Harman Kardon Invoke Cortana Speaker

Anonymous
2020-03-04T03:48:09+00:00

Okay, I made the mistake of buying 4 Invokes for $50 at the Microsoft Store. I first bought two and really like them and then bought two more.  I have two of them set up.

I love the sound quality (it's better than the Echo Dots and Google Homes that I also have) and I've been pretty happy with them. I use them for listening to the radio (via TuneIn), setting timers, and as my alarm clock.

I have also set up reminders and they showed up in my Windows PC as a notification. That's something that I don't think Alexa or Google Home can do.  Really neat!  I also like Cortana's personality.

But I made the mistake of waiting too long before setting the other two up. I have been trying since December 2019 to set them up using both my Windows 10 PC and an Android phone. The setup app can connect to the speakers and then have the speakers connect to my WiFi network. Everything seems to be going well but the set up process never finishes.

After connecting to WiFi, the speaker tells me it needs to update the system software/firmware and to please wait. Eventually, the speakers tells me that something went wrong and that I should start the setup process over again.

I keep repeating the setup process and the same thing happens. It seems like it is trying to update the software/firmware to the latest version but a server is down or something so it can never finish the set up process.

Can someone from Microsoft please tell me if it is still possible to setup my two remaining Harmon Kardon Invoke speakers?  Is the server responsible for setting up and updating the Invoke still operating?

If not, is there any way I can manually update the firmware on the Invokes to the latest? There is a USB port on the Invoke that is supposed to be used for "service". Can this be used to update the firmware?  Is there a firmware file available for download?

If the server is down, can Microsoft put the server back up again so I can set up my remaining two Invokes?  I received no warning that this would happen.  Perhaps you host the server on your Azure Cloud services?  That would seem like the perfect place to do it.  It shouldn't take up too much resources as it would just spin up when needed.  Please restore the server even if it's only for a limited time.  Just give us a warning when it will go down so we would have time to set up our speakers before its too late.

I tried emailing Harman Kardon but I can tell they won't be of much help.  Any help or information would be greatly appreciated.  These are brand new speakers and I would just hate for them to be useless right out of the box.  And I wish that Microsoft wouldn't give up on Cortana like this.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Cortana and search

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-01-01T05:35:58+00:00

    For removing Cortana MS is offering a $50 gift card, not the best but at least it is something

    Additionally, we are offering the opportunity to receive one Microsoft Store $50 promotional gift card per active Invoke. This offer is for the owner of the latest U.S.-based Microsoft account used to set up an Invoke speaker that sent a voice request to the Cortana service after July 31, 2019, and prior to July 31, 2020. SEE THE TERMS BELOW AND REQUEST A GIFT CARD AT THE INVOKE REDEMPTION WEBSITE BEFORE JULY 31, 2021.*

    This was all in the email the sent all Invoke Harmond users, if you read it.

    Have a Happy New Year

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-11-29T00:41:56+00:00

    This may help if you haven’t receive one already. 

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-11-29T00:06:14+00:00

    I found this info on YouTube: 

    Windows 10 May 2020 update Cortana app questions and answers June 2020

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-11-28T23:37:54+00:00

    Yes!!! Same issue to the fullest. It’s like a great product gone bad!!!

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-09-20T14:42:52+00:00

    I've given up on all my invokes, they have gotten so flakey, incredibly slow and misunderstand constantly now. Waiting 10 seconds even to switch off a light is crazy. Everything is now so delayed and broken. 

    I've migrated my entire home and just about everything over to Alexa devices and entertainment to Firetv cube. I've dumped To-do and my xbox pretty much now too.

    Microsoft have really made a mess of this and their services and cortana were always my first choices, pity they ruined it all. Btw Cortana via Alexa works better now than the Invoke does.

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