It is possible to use Amazon Echo outside US but there are some challenges in setting it up. Specifically, I was trying to setup for use in Malaysia.
Hello, Anyone know how to change Spotify accounts on my Echo? I'm in Canada so don't have the Alexa app available, only the website. I originally set it up with my own Spotify profile (under family plan) but now my wife and kids are using it and messing up my suggestions.
Motivation
The Echo has good sound quality, able to connect to Spotify, and is voice-activated.
It was just 2 days before launch of the new Echo Plus. The old Echo was selling for USD79.99 at Whole Foods. A steep drop from its original retail sticker of USD199. Someone was visiting US and I asked for his help to buy one.
I have been eyeing one for a long time but resellers in Malaysia sell it for quite a big premium. Amazon, if you are reading this, please start selling this in Malaysia.
Demonstration
I did a short video to demonstrate that it works in Malaysia.
My journey - problems and solutionsUS plug
The Echo adapter supports 110-240v range. No issues there except that the plug is US-type. A cheap adapter would do just fine. Neither need expensive transformer nor international adapters.
Installing Amazon Alexa App
The first problem I faced was the absence of Amazon Alexa app from Google Play Store. The message on Play Store says This item cannot be installed in your device’s country.
The way around this (for Android) is to first install Amazon Appstore. Then search for Amazon Alexa.
You may be prompted to authorise installation of app from unknown sources. Grant Amazon Appstore the permission.
Getting the app directly from Amazon is the most secure option. I strongly recommend that you do NOT install Alexa App from untrusted sources.
I did not setup my Alexa via the mobile app but it should work. I configured my device from my laptop’s web browser.
Setting up via desktop or laptop web browser
You could perform the setup via web browser from laptop/desktop but not from mobile device web browsers. As mentioned in the previous section, this was the approach that I used.
You need an Amazon.com account which you can create for free if you do not already have. It will tell you to connect to Echo’s built-in Wi-Fi then proceed with setting it to connect to your home’s Wi-Fi. While wireless connection works fine, I would have preferred to connect via Ethernet port if it came with one.
Playing internet radio on TuneIn
This one is easy to get going. Wake it up and tell it to play music.
Alexa (wait sub-second for it to respond with LED glow), play Hitz FM fromTuneIn. In just a second, it began to play. Good but I wanted it to play what I want to listen to on demand. Trying to setup Spotify
I knew that Echo could connect to Spotify. Despite Spotify being available in Malaysia, Amazon greyed out the option. Firstly, I tried to set my location via alexa.amazon.com, Settings - General - Device location, and I even changed its Device time zone to US but failed to make Spotify option available.
Previously, I suggested adding a US address into your Amazon.com account which was thought to work. However, reader Leslie Lip pointed out that it is necessary to set the country to United States under Content and Devices instead. See screenshots: Ondesoft spotify to mp3.
Then pick United States.
Now return back to alexa.amazon.com, Settings - Music & Media. You should be able to link account to Spotify. If not, you may want to try performing logout and relogin, in case you were already logged in.
Testing it:
Alexa, play [song title] by [artist] from Spotify
I had to tell it “from Spotify” or else it will attempt to play via Amazon Music. That is okay if I had subscription to the latter. To trim the 2 postfix, I setup Echo to use Spotify as default music service. Go to Settings - Music & Media - Choose default music services, finally select Spotify.
Testing it:
Alexa, play [song title] by [artist]
In just a second, Echo begins playing.
Note: Spotify premium is required.
Telling time
Given the absence of Malaysia timezone option in the configuration, I had to pick an equivalent option, thankfully there is, China.
Alexa, what time is it? Soundcloud go vs spotify premium.
Local weather
Firstly, set the device location via alexa.amazon.com.
Settings > This Device > Device location
Previously, Malaysia was not in the list of countries.
I had to say:
Alexa, tell me weather forecast for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Explicitly stating the city and country works. If you mentioned just the country, it will be prompting you to name the city.
As at 13 January 2018, Malaysia is in the dropdown list. If your country is available in the dropdown list, set the device home location. You could then omit saying the city and country explicitly: Bunny app free spotify.
Alexa, tell me weather forecast.
Traffic
Difference between spotify free and premium 2014. Firstly, set the location of your work place:
Settings > Traffic
I set the From to my home address and To to my office address in Cyberjaya. Then ask Alexa:
Alexa, tell me traffic to work.
It will respond with the current traffic condition and suggestion of the fastest route.
Currency conversion rates
Example:
Alexa, what is the conversion rate between US dollar and Malaysia Ringgit. Miku miku dance download mac.
It responded with the conversion rate. However, it responded with ‘s’ postfix Ringgits which is incorrect. Plural of Ringgit is Ringgit.
Sound quality and volume
The Echo audio quality sounds very good and it can be loud when you need it to be.
Alexa, louder, or if you prefer a more gradual increase, Alexa, slightly louder.
For under RM400, it exceeded my expectations. I am looking forward to hooking it to IFTTT to make use of its far-field voice control for automation.
Where to buy
A family member who was visiting US helped me to purchase the first generation Echo from Whole Foods Market, a subsidiary of Amazon.com. The 2nd generation Echo is available on Amazon.com. Unfortunately, they do not ship to Malaysia.
A lot of Android users are complaining that Spotify doesn't work on their phone's lock screen. Ideally, when you are listening to songs on Spotify and lock your screen, you should be able to see a lock screen widget with a few details — album art, song title, singer, and buttons to control the playback.
During my research, I found that the problem is not specific to select phone models but can happen on any smartphone. That can be frustrating as most people like to listen to music when doing other stuff like working out, traveling and other activities. Unlocking the phone just to interact with the Spotify app seems tedious.
Let’s take a look at some potential solutions.
1. Try to Log out and Log Back In
Some of our readers suggest that logging out and then logging back in helped them resolve this issue. After that, they were able to see the Spotify widget on their smartphone’s lock screen. To sign out, tap on the Settings icon on the upper right and scroll to the bottom of the screen to find the Log out option.
Then you can sign in using your email ID or Facebook account. Use the same method you tried the first time so that you don’t end up creating a new account instead. Check if you can see the Spotify music widget on the lock screen now and if the controls are working.
Also on Guiding TechHow to Play Spotify Premium on Multiple DevicesRead More2. Notification Settings
Every app that you install on your Android smartphone comes with its own set of notification settings that dictates what happens when the phone is locked. Xhamstervideodownloader apk for mac download free. Let’s take a look at Spotify notification settings.
Open Settings and then tap on Notifications & status bar. Check that the Show notification icons and Show on Lock screen options are toggled on. Otherwise, you won’t see notifications or shortcuts for any app on the lock screen. Tap on App notifications.
Scroll to the bottom of the screen to find Spotify — the list is always in alphabetical order. Unlike before, these notification settings pertain to the specific app. In this case, Spotify. Make sure that Show notifications and App icon badge is toggled on.
There are two more settings left in the above screenshot. First is Playback which will allow you to control your music on the lock screen. Tap to open it and make sure that Show notifications option is toggled on. Other settings in this screen are optional. Similarly, the Show notifications should be toggled on for Spotify Music too.
Now open Spotify and play a song. Lock your screen and check if you can see the Spotify playback widget there. Note: Samsung users have shared that setting the View Style to Detailed under Settings-Lock Screen-Notifications-View Style also helped them resolve the issue. If you have that option on your Android, then try it because I don’t. Manufacturers are known to alter stock Android with their spin for some reason!
3. Power Saving Mode Off
Power Saving mode is a handy feature until it gets in the way of how an app functions. Power Saving mode keeps your apps in check and prevents them from consuming too many resources like CPU, GPS, and battery juice unnecessarily when they are not actively being used or when the phone is locked. They can often act like an overprotective parent leading to apps not working correctly.
To check, open Settings and tap on Battery & performance. Again, your smartphone may have slightly different settings (it may be called Battery Optimization instead) depending on your make and model. Tap on Choose apps to configure individual app settings.
Either search for Spotify or open it by scrolling. Tap on it to open. Tap on No restrictions to stop your smartphone from preventing Spotify to function correctly in the background when the phone is locked.
4. Clean Reinstall
Spotify stores all your songs and playlists on its servers, there is no harm in uninstalling the app. But we want to do a clean install. First, log out of Spotify like you did in the first step above. Now open Settings and tap on Installed Apps. Find Spotify and open it.
Tap on Force stop to halt any running activity behind the screen. Tap on Clear data and select Clear all data. That should remove all temporary files and folders from your phone.
Finally, tap on Uninstall on the same screen to remove Spotify from your smartphone. Go back to the Play Store and install Spotify again. See if you can see Spotify music widget on the lock screen now.
5. Lock Screen Manager
The good thing about the Android platform is that it is endlessly customizable. That means there is an app out there that can manage and customize your lock screen. Some of our users have had success with this method. We have already covered three lock screen apps for Android, so check them out. There are many others on the Play Store too.
Also on Guiding TechGoogle Play Music Vs Spotify: Android Music Apps FaceoffRead MoreSpot It
Spotify is one of the best music streaming app out there. I love it because it makes it easier to follow other's curated playlists. While most of the time it works fine right out of the box, there are times when there is a conflict between app and system settings.
Next up: Do you use Spotify? Here are 21 Spotify Music tips and tricks to help you become a pro at it.
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.Read Next Spotify Greyed Out Alexa Apps21 Spotify Music Tips and Tricks You Must Check OutSpotify Greyed Out Alexa App StoreAlso See#spotify #streaming #musicDid You Know
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