Setting up Echo Auto outside USA

[markwilding]

This thread is a bit as the Spanish say :Capricho: and will not interest the majority of members but I thought I would write about how I got on setting up the Echo Auto which is basically Alexa for the car.

I'm always checking out tech stuff online and over the last year or so I have seen quite a few articles about the Echo Auto. But It's not possible to buy in Europe, I thought I would wait but then came across a company in New York whIch shipped to Spain. Even better they had it for 33 dollars and 12 dollars for shipping which in total was less than the 50 dollar price I saw it on Amazon.com, The only risk was if I would be charged taxes when it was delivered but I was lucky and wasn't

The basic difference from normal Echos is it works through your phone in the car so it's possible to call people in your contacts with with your voice. This has always been a problem for me using Siri if my phone was in my pocket. It connects through Bluetooth but it can also be connected to the car's system with a normal headphone type cable as well. This can be a cheap option for those with older cars, which might not have Bluetooth, to have some sort of hands free system .

I had to change my Amazon store to USA to set it up but as soon as I did the Auto showed up in my app. Setting it up was easy using the Alexa app on my phone. I then made a mistake and forget I had my Amazon account set to the UK and set it to Spain. So the other echo's I have started to give me problems and the Echo Auto wasn't working as I had expected but as soon as I realized my mistake and changed back to the UK, it worked fine.

I knew it wouldn't be able to give me directions to places, i'll have to wait for it to go on sale in Spain for that function , but It will give me directions home which seems daft but can be useful if you want to leave somewhere you are unfamiliar with on a return journey back home,

Apart from that it does give me all the other functions I use Alexa for at home such as music, radio and asking for news and weather info.

[costakid]

Another listening device you have added into your life for data gathering.

[markwilding]

I was expecting someone to come up with that.I had my guesses who it would be but I was wrong. It makes me wonder why someone in Amazon HQ would want to spend his days listening in to my music choices, As I have said many times before I don't care.

I'd be more worried about what little nasties illegal websites showing football were leaving on my computer.

[olive]

Wow, good detailed account. How did we manage before these gadgets!

I have just got an Amazon firestick so am probably five years behind most folk. Great bit of kit and I have already been on the internet and found and installed some hidden features. I just need to get unlimited internet when (if) I ever manage to get back to Spain. I think Movistar Fusion rural is my only option.

[markwilding]

Amazon has made this available in Spain now for 59.99 Euros.
After using this for a while, I would say it would be useful for cars without Bluetooth but the system would still need an audio in socket or cars without Apple's Carplay or Android Auto.

https://www.elmundo.es/tecnologia/gadge ... b4604.html