Link Up To Your Insteon Hub
You just need to follow some simple on-screen instructions within the Insteon for Hub application and you can link your dimmer switch to your hub.
You’ll be prompted to press and hold the Set button and then you can take in-app.
From here you’re ready to set up your on off switch for easy dimming action.
Connecting Your Echo With The Amazon Alexa App
Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant forms the basis for one of the best smart speaker experiences you’ll find today, and the service is designed to be something you can rely on for just about every aspect of the connected home. To get the most out of this experience you want to start by setting it up correctly out of the box. While you don’t need your phone to do much with your Echo once it is set up, you will need the Alexa app to get there.
Every part of the setup and maintenance process goes through the app, so your first step is to install the Alexa app from the Play Store. While it is installing, connect the power supply to the port on the bottom of the device and wait for it to start speaking to you. When you open the app for the first time you’ll be prompted to sign in to your Amazon account, and then it’ll be time to connect to your Echo.
Amazon Echo connects to your Wi-Fi network, but to get there you need to first connect directly to the speaker from your phone. This process starts with an orange ring around the top of the Echo to let you know it is ready to connect. Once you plug in your Echo device and see an orange ring, you can get started with setting it up.
Add Your Location & Language
Since Amazon already has your address for sending your orders, you may as well add it to Alexa. Then you can ask it for traffic updates when you need to travel someplace.
Then add your timezone. This is essential for alarms and reminders.
If you want to change your wake word , then you can do it here as well. But I am inclined to leave it the way it is.
Finally, change the language to the one you want. Since I have a German account, it put it in German, but I want Alexa to be in English. Heres where things get a bit weird. It told me that if I changed the language on a German account to English, I would have problems ordering things on Amazon if I spoke the order to Alexa.
Best news my wife has ever heard.
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How To Set Up Alexa With Amazon Echo Dot
At just under four inches wide, Amazons Echo Dot is a compact smart speaker that fits into almost any space in your home. Its much more than just a speaker though of course, it streams music through Pandora and Spotify, among others the Echo Dot also allows you to read the news, check the weather, set your home alarm and more.
To set up your Echo Dot, follow the step-by-step instructions listed above for the Echo, but simply select Echo Dot in the list of devices.
How To Set Up Alexa On Echo Show
If you have an Echo Show, setup is even easier than with an ordinary Echo because the Show has its own built-in screen – you don’t need to use the Alexa app on a phone or tablet to get started.
Just plug in the Echo Show and wait for the device to start for the first time. Then follow the directions on the screen to enter your Amazon account details and choose a WiFi network and enter the password.
After the initial setup, you can get to the Echo Show’s settings by swiping down from the top of the screen.
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Have The News Read To You
I am a bit of a news junkie, so this one is especially good for me. You can choose news sources and then say to Alexa, Alexa, tell me the news. It will then give you the audio of either a radio station or a TV station .
Dont choose too many news sources though because you cant ask for the news from one place only. You cant say for example tell me the news from CNN. It will start with CNN but then it will keep going with the other news sources you chose. In that situation, you would have to say Alexa, stop the news to get it to shut up.
How To Set Up An Amazon Echo With Windows 10
Setting up other Amazon Echo devices will follow the same process, but for the purposes of this guide, we used the standard, 2nd generation Amazon Echo.
Before you get too excited, there are a couple of caveats the first is that you’ll have to set it up through your desktop browser. Unless you’re a weird outlier like me and using a smaller browser like Opera, you’ll probably be supported â if your browser’s not, Edge will work just fine, and that goes for the new Chromium-based version of Edge, too.
Setting up using your browser is fairly straightforward:
In the web app, click on settings.
Select set up new device.
After a few seconds, your Echo will set up, and you can begin talking to it!
What you get inside the Alexa web app is a simple-to-use layout to manage all your key Amazon Echo features. If you’re using an Echo, it’s mostly a given you’re also a Prime subscriber, and this will be your default music service. In the UK, Echo has support also for Spotify Premium, but that’s it.
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How Do I Restore Factory Settings On Amazon Devices
To reset your Echo Dot to factory settings:
Pro tip: You can also use this trick to reset your device to give it to someone else.
Now that you know how to set up Alexa, be sure to follow our Resource Center for more information on the latest devices, how to hook them up, keep them secure and more.
How To Set Up Alexa On Your Echo Devices
To set up your Echo devices, open the Alexa app and log in to your account. Then plug your Echo into a power source. In the app, go to More > Add Device> Amazon Echo> Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Plus and more. Next, follow the on-screen instructions to set up Alexa.
Note: If you already have an Amazon account and you bought your device from Amazon, your device might be shipped pre-configured. If you see a pop-up message once you plug in your device, you can tap Continue to skip to step 10.
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Amazon Alexa: Download Install
Installation of the app will automatically grab Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 if your PC does not already have it loaded.
Presumably, newer versions of Alexa will become available. This version we are providing is version 1.2.9.115 .
If you would like to show the Alexa app all the time in the Windows 10 taskbar go to Windows Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Select which icons appear on the taskbar and enable Alexa .
It is unclear if the app will auto-update itself or a new installer will have to be provided later.
What Is The Difference Between Amazon Echo Echo Dot And Echo Plus
Great for adding Alexa to other rooms in your house, the Amazon Echo Dot is a shorter, more compact device.
The Echo Dot does not have Dolby audio like the Echo and Echo Plus. Echo Dot also offers more colors than Echo.
The Echo Plus also adds a new dimension with its built-in Zigbee hub, which controls your other compatible smart home devices.
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Start Using Your Echo
Congratulations, your Amazon Echo is all set up and ready for use! To make sure everythings working properly, you can conduct a simple test by trying out a few basic commands. For example, say “Hello” and the wake word. If your Echo is set up properly, Alexa should respond with a simple Hello in return. In the Alexa app menu, you will see two sections called Skills & Games and Things to Try. These are both excellent ways to learn about Alexas capabilities.
Skills can help you customize Alexa by giving her certain abilities think of them as mini-apps from many different creators that you can use for entertainment, organization, news, and much more.
You can start using your Echo device for a range of tasks. You can make to-do lists, find out the weather, check on traffic conditions, call your friends, send text messages to your family, or stream podcasts with simple voice commands. You also have the option to expand your digital network by connecting smart home devices. Everything from color-changing light bulbs to home security cameras can communicate with your Echo. Alexa has thousands of essential and not-so-essential skills you can add, too. Check out some of the most useful things that the Amazon Echo device can help you do.
What Works And What Doesn’t
Unless your PC is officially supported and you have custom firmware for Alexa the feature for Wake word which lets you call Alexa via voice will not work. That means to use Alexa on PC you need to press the blue Alexa button in the app manually.
Other than the ‘wake word’ limitation everything else behaves just as Amazon had planned it for PC users. Here is a short list of things that you can try with Alexa:
If you already use Microsoft’s Cortana around 90 percent of this will be redundant except for shopping on Amazon, using Amazon skills and playing Amazon Music.
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How To Set Up An Echo Or Echo Dot
After unboxing your Echo remove the plastic protection, attach the power cable and plug the power supply into a mains socket.
You’ll see the LEDs glowing and after a short while, Alexa will tell you to use the app to complete the setup. So if you havent already done so, install the Amazon Alexa app on your Android phone, iPhone. You can also use the Alexa app on an Amazon tablet.
You will need an Amazon account. If you don’t have one, just sign up at www.amazon.co.uk/account. Without this you can’t use your Echo. You dont need an Amazon Prime subscription, but youll miss out on a few features, such as the ability to play music from Amazon’s library.
Tip: You can change the default music provider by going to Settings > Music > Link New Service.
When you open the Alexa app, you might see a pop-up message asking you to set up your new Echo. If so, follow the instructions.
If not, tap on the Devices tab and then on the + symbol at the top .
Tap Add Device and then on Amazon Echo .
Tap on ‘Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Plus and more’ and then tap the correct model of Echo that you’ve bought.
Make sure there is an orange light on your Echo. If not, you may have to reset it. The reset procedure is different for each device, so check . However, in most cases simply press and hold the ‘action’ button, which is the one with a little dot on it. Hold it for about 6-10 seconds until you see the orange light.
When you have the orange light, tap YES to confirm your Echo is in setup mode.
What Do I Need To Know About Alexa And Privacy
Amazon designs Alexa and Echo devices with multiple layers of privacy protection. From microphone and camera controls to the ability to view and delete your voice recordings, you have quite a bit of control over your experience.
Youll know when Alexa is recording when you see the blue light indicator or hear an audio tone on your Echo device.
To enable the Do Not Disturb function, during which your device will still respond to the wake word but will not allow incoming calls or messages, just say, Alexa, turn on Do Not Disturb.
At any time, if youd like to delete or play back what Alexa heard, simply say, Alexa, tell me what you heard or Alexa, delete what I just said.
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Control Your Amazon Fire Stick
If you have an Amazon Fire Stick remote control for Prime , then you can now use Alexa to play what programmes and movies you want to watch.
I have yet to test this, but it is apparently just a case of saying Alexa, watch name of programme here’. We are unlikely to use it because our Fire Stick is already voice-activated.
Set Up Music Streaming With Alexa
One of our favorite features of the Echo speaker is that you can use the hub to stream for all of your favorite music and audio services. By default, when you first ask Alexa to play music, the assistant will attempt to pull tracks from Amazon Music. If you want to pair your Echo speaker to another music service, you can do so through the Alexa app.
Launch the app, then tap More. Next, tap Settings > Music & Podcasts > Link New Service. Select the service youd like to add and follow the in-app instructions for getting it merged with Alexa. From the Music & Podcasts screen, youll also be able to change the default music service. So, you can ask Alexa to play a song or artist without designating which music service you want to use to play the music.
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Giving Echo Access To Your Accounts
Now that your Echo is connected to your home Wi-Fi network, you need to give it some things to do. When you logged in to your Amazon account you gave Echo access to Amazon music services, which is great if you’re a Prime Music user, but there’s a good chance you’d like to give Echo access to something else. Opening the side menu will give you access to music services to log in to, with more as you scroll down.
You can also use this side menu to grant Echo access to your Google Calendar and your physical address for work and home. Doing so will make it so Alexa can tell you what is on your agenda for today, as well as weather and traffic information. You get the ability to choose what news sources are used for the Flash Briefing, where Echo reads you the news for the day.
Setting each of these up to your personal preferences goes a long way towards embedding Echo in your day to day life, turning your morning reading and research into a casual conversation.
How To Set Up And Configure Your Amazon Echo
Craig Lloyd is a smarthome expert with nearly ten years of professional writing experience. His work has been published by iFixit, Lifehacker, Digital Trends, Slashgear, and GottaBeMobile. Read more…
Jason Fitzpatrick is the Editor in Chief of LifeSavvy, How-To Geek’s sister site focused life hacks, tips, and tricks. He has over a decade of experience in publishing and has authored thousands of articles at Review Geek, How-To Geek, and Lifehacker. Jason served as Lifehacker’s Weekend Editor before he joined How-To Geek. Read more…
So you just got an , either from the recent sales or the holidays. Lets take a look at how to set it up and some useful things you can task your Echo with.
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