Beware the Amazon Echo Dot scam before you buy!

  • 16 April 2017
  • 91 replies
  • 11549 views

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I am now the unhappy owner of two Sonos Play 1s falling for the scam of a "partnership" with Amazon allowing users to send music from the Echo to a Sonos Play 1.
Turns out the Sonos is WiFi and the Echo Dot is bluetooth!!!! I will be publishing more on my YouTube channel. I will also mention the junk software that other users complain about skipping to next song before the current song has completed playing.
Please feel free to see my review of the Play 1 versus the UE Boom 2 on YouTube.

Moderation Edit by Ryan S: Removed self-promoted youtube video link which is against community rules.

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91 replies

"Belay my last", I see that there is "Alexa/Echo yet?" thread that address my concern(s) however SONOs staff seems to be vague as to when (timeframe). I would have thought if it is not early 2017 (typically that's equated to 1st Quarter of the year which would be end of April) then a newly revised available timeframe would be appreciated as I'm sure that software development has said target date that their working to.
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Sonos doesn't give timetables as a general rule as it just causes complaints if it takes longer. I think most of us expect something this summer.
Hear what you said, however being from a tech company one normally post development/release targets to keep the customer base aware and if slippage occurs then transparent communications works wonders. No false pretenses and if one is planning to purchase Alexa/Echo it would give the customers a timeframe to prepare for.
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We totally understand wanting a timeline. This is exciting work and we can't wait ourselves, but for now, we aren't ready to publish a timeline beyond availability this year. If there's any opportunity for beta testing or we're able to announce the time schedules we'll make sure to let everyone know, you'll just have to be patient.

I'll make sure the team knows you're interested and also I'll share your suggestion that we share more details on the timeline with the team that makes those decisions. Thanks for the support and we're glad you're excited too!
In my long years of software development and release, not once has slippage been regarded as anything other than negative. Nor is it ever ameliorated by any amount of transparent communication. Hell, half the people asking for exact deadlines do so on the eagerly anticipated announcement that the deadline may not be met so they can blast away again.

Sonos said this year. They've never wavered from that. There's your deadline. They've also stated it will work with all present and past Alexa devices, a fact which should be more than enough to justify any plans for an Alexa purchase.
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As a Canadian living in Brasil, I can't purchase Echo gear in either my native country or my adopted country. But I picked up a bunch of Dots in Florida a few weeks ago. They're great fun, and I understand why Sonos had to say something. I've already started looking for Echo compatibility in new gadgets, and I suspect that is part of the buying decision for many people these days. If didn't already have Sonos equipment and I thought that it would not work with Echo, I probably wouldn't buy Sonos if I were a new customer. It was wise of Sonos to plan to jump on the bandwagon and to let people know that at some point they will actually land on the wagon.
@Toolio, I agree with you whole heartily. With some of the responses that I'm seeing from my original enquiry other than @Rayan S who I would expect to see a company response (as he indicates he is SONO staff), there seems to be either push back and/or resistance to ask a simple question to establish what timeframe (which quarter in 2017) SONO is planning to deliver a Dot solution. I for one am happy that SONO is at least working on a DOT/SONO solution but moving from a position from earlier 2017 to sometime in 2017 doesn't instill any confides that the solution would be available anytime soon or are we awaiting for Christmas release...
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@ there seems to be either push back and/or resistance to ask a simple question to establish what timeframe (which quarter in 2017) SONO is planning to deliver a Dot solution.
That's typical of a select group in this community. There is Ryan, a nice person who has every right to behave like a Sonos employee because he is one. Then there is a small group of frequent contributors here who seem to have assumed the mantle of Sonos-can-do-no-wrong fanbois. At times they can be downright rude. I just put it down to them having too much free time on their hands, given that some have made thousands of posts here. It's why I frequent this community less and less. I find the tone of some members disturbing. Of course, the tone of some less participatory members can border on the absurd as well, as evidenced by this discussion.
@Toolio, I agree with you whole heartily. With some of the responses that I'm seeing from my original enquiry other than @Rayan S who I would expect to see a company response (as he indicates he is SONO staff), there seems to be either push back and/or resistance to ask a simple question to establish what timeframe (which quarter in 2017) SONO is planning to deliver a Dot solution. I for one am happy that SONO is at least working on a DOT/SONO solution but moving from a position from earlier 2017 to sometime in 2017 doesn't instill any confides that the solution would be available anytime soon or are we awaiting for Christmas release...

Once again, Sonos never moved from early 2017 to sometime in 2017. Since the very first official press release, they stated only "in 2017". Many, me included, assumed that meant early 2017. We were wrong.
@jgatie, I stand corrected 😳
After reviewing the actual news release I found the following which was released in 2016; "The companies will begin rolling out the experience through an invite-only beta test later this year, with general availability in 2017." So based on this information it would imply that a beta version(s) was developed and released for testing end of 2016 with general availability in 2017 so.. one would think that it would be release within several months after beta testing, OK maybe 6 months after Beta. What's interesting I don't see any Beta program(s) today, we the public can only speculate without any real information from the company at hand. hence the origins of my beginning post.
This is the assumption many made. It appears the implementation is more complex and more dependent upon the engineers from Amazon as well as Sonos. Sonos reps have subsequently stated this is a full implementation, not a simple use of Alexa Rules. As such, some early assumptions made as to the ease and length of the development process appear to be off the mark.

Now, playing devil's advocate, the above does not preclude that the development has hit a rough patch, and Sonos' blatant ambiguity in the original announcement cen be seen a preventitive measure if such difficulties should arise. Nobody ever complained when something was delivered early, the opposite? Not so much. Which is why although Sonos not giving specific timelines may bring out impatience, it ultimately wards off the cries of ineptitude or false advertising (the OP of this silly thread aside).
Agree
Expect me when you see me, as every sailor says to his spouse on departure!
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Expect me when you see me, as every sailor says to his spouse on departure!
Lol. So old school. Now even the sailor phones home to inform his (or her) spouse of the arrival date.
Umm...my sailor son uses whatsapp to do this. But it is a good saying, nonetheless.
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It's been a long time since I started this thread and I have yet to see the troll bullies who wanted to talk big (probably smart enough to keep quiet in public) apologize for the still no Sonos/Echo system! And now the company usually latest to all games... Wait for it... Apple! is going to produce the HomePod speaker system!! Years after everyone else! And the Sonos app is still junk.
Sigh
It's been a long time since I started this thread and I have yet to see the troll bullies who wanted to talk big (probably smart enough to keep quiet in public) apologize for the still no Sonos/Echo system!
Aye, Sonos have been failing badly in that regard.
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Voice is for convenience Controller will always be best way to actually control. That said appears Sonos is ready for first to have third party support for alexa yet still gets bashed for being “behind”
It's been a long time since I started this thread and I have yet to see the troll bullies who wanted to talk big (probably smart enough to keep quiet in public) apologize for the still no Sonos/Echo system! And now the company usually latest to all games... Wait for it... Apple! is going to produce the HomePod speaker system!! Years after everyone else! And the Sonos app is still junk.

*YAWN*

Sonos promised it by the end of 2017. We will see who has the last laugh come December 31 (or maybe even earlier, like October 4th).
It's been a long time since I started this thread and I have yet to see the troll bullies who wanted to talk big (probably smart enough to keep quiet in public) apologize for the still no Sonos/Echo system! .

Amazon just released the Connected Speaker API last week, after a year in development. No one, not Sonos, not Bose, not Denon, has been able to release Alexa support yet, while this API was in the works. Most are now saying they will have support in October. Sonos isn't saying, but there's plenty of press around their October 4th press conference.

Do yourself a favor, stick to the facts, not your own invented nonsense. You're the only one needing to apologize.
No matter when it is released, it is most certainly not being hampered by the fact "the Sonos is WiFi and the Echo Dot is bluetooth!!!!" Not to mention the OP's spamming his "Play 1 versus the UE Boom 2" video on YouTube as "proof", a video in which he chooses the Play:1!

So where is his apology for that nonsense?
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I personally did play around with the new Alexa multiroom between Alexa devices. Very clunky to try to do only by voice. It works but not something I would want for my whole home experience. It used it a bit because o don’t have a Sonos device in my main house at our vacation home but have a Sonos connect at the small boathouse where we do most of our s listening. With an echo dot that was down at boat house I was able to play music to the Sonos unit and the unit in main house in sync which was nice. Was good for playing a single song or a radio station but interface severely lacking when it comes to wanting to play multiple songs or playlists.

Sonos still has the experience beat by a mile. I just need to invest in a play 1 for the main house (or Sonos come out with a new speaker compelling enough for me to add to my home and replace one of my current play:1s so I can move it there).

Really same experience as when I had my dot hooked to play:5 which should be similar experience to what we are expecting from Sonos direct support. Great for throwing on a song or radio station. It no substitute for a good controller for the full listening experience. Voice won’t change that - it is a convenience only for simple tasks.
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No matter when it is released, it is most certainly not being hampered by the fact "the Sonos is WiFi and the Echo Dot is bluetooth!!!!" Not to mention the OP's spamming his "Play 1 versus the UE Boom 2" video on YouTube as "proof", a video in which he chooses the Play:1!

So where is his apology for that nonsense?

Please have someone help you with my video. I chose the Sonos because it sounds better. That was obvious. Watch the video, have someone help you with comprehension then post.