Holiday cottage smart speakers (Amazon Echo/Google Home)

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tchn
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Holiday cottage smart speakers (Amazon Echo/Google Home)

Post by tchn »

Hello all,
Some of the current deals are tempting me into putting Amazon Echo speakers into our cottage (we have them at home). I'm interested in whether others have and how it has gone down. Specific thoughts I'm pondering:
1. We have an internet radio in the kitchen by Pure; it's fiddly to use - Echo is surely better - 'Alexa play X name of station X' seems to work for every station I can think of.
2. The new combination of stereo paired echos with a sub appear to give a good music system that doesn't need wires. However you can't yet use that with bluetooth (individually they can act as bluetooth speakers - another plus for the kitchen one), so I either need to buy now while on offer and expect it to resolved, or decide to include a subscription to Amazon music unlimited
3. Whilst they make excellent alarm clocks and bedside radios, I'm guessing some guests would be uncomfortable with a listening speaker in the bedroom, so I would only look to have them in the living room and the kitchen.
4. Amazon account - I think I'd just create a different account for the cottage and block all the purchasing by voice options. Is this how others have done it?
Thanks,
Tom
SPJ
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Post by SPJ »

Given that they are listening devices, do you really want something in your property being used by people you don't know, saying stuff over which you have no control?
Or is that too "Big Brother" to be believable?
tchn
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Post by tchn »

SPJ wrote:Given that they are listening devices, do you really want something in your property being used by people you don't know, saying stuff over which you have no control?
Or is that too "Big Brother" to be believable?
I'm not sure I get your point. I can imagine that some guests won't like it, and can turn them off, but I can't see why I, as an owner, would have a problem with it. I provide wifi, over which guests can access and transmit content that I have no control over - so I don't see a different risk.
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bornintheuk
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Post by bornintheuk »

You obviously are used to them as you have them already for personal use, however I wouldn't have one in the house and if staying at a property with one it would probably end up thrown in the garden.
Horrible intrusive tech :evil:
What would Plato do ?
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

With so many people having Smart phones, etc etc, I'd probably rather just put a Bluetooth speaker in there.
GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

I'm a bit of a luddite.

The words 'listening device' suggests to me that you would/could listen to our conversations.

But, even if that were not the case I wouldn't be interested in the device and would put it in a drawer or cupboard.
SPJ
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Post by SPJ »

Perhaps on a more serious note - depends who your target audience is. You know best whether your guests are like you. If they are and they are already comfortable with Amazon Echo and the like, then by all means have one - you will have an edge over your competition.

Just bear in mind (as shown by the comments above) this is a technology that totally polarizes people at the moment. There will be those who just hate it and who will think YOU are listening in. So maybe a possibility would be rather than leave it in the cottage, offer it to people as an option.
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

just another thing for an owner to complain that the guest has broken?
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
Circé
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Post by Circé »

+1 SPJ

Excuse me for being a luddite, but could guests bring their own Echo or whatever and use it in their holiday home on their own Amazon or whatever account?
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

I think these sort of gadgets are great if you are on site and do your own changeovers. That way you will immediately spot if a guest “accidentally” packs it because “they thought the wife bought theirs with them” (quote from the guests who took home our cafetière).

If you use cleaners, then there is more of a risk that it might walk and not be noticed straight away.
newtimber
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Post by newtimber »

If you look at the terms and conditions for use for any of the subscription services, they are for your own personal use so you cannot let your guests use them.
That rules out music/film subscriptions so you are just left with a bluetooth speaker.
tchn
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Post by tchn »

Thank you all for your thoughts. From the mildly aggressive tone of some responses, I can see that the potential eavesdropping aspect is more of an issue for some people than I had realised; although of course if you really wanted to spy on your guests there are subtler ways of doing it (all of which would be illegal).

I've dug around and summarise here my current thoughts for anyone else who searches for this.

1. There will be technical solutions to the privacy issues: Amazon are trialling 'Alexa for Hospitality' in the US. Although currently focused on the hotel market, I suspect eventually it will be an option for 'vacation rentals'.

2. I agree with Newtimber about subscription services, although a scan of holiday cottage adverts shows that many seem to offer Sky, Netflix etc and have done for a long time without those companies appearing to think it an issue worth pursuing. I'm not condoning it.

3. Without subscription services, it is still more than a bluetooth speaker - it's an internet radio (we have no DAB or FM reception). It can also be a virtual concierge filled with your own answers: https://www.virtualconciergeservice.com/. It's an alarm clock, kitchen timer etc.

4. A quick search of either "holiday cottage/Vacation Rental" AND "amazon echo" shows that there are a reasonable number of rentals with them in already, and I've found no negative reviews about them. I'd be really interested in feedback from anyone who has done it. I'm considering experimenting with a 'plug it in if you want to' trial with one device.

5. Figures suggest that 20% of US and 10% of UK households have smart speakers at the start of this year - with the UK number having doubled in a few months. Given sales on Amazon recently, that number will increase. I suspect this is a tipping point issue for us; like internet and Smart TVs (why would anyone want either on holiday - we might have asked once...) there will come a time when it will be expected in higher end cottages. From the responses here, that's clearly not yet. Who wants a wager? 5 years?

T
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

We have Netflix, but only as an app on the TV, guests need to log in with their own accounts if they want to use it. And it is French Netflix.
AppletreeGlamping
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Post by AppletreeGlamping »

Sales figures do not equal usage.

Overall I would find them intrusive and no different to sticking a surveillance camera in the house (minus the video feed) maybe I'm old but I don't see the must have appeal.

What is the killer feature?

Whereas a Bluetooth speaker system is a positive
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

Having read the link above, I would be interested in this now. Can you please let me know how it goes for you tchn?
Many thanks.
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