Alexa is the popular digital assistant from Amazon. It powers the familiar woman’s voice integrated into most Amazon smart devices. A popular question in most people’s minds is whether Alexa is the same as the Echo dot. Well, it is not. An equally asked question is whether you need Alexa to use Echo Dot.
Alexa is what makes your Echo Dot smart. Your Echo Dot can function as a Bluetooth speaker. However, before you can access the Bluetooth capabilities of the Echo Dot, you have to activate it which requires setting up Alexa.
In this article, we will have a look at whether Alexa is the same as Echo Dot, whether you can use Echo Dot without Alexa, and how to connect Echo Dot to Alexa. So stay tuned for more on this!
Is Echo Dot The Same as Alexa?
To answer the question, Echo Dot and Alexa are two different entities.
- Alexa is specifically the name of the personified virtual voice assistant that controls smart devices like home automation. It can perform a variety of tasks that include answering queries, providing entertainment by playing music or games, and performing various tasks such as dimming lights, adjusting the thermostat, and much more.
- The Echo dot on the other hand is the physical device or speaker with which one interacts with. To put it simply, it is the name given to the physical devices or speakers that house or host Alexa, the Artificial Intelligence. With voice commands on an Echo dot, one can have their questions answered, play the news or have music playing. This is done through an Alexa personal assistant.
To put it simply, Alexa is the “software” and is found within the Echo dot which in this case can be referred to as the “Hardware”.
Can You Use Echo Dot Without Alexa?
The answer to this query is as simple as it is hard. In retrospect, without Alexa, the Echo dot is nothing more than a Bluetooth speaker. An Echo dot device is capable of acting as a purely Bluetooth speaker so you could stream music using the device without an internet connection. Before accessing its Bluetooth capabilities, however, one needs to set up Alexa.
However, for android devices, the case is a tad bit different. All you need to do is head over to Settings and select System Settings then click on the Echo or Amazon button. Once done, choose Paired to open the Alexa app. Click on the icon on the bottom right corner and select Echo and Alexa. You should be able to select your speaker then click on the Pair new device option, allowing you to play music without the use of Alexa.
Most people however do not see the need for getting the Echo dot device and using Alexa. They feel that it defeats the entire purpose of getting the device. There exists another faction of people, however, who feel that Alexa is nothing more than a nuisance in the Echo dot. This is because they believe it has its limitations such as;
- Alexa can’t record a voice memo,
- At times it’s impossible to customize the virtual assistant name (Alexa)
- You are limited to only four wake words for the device
- Alexa’s voice is predominantly female and cannot be changed unlike in Siri and Google Assistant which offer a multiple choice of vocal registers and accents to choose from.
- Other limitations that people find a little bit irritating include the lack of swearing and cuss words as well as Alexa being unable to perform a 911 call and its inability to perform multiple actions with a single command.
But all in all, no matter the limitations, we can safely say that it’s impossible to use the Echo Dot without Alexa.
Do You Need Alexa App to Use Echo Dot?
To answer this question, you need to interrogate for what purpose you intend to use your Echo dot device. If it’s for streaming music using Bluetooth without an internet connection only, for all intents and purposes, one can use the Echo dot without the need for the Alexa app.
The only catch is that Alexa needs to be set up first for you to use the Bluetooth function of the device.
If the intended purpose is solely streaming music through the internet, then the Echo dot device cannot function without the Alexa app. The conundrum thus exists in that, for whatever intended purpose, the Alexa app must be configured first for the device to function efficiently.
It seems that using the Echo Dot to stream music via the internet requires the Alexa app to be installed. If it isn’t installed, then the best you can do is stream music without an internet connection.
New generations of Echo dot however come with an already pre-installed Alexa app. To put it simply, it would be impossible to buy the Echo dot and Alexa as separate entities or products.
How To Connect Echo Dot To Alexa
Setting up your Echo dot device with Alexa isn’t a difficult task. You can do this by following these few easy steps. It will take you not more than a few minutes even if you are a novice.
- The first and most important step is to download or update the Alexa app in your device’s app store.
- Once done, plug in your Echo Dot device.
- From your mobile device, go to the Alexa app and open it.
- Open the More tab that appears on your screen and select the Add a Device option.
- Click on the Amazon Echo, followed by Echo, the Echo Dot then Echo Plus, and More.
- Once the Echo Dot icon appears on your mobile device, select it. It prompts you to go to your Wi-Fi settings.
- Choose the network you want to connect it to.
- Select the external speaker your Echo device will connect to. This step only applies if you are using an external speaker.
- The final step is selecting the room where the Echo dot device is located. You can alternatively create a new room.
Once done with all these steps, your Echo dot is successfully connected to Alexa and you can now enjoy the Alexa experience on your device.
Conclusion
Alexa is a marvelous creation with a myriad range of capabilities. The Echo Dot allows you to enjoy the services of this virtual assistant. They still have a long way to go as far as improvements are concerned but once you are familiar with how they work, then you will enjoy the experience.
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