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Free App 'Reverb' Brings Amazon's Alexa to Mac Desktops, iPhones, and iPads

The fact that they don't get your Amazon password is of no relevance - that's expected behaviour, only give your password to Amazon and nobody else. The app wouldn't be allowed if they were trying to fish for your login details.

The fact is that once you allow it access to your Amazon account, it doesn't need a password anymore. It can connect to your account at any time and extract whatever information it desires. And they can make a lot of money harvesting your data, the same way Facebook makes billions simply by profiling you and selling that profile.

This is a "digital consultancy". Words like "brand engagement", "sales" and "data" are big big words in their vocabulary. It's their mantra. Seriously, you should hear these people talk. They're all trying to be "disruptive". And you think they would incur the costs of developing an app like this, and give it away for free? Nothing is free in their world.

Just be smart about it. Make a different Amazon account or something.
 
TrueBlou said:
I can control all of my smart devices over cellular with Apple TV, my Philips Hue lights work natively with HomeKit from anywhere and I've setup Homebridge to add in my Logitech Harmony Hub among other things.

Homebridge is an awesome thing, it adds so much to HomeKit that isn't supported officially.

Anyway, downloaded this for a bit of fun, curiosity really. But it doesn't do anything I can't already do with Home and Siri and this implementation doesn't have a clue where I am for weather and news, though I'd imagine the actual Echo to be better for that. Well, I'd hope so anyway. I'll be keeping it for a while to play with though.
Click to expand...
[doublepost=1487531088][/doublepost]Hi if you put your post code (zip code ) it works ok but I mostly get thinking bit disappointed tbh
 
I have two Echo Dot 2's and love them. Figured I'd give this a try.

iOS App: works as expected, I can even use it to turn on and off my lights. Not that useful, as I have Siri for that. Also works over LTE, not just WiFi.

Mac App: Just says "THINKING" and never stops. Even tried restarting it.
 
Brandenr said:
Yes, we use a web view and you provide your credentials directly to Amazon. We are never given your password.
Click to expand...

Hi Branden, cool app. But when I ask it where I am or for the weather, it thinks I'm in Atlanta. I'm in North Carolina. Could you look into this issue?
 
*Totally unrelated to this, but for those who watch Flash on CW will understand.**


Someone call the CW. Looks looks like Barry Allen messed with the timeline and got reverb from Earth 2 his own app.
 
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Ok I can't get it working and I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. Whenever I try to tell it a command or ask it a question it pops up an error saying "Something went wrong. Reverb is unable to send your request." I've been thinking of getting a Dot and this would be a way to see how useful it could be but I'm unable to use it while everyone is raving about it.
 
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chipmac64 said:
Ok I can't get it working and I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. Whenever I try to tell it a command or ask it a question it pops up an error saying "Something went wrong. Reverb is unable to send your request." I've been thinking of getting a Dot and this would be a way to see how useful it could be but I'm unable to use it while everyone is raving about it.
Click to expand...
Iam the same tried to set up with my Philips hue lights found lights etc and when asked to put them on it's thinking lol if this Is the great Amazon Dot I'll stick with Siri thanks very much
 
Evangeline said:
The fact that they don't get your Amazon password is of no relevance - that's expected behaviour, only give your password to Amazon and nobody else. The app wouldn't be allowed if they were trying to fish for your login details.

The fact is that once you allow it access to your Amazon account, it doesn't need a password anymore. It can connect to your account at any time and extract whatever information it desires. And they can make a lot of money harvesting your data, the same way Facebook makes billions simply by profiling you and selling that profile.

This is a "digital consultancy". Words like "brand engagement", "sales" and "data" are big big words in their vocabulary. It's their mantra. Seriously, you should hear these people talk. They're all trying to be "disruptive". And you think they would incur the costs of developing an app like this, and give it away for free? Nothing is free in their world.

Just be smart about it. Make a different Amazon account or something.
Click to expand...
[doublepost=1487545899][/doublepost]It is of relevance because that means you just have to go to your amazon account and remove the permission for Reverb and it would no longer have access. No need to change your password. It also means we can't just log into your account and make purchases or do anything else devious.

We wrote the app for us internally to use to test creating Alexa Skills without each of us needing an echo on our desk. We incurred the expense for ourselves and decided to make the app public so others could take advantage of it and the skills we make as well. We aren't harvesting any personal information or selling any of the data. In accordance of Amazon rules, we don't store the recording of the user or alexa anywhere except on the device for playback.
[doublepost=1487545962][/doublepost]
lightmyway said:
Hi Branden, cool app. But when I ask it where I am or for the weather, it thinks I'm in Atlanta. I'm in North Carolina. Could you look into this issue?
Click to expand...

Each Alexa capable device/app has its own time zone and location that you can set in the Alexa app or at alexa.amazon.com.
[doublepost=1487546036][/doublepost]
chipmac64 said:
Ok I can't get it working and I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. Whenever I try to tell it a command or ask it a question it pops up an error saying "Something went wrong. Reverb is unable to send your request." I've been thinking of getting a Dot and this would be a way to see how useful it could be but I'm unable to use it while everyone is raving about it.
Click to expand...

We have gotten a few users saying that today. Please make sure you're holding the micrphone button while speaking and that you should see the blue light pulse while you speak. I'm going to look into this issue and get an update out as soon as possible.
 
Michaelgtrusa said:
I like the idea, but giving it my Amazon details concerns me.
Click to expand...

The login has to open in a webview to ensure you're communicating directly with Amazon during the login. Amazon passes back an access token for the Alexa Voice Service. You can revoke that token at any time by going into your Amazon account controls and using the "Manage Login with Amazon" screen.
 
Michaelgtrusa said:
I like the idea, but giving it my Amazon details concerns me.
Click to expand...
You do not provide your Amazon credentials to us. You're giving them to Amazon and they just provide a token that you can revoke at any time by going to Amazon.com settings for Content & Devices. That token doesn't let us do anything except work with Alexa Voice Service.
[doublepost=1487546217][/doublepost]
foxcub6 said:
Iam the same tried to set up with my Philips hue lights found lights etc and when asked to put them on it's thinking lol if this Is the great Amazon Dot I'll stick with Siri thanks very much
Click to expand...
Please contact support@reverb.ai and we can try to help you out. It should work fine. We have a display set up at RAIN with Philips Hue and a few other smart devices with an iPad running Reverb to control it all.
 
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Brandenr said:
You do not provide your Amazon credentials to us. You're giving them to Amazon and they just provide a token that you can revoke at any time by going to Amazon.com settings for Content & Devices. That token doesn't let us do anything except work with Alexa Voice Service.
[doublepost=1487546217][/doublepost]
Please contact support@reverb.ai and we can try to help you out. It should work fine. We have a display set up at RAIN with Philips Hue and a few other smart devices with an iPad running Reverb to control it all.
Click to expand...
[doublepost=1487547761][/doublepost]I just installed it and it can operate my lutron light switches just fine. I am going to try my non-lutron stuff next.
 
nwcs said:
I wouldn't be surprised to see apple banish this app art some point due to "duplicated functionality." Might be worth downloading while you can. If only you could replace Siri with it...
Click to expand...

I don't see how this is any different than Cortana, and Apple allows that.
 
Telos101 said:
This is cool! Quick download before the iron-clad fist of Apple strikes! :D
Click to expand...

If Apple bans this, I will ban Apple. Reverb is one of many similar apps that have been around for months - I use them to control my home, obtain information, and add things to my calenders and lists when I'm driving. I'm finding Amazon and Alexa far more useful lately than anything made by Apple.

Amazon caught Apple with their pants down and Amazon's running away with a swiftly moving market.

Amazon is far more important to my and integrated into my life than Apple. I can substitute an Android phone for my iPhone, and a Windows or Linux laptop for my MacBook tomorrow. Amazon, not so much.
[doublepost=1487571163][/doublepost]
Brandenr said:
[doublepost=1487545899][/doublepost]It is of relevance because that means you just have to go to your amazon account and remove the permission for Reverb and it would no longer have access. No need to change your password. It also means we can't just log into your account and make purchases or do anything else devious.

We wrote the app for us internally to use to test creating Alexa Skills without each of us needing an echo on our desk. We incurred the expense for ourselves and decided to make the app public so others could take advantage of it and the skills we make as well. We aren't harvesting any personal information or selling any of the data. In accordance of Amazon rules, we don't store the recording of the user or alexa anywhere except on the device for playback.
[doublepost=1487545962][/doublepost]

Each Alexa capable device/app has its own time zone and location that you can set in the Alexa app or at alexa.amazon.com.
[doublepost=1487546036][/doublepost]

We have gotten a few users saying that today. Please make sure you're holding the micrphone button while speaking and that you should see the blue light pulse while you speak. I'm going to look into this issue and get an update out as soon as possible.
Click to expand...

Any chance of Amazon allowing full access to shopping and music at some point? Also hands free activation would be nice too. I already have a Dot installed in one of my cars. It would be awesome if I could just have the app and not have to go to the trouble of installing a Dot in my other.
 
I downloaded and installed the app. Still haven't signed in with it because I'm not sure I want to trust anyone except Amazon with that information.
Maybe someday, just not today.
 
Aston441 said:
Any chance of Amazon allowing full access to shopping and music at some point? Also hands free activation would be nice too. I already have a Dot installed in one of my cars. It would be awesome if I could just have the app and not have to go to the trouble of installing a Dot in my other.
Click to expand...
They allow music for hardware, but not apps. I'm not aware of any plans of that changing.

We have voice activation on our list of things to add.
 
I went ahead and installed it on iOS. Until it has voice activation, it will be more useful to me on the Mac...since Siri is crippled there.

However, I have a couple Dots, but with the Plex or JRiver skills, this would be useful to use with Airfoil Satellite app to send music from Mac to Airplay devices around the house. I am looking forward to putting it through the paces. There is a similar app called Lexi, but I don't think it has a Mac counterpart.

I tested the weather and it knew my city.
 
I have Alexa, it's sitting in a corner as I figure out what to do with it. Been there since the holidays as it was a gift.

I use Siri to control my phone, so it does get used.
 
JimmyJimmyYam said:
Sorry Apple - Alexa is way better than Siri.
Click to expand...

I keep seeing people say this but I don't agree. There have been times when Alexa doesn't get me an answer where Siri does and vice versa. As for the home control functionality, saw an article somewhere that addressed this. The Echo/Alexa system is more open where Apple's homekit is not. Developers were quoted saying Apple's system was slower to grow mainly due to the tight controls Apple is known for. They actually appreciated that more and felt in the end Apple's system would be more successful. It's kinda like the Apple/Android situation.
 
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