After using it more than 3 days, this thing feels like a magic wand, we don't have amazon fresh in Oklahoma yet but since amazon clinched the deal on buying wholefoods, i assume very soon we will have the best amazon fresh service around here.
Before i share my experiences and thoughts on this Amazon Dash Wand, here are somethings that you guys make sure you don't forget and be aware;
1- Amazon Dash Wand is not intended to replace Amazon Echo/Alexa (IT IS AN EXTENDED SHOPPING TOOL FOR AMAZON USERS)
2- Amazon Dash Wand is not an Echo/Alexa device (SO IT WONT DO EVERYTHING ECHO DOES)
3- Amazon Dash Wand is not an entertainment device (SO IT WONT PLAY MUSIC)
4- Amazon Dash Wand is not a tv remote control (unless you have echo with anymote or logitech setup) (ITS A BARCODE SCANNER)
5- Amazon Dash Wand is not a Bluetooth speaker or music player nor mp3 or video player (SO IT DOESN'T NEED A BETTER SPEAKER)
6- Amazon Dash Wand is not a wi-fi router or mobile phone ( SO IT DOESN'T HAVE THE TOP WI-FI SPECS)
7- I have noticed people complain about tight battery door (HEY NOBODY WANTS LOOSE FALLING A PART DEVICE THAT DROPS PARTS< PIECES)
8- for $20 YOU SHOULDN'T EXPECT A SPACE SHIP! Just read what's it for and use it for its purposes!
9 - YOU NEED ACTUAL ECHO/ALEXA TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL YOUR SMART HOME OR OTHER DEVICES THRU THE WAND, WAND ITSELF CANNOT PERFORM THOSE ACTIONS, NOT MADE FOR IT! IT CAN BE USED WITH ACTUAL ALEXA/ECHO TO EXECUTE THOSE SMART DEVICE/HOME COMMANDS.
Here are my thoughts thru my experience;
1- Bar-code Scanner, this is a killer functionality, I do not have to search for the same product anymore, just scan it and call it good!
2- The wand has Echo/Alexa skills added and it doesn't require Echo/Alexa device, it is also so great that it can work with your Echo/Alexa device if you already have one by integrating with it.
3- If you want to control your smart devices thru Amazon Dash Wand, you need to have actual Echo/Alexa device with skills and setups ready along with your smart home devices. I use smartthings, logitech, roku, nest and other stuff with my actual Echo device so this Dash Wand is working for me great to control devices from other rooms without yelling it!
4- Alexa skills added Dash Wand gives your news, can make jokes, can read and provide recipes and help your order stuff, it does pretty much many things that Echo/Alexa can do but not the skills and fancy stuff without it. Don't expect everything echo does from wand.totally different device.
5- Great shopping tool for amazon shoppers, this is a great extension tool for making your shopping easy around home or the place you set up to.
6- Wand itself has a magnet into it, so you can straight stick it on your refrigerator, but that could be the reason poor wi-fi that people experiencing.
Cons:
1- I wish it had dual band wi-fi support, if you are 5Ghz network lover or have a whole 5ghz wifi setup in your place, this will be a deal breaker for you.
2- Better wi-fi range would be nice to have, i have $500 military grade router, 3 rooms after Amazon Dash Wand struggles to operate due to operation needs internet connectivity, so the antenna or receiver in it probably very old school maybe even a recycled old model wi-fi module.
3- There is magnet into the wand to hold on the metal appliances, this is possibly exposed not sealed from the wi-fi module and that's why wand has poor wi-fi issues or sometimes (rarely in my case) having hard time to understand your commands, even tho I have a high end military grade WI-FI router.
---I don't know how can a manufacturer or a designer can make a mistake like that!!! You don't put wi-fi module and magnet side by side, it will interrupt the signals and signal quality will be decreased. This is basic electronic, many of us know it for sure.
Conclusion;
Many of buyers and some people who provided a bad feedback or talking negative about this device, they actually don't read or know about what this amazon dash wand made for, and they have too much expectations for the $20 device (even free, promo gives you $20 back when purchase something).
it does what it suppose to do, bar-code scanner to have it at home to shop and order stuff thru amazon is awesome, looks like it will have a great battery life, it understands me well and don't need to stick it in my mouth to talk, it can hear and understand easily, even tho you have an accent in your English. Wi-fi capabilities are limited so it is little bit sad about it but that's okay for many users. It can be improved but really you don't need to carry the whole echo around the house or with you. Keep your home smart, but don't make your brain quit executing some tasks...
Finally: I'm glad it was free, I mean the $20 dollar promotion they provide after you buy it. But the wand looks like a decent device, if you know how to handle, use electronics. But still I see many people having some issues, there are not a lot of instructions or information flowing around about how to set up what need what not need to execute other things with it as people have big expectations. It is kind of a rushed manufacturing, I bet many defective devices out there causing all these complaints, and also not enough info and instructions. Also I am sure not everyone is an IT pro or not everyone have a pro network setup and understand this and that etc etc... But definitely Dual Band wif-fi required on this wand!