom and Spotify in the kitchen. Therefore, the devices can be positioned around the house for family members to listen to their own music though you might need separate accounts if you’re all trying to use Spotify.

This is an issue that Amazon needs to address, as Google supports syncing across Chromecast devices for audio, so the competition is very real. Sonos will be supporting Alexa in 2017, however, giving you voice support for your speakers in different rooms.

Setting timers and alarms

The Echo is great for setting timers and alarms, whether that’s for waking you up in the morning or as a reminder for when food will be finished cooking or the washing machine needs emptying.

Unfortunately, timers and alarms are specific to the device they’re set on. If you set a timer using an Echo Dot in the kitchen, it won’t carry through to the Echo or Echo Dot in the lounge or bedroom. This is unfortunate as it would be a great way to manage timers and track things remotely.

Bluetooth connections are separate

Bluetooth connections are treated separately and not common between your Echo devices, which makes sense as you might not want the devices interfering with each other or connecting to a Bluetooth speaker in a different room.

We’ve found Bluetooth connectivity on the Echo Dot to be seamless and once it’s initially setup it is easy to tell Alexa to “connect to my speaker” to re-establish the connection.

Household Profiles and multiple accounts

Within the app you can add another Amazon user to your Household Profile. This is beneficial in several ways, first and foremost in that it gives that person access to their own content (music, audio books and Google Calendar).

It’s also worth doing if you have an Amazon Prime account but the other person doesn’t, as adding them to the Household Profile allows them to take advantages of Prime benefits too. You can find out more about the benefits here and manage yours here.

Amazon

You can also use this to choose who sets up the Echo devices and which account they are assigned to. You need to get the other people in the house to download the Alexa app and sign the terms of agreement, then once accounts are connected you can tell Alexa to switch between the profiles which is handy for managing content, placing orders and more.

Distinguishing between users

Despite having the ability to add multiple users to the account, Alexa is not capable of distinguishing between users based on their voice, so you need to physically tell an Echo device to switch accounts before it will do so. This is especially relevant if you’re placing an Echo device in someone’s bedroom and you want it connecting to that person’s content.  

Unfortunately, if you tell Alexa to switch accounts and then request a song on Spotify you’ll currently find her returning a message about how Spotify playback is only available through the primary user’s account. You cannot therefore prevent household use from ruining your Discover Weekly or allow family members access to their own playlists.

The alternative might be having each user purchase their own Echo device and thereby being the primary user. It’s a shame the system doesn’t work more seamlessly currently, but perhaps we’ll see it improve in future.

Are multiple Echos worth it?

There’s a mix of functionality and syncing here that begs the question as to whether it’s worth having several Amazon Echo devices in the house. On first glance, although the Amazon Echo is one of the most advanced forays into the connected home that we’ve seen, its own devices are still rather disconnected.

In reality, each Echo works in isolation, except when it comes back to that central Alexa app or account, such as with list syncing.

But the advantage of having access to Alexa’s features doesn’t hinge on building some sort of super Echo network in your house. Being able to use the Echo’s smart voice controls across your home is the real advantage: you can control your lights or heating via voice from upstairs or downstairs. If you have a loft room, the Dot will bring voice control that’s outside the range of your Echo downstairs and so on.

At the same time it’s clear that the Echo family could offer a more connected experience and the potential for Amazon to create its own synced multiroom music system can’t be understated. With the Dot being so affordable, if you’re a fan of the Echo then it’s certainly worth the expansion, even if that’s just to give you voice control over your smart lights or heating from more rooms in the house.