Much like Pandora and iTunes Radio, you can rate songs to help personalize the stations to your tastes.  Unlike Pandora and iTunes Radio, you can also save Prime-eligible tracks and add them to your own custom playlists.

Of course, this requires an Amazon Prime membership to use.  This feature has been available on the website already and some Amazon Fire tablets, but this is the first time it’s available on iOS.  It does not appear to be available yet for Android devices.

Check out Amazon Music with Prime Music in the App Store

The post Amazon Adds Ad-Free Radio with Unlimited Skips to Prime Music on iOS appeared first on Technically Well.

PROs

• The Echo does a great job of hearing my voice, even if I’m fairly far away from it.  She (er, it?) can even pick out my voice over the TV.
• Echo’s voice is pleasant and very easy to understand.
• Fairly good music quality, however it’s not as good as my JBL Flip 2.
• Connects to iHeart radio and TuneIn.  It can also play news from NPR.
• Answers a surprisingly large range of questions.  “When did Green Day form?”  “Why is the sky blue?”  “How old is Cindy Crawford?”  “Really?!”
• I like how I can yell “Alexa, stop!” as I’m running out the door to stop the music (and so my neighbors can suspect that I’m being domestically abused).

CONs

• For music, the bass is there, but it is lacking.
• No smartphone integration: Echo cannot read emails, send texts, or make an appointment on your phone’s calendar.  The lists and reminders that Alexa creates are only available in the Amazon Echo app. Update 5/4/2015: Amazon now has a channel in IFTTT that brings some integration for now.  For example, I can have Alexa add items to my iPhone’s built-in Reminders list thanks to the IFTTT channel.
• No traffic reports. As of 3/13/2015, traffic reports are now supported
• No sport schedules (but she can give scores). As of 3/13/2015, Alexa can now tell you when your favorite team plays next.
• No movie show times.
• No integration with Pandora. As of 4/2/2015, Pandora is now supported (thanks, ViennaMike!).

Amazon promises improvements over time, and I’m hoping to see some integration with Gmail and Google Calendar.  Alexa won’t be replacing Siri just yet, but Alexa is still useful, if not for the music capabilities alone.

If you’re a Prime member, you can also access Amazon’s Prime Music service through the Echo, as well as the music you have purchased on the Amazon MP3 Music service.  Accessing iHeart Radio’s custom stations is tricky (Echo asks to create stations for artists I already have custom stations for), but as far as I can tell, the custom stations play ad-free at this time (please don’t change this, Amazon!).  Being able to hear the news in the morning is also very handy.

You’re probably understandably concerned about the Echo transmitting your voice to the cloud. Amazon states that the Echo only starts uploading your voice when you say the “wake word” (Alexa).  The Echo is able to detect the wake word locally (without the cloud).  There is also a mute button available for times when you’re concerned that your conversation may be going straight to the NSA.

Overall, the Echo is a useful device and I can’t wait to see what functionality Amazon brings in the future.

UPDATE (12/17/2014): The official iOS app is now available in the App Store.  The web-app (echo.amazon.com) now redirects to the official app.

UPDATE (3/13/2015): Amazon has been busy! The Echo now supports sport schedules and traffic.

[icon name=icon-arrow-right] Check out the Amazon Echo on (you guessed it) Amazon

[icon name=icon-arrow-right] Already have an Echo? Check out some tips and tricks.

The post Amazon Echo (Alexa) Review appeared first on Technically Well.

It seems to happen every year: someone unexpectedly gives you a gift and you don’t have a present in return.  Or it’s Christmas Eve and you suddenly remember that you completely forgot someone on your list.

While email gift cards can work in a pinch (assuming the person checks their email Christmas Day), physical gift cards seem to work out best for holiday giving.  These gift cards peel off of a sheet that reveals a unique serial number on the back.  You can head to Amazon’s website and use the serial number to load up some cash on the card.  It’s then ready for giving.

It’s great that Amazon is including these blank “flex gift cards” so I have some in my holiday arsenal for last-minute presents.   Thanks for helping keep us sane during the holidays, Amazon!

The post Brilliant! Amazon Begins Automatically Including Flex Gift Cards With Your Order appeared first on Technically Well.

The Fire TV stick is a great way to make your TV “smart” and add a wide array of entertainment options. Setup is quick and easy, and there are plenty of streaming and gaming options.

PROs

• A remote! This is the one thing I did not like about the Chromecast: it’s just takes to long too unlock your phone, go back to the app, and wait for it to sync up… just to pause a video.
• The small stick is easy to install. All you need is an open HDMI port on your TV and a WiFi network.
• Plenty of streaming video options: Netflix, Hulu Plus, Crackle (free movies!), YouTube, WatchESPN, and many more.
• Streaming music is included, too: Pandora, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and Amazon Music
• Games! Sonic, Game of Life, Flappy Birds, and over 200 more!
• Supports both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz WiFi networks.
• Snappy processor and ample memory storage make the user interface fluid and responsive.

CONs

• Some of the more intensive games, such as Minecraft, are not available on the Fire TV Stick (but are available on the Fire TV Box)
• A lot of the 8GB storage space is not available due to system files (only a little over 5GB is free to use)
• Entering your login credentials on the remote is cumbersome.
• I had some issues setting it up at first (update wouldn’t download, account won’t authenticate, etc), but I will blame that on overloaded servers. The issues eventually resolved a few hours later.
• The iOS app was not available yet, so I didn’t get to test that functionality.

If you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber, or have purchased content from Amazon’s Instant Video or Music services, or just want an easy way to watch Netflix, the Fire TV Stick is a great, low-cost option to enjoy streaming content and cut the cord!

TIP: Want to cut the cord but have a few favorite shows that are cable-only? I’m a fan of The Walking Dead, so I purchase a season pass for less than eight bucks a month (less than two dollars an episode) on Amazon Instant Video and I can watch it the next day on this streaming stick, my iPad or my Kindle Fire. Commercial free! And it’s stored in Amazon’s cloud, so I can re-watch it whenever I want. It is like unlimited DVR!

Check out the Amazon Fire TV Stick on Amazon

The post Amazon Fire TV Stick Review appeared first on Technically Well.

PerkTV is an application you install on your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and Android device that streams app and movie trailers.  While learning about new apps and movies hitting the big screen soon, you earn points that can be redeemed for not just Amazon gift cards, but for other merchants as well, such as Target, GameStop, Adidas, Nike, Applebee’s and more!

Every Monday, Perk cashes out your points and emails the gift card codes to you.  What could be easier than firing up an app and watching some trailers to earn some serious rewards?  Save up your gift cards for that new FitBit you’re eying up, or maybe for some new hiking gear!

  Sign-up for Perk TV with this link and start off with 100 extra points!

The post Perk TV: Earn Amazon Gift Cards for Simply Watching Videos appeared first on Technically Well.