Alexa has turned teenager on me

[SmithsInFrance]

I use Alexa in the kitchen to listen to the radio (via TuneIn) most of the day every day. A few months ago she started playing up.
Started off that the radio would just go off, if I asked her to resume or asked her to play it again, that would work.
They I started to disconnect and plug in again, that sorted it for a while... but I was disconnecting several times a day and eventually the radio was only playing for 5 or 10 minutes before it stops again.
Over the weekend she stopped playing the radio at all, even when she said she was. I tried bluetoothing it from my phone, but although the radio played on my phone as soon as I bluetoothed to Alexa there was just silence.
Phoned Amazon, they suggested disconnecting, asking her to play music and then to play radio. That worked. For a couple of times, now back to square one.

Our walls are quite thick, so first thought was I needed a wifi extender - but now I'm thinking it is Alexa that is the root of the problem. Any suggestions pls?
PS same problem occurs if I play radio via BBC Sounds, so don't think it is a TuneIn problem...

 

[Langtoftlad]

BBC Sounds is notoriously fickle with Alexa/Tunein
The BBC want to share the data Tunein collects & they won't allow it - so the Beeb keeps tweaking their software. Usually settles down after a few days.

 

[phase3begins]

Don’t have one but did a quick google. There are a number of help forums.
This one seems a good starter

Echo & Alexa Forums - Index

Echo & Alexa Forums - Index

www.echotalk.org

 

[pappajohn]

Alexa has all the information on you she needs so you are of no use anymore.

 

[pete4x4]

You can ask Alexa if she is connected to the internet at any time plus you can see on the Alexa app what Alexa thinks you asked her to do, its under: More, Activity, Voice History. You can filter by device if you have more than one.
This might give you an idea of what is happening

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[SmithsInFrance]

thanks for all those responses, really helpful.

BBC Sounds is notoriously fickle with Alexa/Tunein

Aha, that's a good one! So I'm now listening via BBC Sounds and although it dipped out once it is definitely a lot better. Thank you for that

Don’t have one but did a quick google. There are a number of help forums.

Many thanks for that link - I did google it but couldn't find anything helpful at all, but didn't come across this, so will have a look

You can ask Alexa if she is connected to the internet at any time plus you can see on the Alexa app what Alexa thinks you asked her to do, its under: More, Activity, Voice History. You can filter by device if you have more than one.
This might give you an idea of what is happening

Thanks - didn't think to ask Alexa about connectivity, although when I ask her to connect and she says she is and then doesn't (!) that would seem to suggest connectivity isn't (always) the issue although it might be sometimes.

I did check on my app and interestingly the app thought that TuneIn was playing, but no sound was coming out....

Thanks again to all for your help
Mrs S

 

[Coolcats]

I use Alexa in the kitchen to listen to the radio (via TuneIn) most of the day every day. A few months ago she started playing up.
Started off that the radio would just go off, if I asked her to resume or asked her to play it again, that would work.
They I started to disconnect and plug in again, that sorted it for a while... but I was disconnecting several times a day and eventually the radio was only playing for 5 or 10 minutes before it stops again.
Over the weekend she stopped playing the radio at all, even when she said she was. I tried bluetoothing it from my phone, but although the radio played on my phone as soon as I bluetoothed to Alexa there was just silence.
Phoned Amazon, they suggested disconnecting, asking her to play music and then to play radio. That worked. For a couple of times, now back to square one.

Our walls are quite thick, so first thought was I needed a wifi extender - but now I'm thinking it is Alexa that is the root of the problem. Any suggestions pls?
PS same problem occurs if I play radio via BBC Sounds, so don't think it is a TuneIn problem...

Just buy an old fashioned radio it’s one way transmission and won’t be spying on every conversation you have

 

[Just smiffy]

I use Alexa in the kitchen to listen to the radio (via TuneIn) most of the day every day. A few months ago she started playing up.
Started off that the radio would just go off, if I asked her to resume or asked her to play it again, that would work.
They I started to disconnect and plug in again, that sorted it for a while... but I was disconnecting several times a day and eventually the radio was only playing for 5 or 10 minutes before it stops again.
Over the weekend she stopped playing the radio at all, even when she said she was. I tried bluetoothing it from my phone, but although the radio played on my phone as soon as I bluetoothed to Alexa there was just silence.
Phoned Amazon, they suggested disconnecting, asking her to play music and then to play radio. That worked. For a couple of times, now back to square one.

Our walls are quite thick, so first thought was I needed a wifi extender - but now I'm thinking it is Alexa that is the root of the problem. Any suggestions pls?
PS same problem occurs if I play radio via BBC Sounds, so don't think it is a TuneIn problem...

Mines been doing that for a while lately.... comes and goes though. Only on the one down stairs, the one in the bedroom works fine... she can be fickle... don’t think she likes being in the kitchen all day.....

 

[SmithsInFrance]

Just buy an old fashioned radio it’s one way transmission and won’t be spying on every conversation you have

Yes but I live in France, halfway down, don’t think a radio could pick it up?

 

[kevenh]

Just buy an old fashioned radio it’s one way transmission and won’t be spying on every conversation you have

Have people got acoustic dampers on their wall & windows so someone with a focused microphone can’t hear them speak from outside?
Or voice encryption on their phone calls?
Maybe people with that level of concern should stay away from a voice assistant
But for the rest of us, Which don’t seem alarmed. Source

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[Coolcats]

Thats OK if you do not value your privacy, letting Google, Amazon and FB have your information. You don't need to listen just by using these companies you are bleeding more about you than you would share with a mate down the Pub!

Here is an article by Leo Kelion,

Why Amazon knows so much about you​

"You might call me an Amazon super-user.
I’ve been a customer since 1999, and rely on it for everything from grass seed to birthday gifts.
There are Echo speakers dotted throughout my home, Ring cameras inside and out, a Fire TV set-top box in the living room and an ageing Kindle e-reader by my bedside.

I submitted a data subject access request, asking Amazon to disclose everything it knows about me
Scanning through the hundreds of files I received in response, the level of detail is, in some cases, mind-bending.
One database contains transcriptions of all 31,082 interactions my family has had with the virtual assistant Alexa. Audio clips of the recordings are also provided.
The 48 requests to play Let It Go, flag my daughter’s infatuation with Disney’s Frozen.
Other late-night music requests to the bedroom Echo, might provide a clue to a more adult activity.

Clicking on another file reveals 2,670 product searches I had carried out within its store since 2017. There are more than 60 supplementary columns for each one, containing information such as what device I’d been using, how many items I subsequently clicked on, and a string of numbers that hint at my location.
One spreadsheet actually triggers a warning message saying it is too big for my software to handle. It contains details of the 83,657 Kindle interactions I’ve had since 2018, including the exact time of day for each tap. An associated document divides up my reading sessions for each e-book, timing each to the millisecond.

And on it goes."

 

[SmithsInFrance]

Wow. That is real big brother stuff ...

 

[kevenh]

Amazon do not use VA customer data except for a small percentage (~2% or maybe just .2% ) to tune the ML/AI (i.e. feature learning) for the Product.
Google do use what it's VA records for targeted advertising.

Neither would sell on customer data due to GDPR regulations.
I have been on enough annual data protection (as it was) and now GDPR training from the corporations I've worked at to know the corporations like Sky & Amazon do not want to break those laws.

Yes, beware of what privacy settings your various apps have but also do recall that since Tesco's Clubcard we have been inviting a companies knowledge of our habits

 

[Janine]

My Alexa has developed a short-term memory deficit!
I have a reminder to put the bins out on Mondays - she must have repeated it half a dozen times

 

[Coolcats]

Amazon do not use VA customer data except for a small percentage (~2% or maybe just .2% ) to tune the ML/AI (i.e. feature learning) for the Product.
Google do use what it's VA records for targeted advertising.

Neither would sell on customer data due to GDPR regulations.
I have been on enough annual data protection (as it was) and now GDPR training from the corporations I've worked at to know the corporations like Sky & Amazon do not want to break those laws.

Yes, beware of what privacy settings your various apps have but also do recall that since Tesco's Clubcard we have been inviting a companies knowledge of our habits

Of Course, all that data just sitting there being collected and its all for benign use....maybe, maybe not. after the Cambridge Analytic debacle (I know that was FB) but who knows who has your data from Google and what its being used for.

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[Burgo]

SmithsInFrance Tune in and BBC skills play up for me as well. I find the "radioplayer" skill more stable. Try "Ask radioplayer to play radio 6".

 

[Boris7]

I use Alexa in the kitchen to listen to the radio (via TuneIn) most of the day every day. A few months ago she started playing up.
Started off that the radio would just go off, if I asked her to resume or asked her to play it again, that would work.
They I started to disconnect and plug in again, that sorted it for a while... but I was disconnecting several times a day and eventually the radio was only playing for 5 or 10 minutes before it stops again.
Over the weekend she stopped playing the radio at all, even when she said she was. I tried bluetoothing it from my phone, but although the radio played on my phone as soon as I bluetoothed to Alexa there was just silence.
Phoned Amazon, they suggested disconnecting, asking her to play music and then to play radio. That worked. For a couple of times, now back to square one.

Our walls are quite thick, so first thought was I needed a wifi extender - but now I'm thinking it is Alexa that is the root of the problem. Any suggestions pls?
PS same problem occurs if I play radio via BBC Sounds, so don't think it is a TuneIn problem...

You could just use a devise (iPad, laptop etc) and connect a speaker.

That would just work and not listen to you and try to sell you stuff

 

[SmithsInFrance]

SmithsInFrance Tune in and BBC skills play up for me as well. I find the "radioplayer" skill more stable. Try "Ask radioplayer to play radio 6".

Hey thanks so much for that Burgo - hadn't heard of it before, but it worked

 

[SmithsInFrance]

You could just use a devise (iPad, laptop etc) and connect a speaker.

That would just work and not listen to you and try to sell you stuff

Yes I could but then the battery goes flat or I have to keep it plugged in. Alexa is neat and just sits on the side. But I have been doing that recently because Alexa has been so temperamental