Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant is a lot of different things at once. To some people, it’s a useful tool that makes daily household life significantly more convenient.
To others, it’s a bit invasive and creepy to have something listening to all …
Category: Alexa
Alexa can do a lot more in your car with Echo Auto skills
Amazon’s Echo Auto just skilled up.
Developers can now make skills just for the Auto, which works with your phone or with some in-car infotainment systems. What’s it for? It’s basically an Alexa digital assistant device made specifically for th…
Amazon expands program that pays developers for top voice apps to France, Italy & Spain
Amazon is expanding its program that directly pays Alexa developers in cash for building valuable, quality voice apps to new markets in Europe: France, Italy, and Spain. Originally launched in the U.S. in 2017 for those developers building game skills, the Alexa Developer Rewards program has since expanded to include a broader selection of Alexa […]
View More Amazon expands program that pays developers for top voice apps to France, Italy & SpainTP-Link smart plugs and smart bulbs are up to $24 off at Walmart
Controlling lights and other appliances without standing up isn’t futuristic anymore — it’s just the thing to do in 2019.
Making the switch is easy with TP-Link smart plugs and smart bulbs, which are up to $24 off at Walmart today. Grab a Kasa HS 110 Smart Plug for $15.99 (regularly $39.99) and a Kasa A19 Smart Light Bulb for $29.97 (regularly $44.99)
Here’s the beauty: Whether your home is so decked out that you forget what it’s like to not use voice commands or you don’t have a single Echo device, smart plugs and smart bulbs can slip seamlessly into your routine. No hub is required, and both cycles can be scheduled via the Kasa app — but if you are into a smart home, both are Alexa and Google Home compatible. Read more…
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Alexa’s new Song ID feature can announce what music is playing next
Amazon today is launching a new feature called “Song ID” that aims to help users discover music they like, using Alexa. When enabled, Alexa will announce the title and the artist name before playing each song while you’re listening to a radio station, playlist or new release on Amazon Music over your smart speaker. The […]
View More Alexa’s new Song ID feature can announce what music is playing nextYou can now ask Alexa to control your Roku devices
Roku this morning announced its devices will now be compatible with Amazon’s Alexa. Through a new Roku skill for Alexa, Roku owners will be able to control their devices in order to do things like launch a channel, play or pause a show, search for entertainment options, and more. Roku TV owners will additionally be […]
View More You can now ask Alexa to control your Roku devicesAmazon Alexa exec says data privacy is vital to the success of voice assistants
In this special edition of MashTalk, Mashable sits down with Pete Thompson, Vice President of Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service, at CES 2019.
Thompson discusses the expansion of Alexa services on brand new smart home and automotive products, competition w…
Amazon’s ‘Alexa Blueprints’ can now be published publicly on the US Alexa Skills Store
Last year, Amazon introduced Alexa Blueprints, a way for an Alexa device owner to create their own customized voice skills and Alexa responses without needing to know how to code. These skills — like family trivia or tips for your babysitter — could then be published for personal use. Later, Amazon added the ability to share […]
View More Amazon’s ‘Alexa Blueprints’ can now be published publicly on the US Alexa Skills StoreReport: Voice assistants in use to triple to 8 billion by 2023
The use of voice assistants is set to triple over the next few years, according to a new forecast from the U.K.-based analysts at Juniper Research. The firm estimates there will be 8 billion digital voice assistants in use by 2023, up from the 2.5 billion assistants in use at the end of 2018. The […]
View More Report: Voice assistants in use to triple to 8 billion by 2023Amazon is buying home mesh router startup, Eero
Amazon is about to expand its smart home offerings in a big way. The company just announced its intention to acquire Bay Area-based home mesh router startup, Eero. It’s a pretty clear fit for the online retailer as it pushes to make Alexa feature in the connected home. The move also makes sense for five-year-old […]
View More Amazon is buying home mesh router startup, EeroReport: Smart speaker adoption in U.S. reaches 66M units, with Amazon leading
Smart speakers had a good holiday. Amazon already said its Echo Dot outsold all other items on its site this holiday season, which hinted toward the sizable growth for the voice-powered speaker market. Today, research firm CIRP is reporting the U.S. installed base for speakers grew to 66 million units in December 2018, up from […]
View More Report: Smart speaker adoption in U.S. reaches 66M units, with Amazon leadingThat AmazonBasics Microwave that works with Alexa is on sale for 30% off
Did you catch (no pun intended) that Amazon commercial during the Super Bowl featuring Harrison Ford?
You have to give Amazon credit for being able to make fun of themselves and joking about the sheer amount of devices and gadgets that feature the Al…