I’ve been meaning to write this down for some time. Has anyone else noticed similar issues with Alexa? I just said “Alexa, turn on, erm, mancave” – where “mancave” is a group of lights.
The “erm” threw Alexa off-course as you’d expect.
“What would you like me to turn on?” she queried. “Mancave” I replied. “You’re welcome” she responded and promptly did absolutely nothing. This cannot surely be the intended course of action? This happens all the time if I falter with “erm”. Surely “I don’t understand” would be more appropriate. If I were in a different room I’d think the lights had been turned on.
So, still some way to go, then.
Meanwhile – coming up this week, now I have air-conditioning – hopefully I can start on my backlog of new stuff to blog.
Have you tried creating a voice profile?
In the Alexa app go to settings, your profile, voice.
It’s neat if every one in your house creates a profile. You can then say “Alexa, what’s my name”. She’ll then put a name to the voice. Interesting, but I haven’t figured out why Amazon even bothered.
I don’t have voice control but I did have a family member once ask me “could you turn the heating down?” so I said “Sorry heating, I can’t come out tonight”.
Personally I find that she’s pretty good at just ignoring the erm’s and doing what I asked first time. I don’t know if it is an issue of accents – I still have a fairly pronounced Leeds accent (despite having left 40 years ago) and she copes with that.
I would not mind if she would simply say “I do not understand” – It’s the “You’re welcome” followed by NO action that’s a worry. A bit like the British DVLA in fact.
The DVLA is in Wales, in my home town, I apologise for any inconveniences 🙂