So I've read all the posts about the inability of Sonos to change the wake word. The branding of Alexa Enabled Device, is the get out of jail free card, meaning its not a 'full' Amazon Alexa Voice Services experience.
In a household with my young Daughter, Alexa, this has gotten to the point, where I have had to disable the mic on my newly purchased Beam. Sure I could return it, I'm reasonably confident Sonos would refund rather than argue I should have read the AVS (Alexa Voice Services) agreements that third parties have to have their devices referred to as Alexa. But what I am not seeing in the posts related to this topic is a response from Sonos, as it relates to lobbying Amazon, or responses from Amazon as it relates to this lobbying.
I'm confident that in time the 'false positives' (Brexit, Alexander, and other words) will be filtered out, but in my house, I need to be able to change the name to one of the other 'accepted' Echo Wake words. As I will always call out for my daughter by her name. She was born well before the 2014 announcements Amazon for her namesake.
So Sonos, do you respond these forums, and what is the genuine outcomes, I've read lots of people guessing as impending and have to, and must release changes, but I understand your hands are tied by the API, so what are you doing on that front for us? I spent my money with you, so I am hoping you are looking to work with Amazon to add an existing feature.
Its a shame I can't use it, as turning on and off the TV is a snap with voice, which reduced my remotes to 1 for a time, until of course my kids playing would just stop the audio coming out the TV :)
K
Alexa Name - Wake word
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Sonos almost never answers definitively to these types of inquiries. Often it would involve blaming their partners for the problem, which they are not going to do. The most you will get is that they will forward your request to the proper people.
Appreciate the response jgatie. I'll give the company the opportunity to respond.
As I said, I don't really have a choice on the Daughter's name front. So if there is inaction, I'll respond formally to the business looking for a refund. It simply doesn't work in our household. I was looking for a sound bar, the Alexa piece was a premium bonus I was willing to spend a little more to get. Without it, its a £399 soundbar, so that means I can/should shop in a different bracket, or put monies back in my pocket and get a basic soundbar.
A unique case...
But for £150+ cheaper, I can get a really good sounding Yamaha Soundbar, no Alexa, but no issues either. And for £150 I can fly to Majorca for the weekend 🙂
As I said, I don't really have a choice on the Daughter's name front. So if there is inaction, I'll respond formally to the business looking for a refund. It simply doesn't work in our household. I was looking for a sound bar, the Alexa piece was a premium bonus I was willing to spend a little more to get. Without it, its a £399 soundbar, so that means I can/should shop in a different bracket, or put monies back in my pocket and get a basic soundbar.
A unique case...
But for £150+ cheaper, I can get a really good sounding Yamaha Soundbar, no Alexa, but no issues either. And for £150 I can fly to Majorca for the weekend 🙂
+26Hi Wraith,
Changing the wake word can be a useful feature for sure. We don't have any specific details that I can share around if this can come to Sonos, or when it might, but I'll make sure to add your story to the request with the team. We work closely with the Amazon team too, but it's always good to let both sides know if there's a feature you're looking for.
As to the future, if you're not particularly attached to the voice service, in particular, we are working with Google to bring their Assistant to Sonos. Then your wake word would be "OK Google." All existing Beam and One will be able to receive commands from Google Assistant after that software goes live. The release for this is planned for this year.
Changing the wake word can be a useful feature for sure. We don't have any specific details that I can share around if this can come to Sonos, or when it might, but I'll make sure to add your story to the request with the team. We work closely with the Amazon team too, but it's always good to let both sides know if there's a feature you're looking for.
As to the future, if you're not particularly attached to the voice service, in particular, we are working with Google to bring their Assistant to Sonos. Then your wake word would be "OK Google." All existing Beam and One will be able to receive commands from Google Assistant after that software goes live. The release for this is planned for this year.
this wake word issue makes me regret buying a beam. if i could return it i would. sonos should do a better job advertising that it does not even have all the features of a 30 dollar echo dot when they sell this. i feel like i have been deceived, as this was my first sonos purchase i likely wont be buying again. hopefully some day this sound bar will work as i expected it to, until then I just dont use the single feature which i purchased this speak for.
sonos, you can do better than this... consider marketing this as "limited Amazon echo support" so people know they need to look into which features you dont have before they buy.
also the attenuation period waiting for voice commands is excessively long and makes the use of voice features super irritating. i have another echo in the room with the sonos and it hears me just fine with the sound bar going...
this product looks good on paper, but is not very good in use.
also let me pair this with subwoofers other than sonos brand please, i should be able to sync it with an echo sub so i dont have to have so many devices serving the same purpose.
all this said, i head good things about sonos from customers who have products that arent the beam, so keep up the good work there!
sonos, you can do better than this... consider marketing this as "limited Amazon echo support" so people know they need to look into which features you dont have before they buy.
also the attenuation period waiting for voice commands is excessively long and makes the use of voice features super irritating. i have another echo in the room with the sonos and it hears me just fine with the sound bar going...
this product looks good on paper, but is not very good in use.
also let me pair this with subwoofers other than sonos brand please, i should be able to sync it with an echo sub so i dont have to have so many devices serving the same purpose.
all this said, i head good things about sonos from customers who have products that arent the beam, so keep up the good work there!
It is a real shame nothing has been done on this front. The issue is with any 'alex' sound name - even when I call out for my son, Alexander, it will frequently mistake that as a wake command. It is very annoying and means voice interaction is off on all but the office speakers.
I have invested in Sonos with a few Sonos Ones and the Beam and I do feel a little let down that the feature set is not as rich (for what seams to be a basic request) as it should be.
Unfortunately I don't hold my breath that this will change but hopefully when the Google Assistant integration is finally released I will switch over and not have a problem. If indeed the wake word restriction is mandated by Amazon then they are shooting themselves in the foot by alienating a range of people who will no longer use their service for what ought to be a basic feature
I have invested in Sonos with a few Sonos Ones and the Beam and I do feel a little let down that the feature set is not as rich (for what seams to be a basic request) as it should be.
Unfortunately I don't hold my breath that this will change but hopefully when the Google Assistant integration is finally released I will switch over and not have a problem. If indeed the wake word restriction is mandated by Amazon then they are shooting themselves in the foot by alienating a range of people who will no longer use their service for what ought to be a basic feature
They should be marketing it as having “LIMITED ALEXA FUNCTIONALITY”. I would not buy it again and in the process I now think negatively about a brand (Sonos) that I used to have high regard for. The marketing is obvious bait and switch. I think the number of people who are upset about the lack of basic functionality suggests there is a huge device between the marketing of the product and the reality
Changing the wake word can be a useful feature for sure. We don't have any specific details that I can share around if this can come to Sonos, or when it might, but I'll make sure to add your story to the request with the team. We work closely with the Amazon team too, but it's always good to let both sides know if there's a feature you're looking for.
As to the future, if you're not particularly attached to the voice service, in particular, we are working with Google to bring their Assistant to Sonos. Then your wake word would be "OK Google." All existing Beam and One will be able to receive commands from Google Assistant after that software goes live. The release for this is planned for this year.
Ryan is the any more of an update on this change of wake word, you responded over 4 months ago but people having this issue. I’ve only just got my Beam but disappointed this function is not available yet.
Is "Alexa" the wake word in all countries/languages? If not, couldn't something Amazon-approved by offered?
My daughters name is Alexa. I even validated I could change the wake word on “Alexa” before purchasing. However, this thread indicates that for “Alexa”-enabled 3rd party devices, that is not the case. I’m disappointed that this is not more prominently known before purchase. I’ve had Sonos for ten years but this requires me turning off the microphone when voice activation is the reason I purchased it. I already have plenty of non-voice activated Sonos speakers.
Sonos page indicating you cannot change the wake work on a Sonos speaker. I did not see this before purchasing and must have researched changing the wake word on a regular Amazon Alexa type device (such as an Echo): https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3517?language=en_US&utm_medium=sonosone-setup&utm_source=cr-care&utm_content=english-cr-care-sonosone-setup
What commands can I use with Sonos?
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Not supported...
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Changing the Sonos One or Beam wake word
What commands can I use with Sonos?
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Not supported...
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Changing the Sonos One or Beam wake word
Ditto. I would not have bought a Beam, had I known that I cannot use "computer" like in all other devices.
Looks like the Amazon API now supports additional wake words for 3rd party Alexa devices...
2.1. Your product SHALL use only approved Amazon Alexa wake words, such as "Alexa".
Over to you Sonos...
2.1. Your product SHALL use only approved Amazon Alexa wake words, such as "Alexa".
Over to you Sonos...
Divide (not device) between the marketing and the reality
I have a Sonos One and this is unacceptable from Sonos not to try to fix this. I will not tell my whole story, but I had a daughter called Alexa… So you can imagine this is rather difficult for me to shout her first name to know how sunny the day will be ou to launch a playlist with Christmas songs.
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