Update on the DIY Sonos Using Plex

Now a few months in, I can weigh in on how the DIY Sonos project has gone.

The Good:
Controlling the devices with other devices work well.
Responsive volume change from remote control devices

The Bad:
Once the burner phone screen goes off, the iPad (or other remote) loses connection with it. I have to turn the phone screen back on to get the iPad to reconnect for controlling
Utter (what I'm using for the DIY Echo) has a tendency to screw up playback, and I have to disable Utter

The Unexpected:
If I have a track playing on the living room Plex phone, I can use the iPad to pause that track, then connect the iPad to the kitchen Plex phone and resume. This allows room to room streaming. Sure it's not nearly as swift as Sonos, but I'm doing this on a budget of ~$30 (two phones x $12 each, Plex app for ios and Android ~$5)

Update on DIY Amazon Echo

An update to this post
I have two ringer phones in always listening states now. One in my kitchen, the other in my living room. The living room phone is hard wired to speakers and uses the phone's mic/receiver to listen. The kitchen phone is largely novelty at this point due to Bluetooth issues which I will explain at the end.

Since the last post, I installed the apps Utter and Commandr and have been messing around with them to create a more fluid Echo-like experience. Both allow more device-specific features than what Google Now offers. One can control volume and open apps on the phone using voice commands.

Waiting for Alexa: The Case of the DIY Amazon Echo

My Amazon Echo will not arrive until late June. Originally I didn't want one, but after seeing its expansion into controlling Pandora, Spotify, and Google Play Music with just voice commands, I decided to shell the $99 for a Bluetooth speaker that can also set a timer for me without using my hands.

In addition to the DIY Sonos (previous post), I worked on an always listening Google Now setup akin to what the Moto X can do: always listening for the voice trigger.

I created a poor man's Echo. Although this guide is out of date, the idea of command strips was taken from him.

Game Review: Fields of Battle for Fire TV

I love the Fire TV. I have a bare minimum cable tv package, and Kodi's addons have given me access to live and archived shows and movies. I also have it pointed to my NAS for local movies.

When it first came out, Amazon wanted gaming to be an important factor for the device. They released their own branded controller and showcased Sev Zero at the intro.

Since its launch, though, there aren't that many good games for it. Sev Zero is intriguing but then becomes tedious unless you have a Goose on a tablet while you Maverick your way through the aliens.

Recently I installed Fields of Battle, a free paintball FPS. More games like this would keep boosting the AFTV as a serious gaming alternative, supplanting Ouya and the Shield. NBA 2K15 lacks a season mode, so I'll wait for it to be on sale before I buy it.
I don't know how to take screen shots from the FTV, so this brief review will be a wall of text.