Echo Show 5 – Compact smart display with Alexa

Pictures show iPhone 11 Pro next to the Echo Show 5. BOTTOM LINE: Programmable talking alarm is a MUST HAVE to parents with VIRTUAL LEARNING Kids at home. This smart clock can be programmed to SAY ANYTHING you want at the precise time and day you select and repeat if desired. Imagine cloning yourself as a parent to Voice Guide your kids virtual learning at home so that you can focus on your own adult work. When class is starting, when lunch break starts, when it's time to clean up, when it's time to do homework, when it's time to get ready for Martial Arts or Dance class...etc. It's got some kinks, but still absolutely worth it if virtual learning is causing you undue stress! EXPLANATION: When the pandemic hit and my grade school kids were relegated to home virtual learning I was in a panic to adapt. My three kids all had different class schedules which made it more challenging. I started out using the alarm function on my phone which just beeped every time one of the kid's classes started. But, that meant I still had to look at the three different schedules to figure who's class was happening at that time then what corresponding materials/workbook was needed. After a couple of months of doing that I started to break down, because I couldn't get any of my own work done. There's got to be a better way, right? In comes Amazon's Echo Show 5 with Alexa. I've read some reviews saying it was a fancy clock. OK, but it can talk right? And I can make it say WHATEVER I want WHENEVER I want. Ding ding ding! Yes, please. I started out with buying one, and that was SO HELPFUL, I ended up buying five of them. One for each relevant room in our house. This 'fancy' clock does have a lot of cool functions via the Alexa App (basically a remote control for all the Amazon clocks), BUT the one thing I need it to do more than anything else right now is to be my SECOND VOICE. You can use the Amazon Alexa app to program 'Reminders' which is essentially a talking alarm. For instance, I set the clock to say at 7:30 am "Good morning, it's now 7:30 and time to wake up. Please change your clothes and brush your teeth." Then at 7:35 am - "Please get up and get going now, or you'll be late for class." Then at 7:40 am - "Get your butt out of bed now! Yes, you still have to brush your teeth even if you get up late! Let's go!" Ha, I have the clock next to my husband say something similar to get him to work on time :P The point is, using the clock's 'Reminder' function you can have it say ANYTHING at the time you designate and have it repeat every day of the week, or only on certain days, monthly, annually or only say it only once. So not only do these clocks TELL my kids to wake up, but I have the clocks tell them when their next class is, what materials to take out for that class, when their lunch break is, when their snack break is, when to do their homework, to remind them to charge their ipads and computer, and when to clean up after themselves. After school hours, I have the clocks telling them when to start getting ready for their martial arts class, dance class...etc. These 'fancy' clocks and Amazon Alexa brought a structured routine to our otherwise chaotic Virtual Learning plight. Even if I just have one virtual learning child, this would still be a necessary purchase for us. Yes, the clock has other functions that I have been learning about and starting to use as well, but the 'Reminder' function is the one I use the most. 12-21-2020 UPDATE: I'm now using Alex 'Reminder' to potty train my toddler. I setup 'Reminders' every 30 minutes for Alexa to say "It's time to go potty. Let's go! Don't forget to wipe, flush, and wash your hands!" SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS: There are some kinks; Alexa doesn't always work perfectly with every command. I would still buy it, but the following improvements would be very helpful and keep me coming back for the latest and greatest version from Amazon. 1. The 'Reminder' function needs to have some sort of PAUSE button like the 'enabled' button under the 'Routine' function. Because I've set up multiple Reminders on Alexa throughout the Virtual Learning School day and for these Reminders to repeat weekly during weekdays, I need to be able to disable them temporarily during the holidays when there isn't school. Under the Reminder function, if you swipe left it deletes that particular reminder. If you swipe right, it says that particular task is completed; so I tried swiping right to see if it only pauses that reminder for that day. But, nope. Despite a reminder that is setup to repeat every Monday, swiping right actually gets rid of it as if I deleted it! That's kind of silly, then what's the point of swiping left to delete it when swiping right does the same thing?! I've tried a few work-arounds to "pause" the reminder including setting up 'Routines' to change all volumes to zero, but there's still a faint sound. Honestly the most effective way is to just unplug the clock altogether until after the holidays. Once you plug it back in, all the reminders I previously set are still there. I'd rather not have to unplug it, because there are some reminders that are relevant to our daily lives that I would still like Alexa to announce even during the holidays. Please fix this! 2. The 'Reminder' function doesn't allow you to set it for every 30 minutes, only every hour, so I had to do a work-around and setup two separate 'Reminders' - one every hour e.g., 1:00, 2:00, 3:00...etc., and one at the 30 min mark e.g., 1:30, 2:30, 3:30...etc. For potty-training my kid, I need it to run every 30 minutes. Amazon, please fix this to allow 30 minute increments. Thanks! Updated 2/8/2021 3. I see that you can use the 'Routine' function to essentially do the same thing as the 'Reminder' function, but when I use the 'Routine' function to have Alexa say things at designated times, there's THREE obvious issues; first, the 'Routines' aren't automatically organized in order of the time that its set to go off like the 'Reminder' function. That should at least be an option under the "sort" drop down menu. Second, I like that I can choose to get 'Reminder' notices to briefly popup on my phone for times when I'm in my office working and can't hear Alexa in the other room announcing something to my kids. I have assurance that 'Reminder' was said and allows me to passively stay on top of my kid's day. But, with the 'Routine' function, getting notices on my phone isn't even an option; why not? Third, the 'Routine' function only allows for one to set repeats of "every day," "weekdays," or "weekends." So if I want to set a 'Routine' for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I have to program three separate 'Routines'! Whereas the 'Reminder' function allows for this and more customizations such as annual repeats like Birthdays. Bottom line: the 'Routine' function allows for more optionalities than the 'Reminder' function, yet is missing some of the customization allowance that makes sense for it to have. For a better user experience and simplicity, the 'Reminder' function should be a subcategory under the 'Routine' function. 4. I like the concept of the Alexa app as a remote control for all the allowed Amazon devices in my house. But honestly, the Alexa app could be more user friendly. It needs an overhaul in optics. I'm loyal to my iPhone because of it's ease of use and intuitive interface. I prefer and am starting to expect my smart devices to all have this same quality. I could detail and even digitally draw a suggested schematic for an improved interface, but that would make this review way too long.