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I'm considering buying the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot. I know you can name a song and Alexa will play it on command. What about radio stations? Can you ask Alexa to play a local radio station and receive their live broadcast? (I'd like to be able to use the Dot to do this since it is so small and easy to move around instead of a full size radio)

Also, what other things can it do without having to buy extra gadgets- for instance, I know it can open/close curtains but you need extra items to be purchased to do that. I'm interested in the free stuff I can get after buying the basic Echo and Echo Dot without having to buy all the add-on stuff.

Also, does anyone know if the Echo and Echo Dot will operate in very remote areas? I'm thinking about taking one with me when I travel and I have been known to go to some very out of the way places.

One other thing- how far can the Dot be away from the Echo and still operate well? For instance, if the Echo is indoors, could the Dot be outdoors 100-200 feet away and still work ok?

If this is what my good friend has, doesn't it work off of Wi-Fi?

He likes it. Kinda like Google, you can say "Alexa" "what's the capital of Florida?" And you'll get an answer. Or "buy more toilet paper" and the order gets placed based on your last Amazon toilet paper order.

Too me, it's too big brother. "Alexa" is listening..... Always.

My guess is that it is very tied to the system, and it will never be as free, or as flexible as you would like for it to be.

If you have some more specific questions, p.m. me, and I can call my friend and drill him about it.

You can use an Echo Dot without an Echo. You don't have to buy both unless you want both. The Echo has better built-in sound for playing music. The Echo Dot only has a small speaker (it's a small device). But the Echo Dot does have a headphone jack that you can plug an external speaker into, which may give you better sound than the Echo if you use a decent external speaker.

It needs wifi to work. So you can go as remote as you want, as long as you have wifi available. That could be a hotspot from your phone if you have a data plan and your phone is capable of doing that (and you have a data signal available where you're at).

I couldn't find a definitive answer on the Dot but I do think it has an AM/FM tuner. It doesn't have an external antenna so I imagine it will only pick up strong signals. You can also listen to radio through the TuneIn app if your local station of choice is available there.

Televisions, remotes, and gaming consoles with voice control, Echo type devices, smart phones...they are quality microphones connected to the internet. If you don't have to physically press a button before giving a voice command, that means the device is always listening (for a keyword to prompt a command). Just something to keep in mind.

wolvesdad wrote: Kinda like Google, you can say "Alexa" "what's the capital of Florida?"

Isn't Havana the capital of Florida?

wolvesdad wrote:
Too me, it's too big brother. "Alexa" is listening..... Always.

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You just need to remember to turn Alexa off when you're having a very private conversation or about to have a heated argument with a vendor or contractor. But I bet people will get sloppy and forget to do this.

Thanks for the responses so far. This one may end up under the Christmas tree next to a certain package sent by a generous moderator from this site. #CopperCatcher