amazonecho
Latest
Amazon's Echo family can now make calls and send messages
One of the most notable new features introduced alongside Amazon's new Echo Show is the ability to make calls with Alexa, something that's been rumored for a while now. And the good news is that this feature isn't limited to just the Echo Show. When it rolls out later today (via an update to the Alexa iOS and Android apps), you'll be able to use all existing Echo hardware to place voice calls, video calls and send messages. You'll obviously need an Echo Show for video calling, but the support for voice calling and messaging is pretty robust.
Amazon's touchscreen 'Echo Show' may launch today for $230
You really might be able to pre-order Amazon's touchscreen Echo sometime today, May 9th, if the leaked listing AFTVnews got its hands on is the real deal. Based on the screenshot (posted below the fold), the device is officially called the Amazon Echo Show, and it will set you back $230 in the US. The leaked listing didn't show prices in other regions, but it could cost you £220 or €240 if you're in the UK or Germany, respectively. That aligns with the price the Wall Street Journal was expecting and is almost $100 more than the newly launched Echo Look. The listing also says that pre-orders will begin shipping on June 28th, and each customer is limited to four units, likely to prevent resellers from hoarding.
Let's hope this isn't Amazon's touchscreen Echo
Rumor has it Amazon is about to introduce a touchscreen version of its Echo speaker. Bloomberg was the first to report about this last November, although no images of the purported device were shared back then. But today, thanks to AFTVnews, we may be getting an idea of what Amazon has been working on. The original gossip suggested the new Echo would come with a 7-inch touchscreen, and this leaked photo certainly fits the bill. You'll also notice what appears to be a front-facing camera above the display, which makes you wonder whether Amazon could port over some of the fashion features from the Echo Look.
GE's futuristic Alexa lamp accepts your voice commands in style
Amazon's Alexa, the voice-controlled platform that powers the company's own Echo line, continues to gain support from third-party manufacturers. The C by GE Sol is the latest product to embrace the technology, in the form of a table lamp that looks straight out of a sci-fi film. GE actually announced the device December of last year, but now it's finally starting to take pre-orders. As a refresher, the C by GE Sol features a circular LED light and, most importantly, doubles as a hands-free voice assistant and Bluetooth speaker. GE is letting early adopters pre-order the Sol for $160 right now, with units expected to ship in September. If you decide to wait until it hits stores, it'll cost you $200.
iRobot's entry-level Roombas offer app control on the cheap
iRobot is bringing Wi-Fi connectivity to its cheaper Roomba vacuum cleaning robots. The company is unveiling two new models today, the 690 and 890, which sit below its top-of-the-line 960 and 980 machines. Unlike the 650 and 860 -- its previous low-end robots -- they can be controlled through the iRobot Home app. That means you customise their cleaning schedule, check their "cleaning status" and access customer support from any Android or iOS device. The Roomba 690 goes on sale today for $375 in the US -- the same price as the 650 it's replacing. The Roomba 890, meanwhile, will be out in "late Q2" for a yet-to-be-confirmed price.
Google has already lost the hardware chief it poached from Amazon
You probably have food that's been in your freezer longer than David Foster (nope, still not the composer) stayed at Google after leaving Amazon. After six months, Foster is vacating his position as vice president of Google's hardware product development, according to Bloomberg. In case you forgot, he played a role in the launch the Pixel phone and Google Home speaker's launches. Prior to that, he led hardware development on Amazon's Echo speakers, the Kindle Paperwhite and Voyage e-readers.
The best commands for Amazon Echo and Alexa
Researched and written by Libby Plummer Powered by Alexa, the Amazon Echo and smaller Echo Dot speakers can carry out scores of tasks from setting alarms and giving weather reports to checking sports scores and ordering an Uber. But there's plenty more on offer, including a wide range of fun easter eggs. Here are some tips and tricks for Alexa that you might not know about.
Amazon offers its voice-recognition smarts to other companies
Amazon's Alexa has become the flag-bearer for AI assistants. Not only does she possess an exhaustive list of useful skills, but she's also started finding new homes in everything from phones to cars, watches, little robots and even refrigerators. There's a reason Amazon's Echo and Echo Dot speakers are particularly suited for ordering Alexa around at home, though. They both feature a fancy far-field, seven-microphone setup and audio processing smarts that help Alexa understand your muffled commands shouted from the downstairs bathroom. Today, Amazon's announced it's releasing this mixture of hardware and software in a new development kit, so other companies can build Alexa prisons that recognize you want to add mixed spices to your shopping list, and not listen to a Spice Girls mix (liar).
Engadget giveaway: Win a Harmony Elite and Amazon Echo courtesy of Logitech!
Logitech's Harmony series has come a long way and now with the Elite remote control you can do more than ever before. This universal remote not only lets you control all your media devices (from TVs to streaming media players), but it also handles a variety of smart home products. You can use the Harmony Elite to adjust your Nest thermostat or connected lighting systems, all from that well-worn spot on the couch. As if that wasn't enough, the Elite universal home control also supports Alexa. Now you can even take the remote out of the equation, by simply using your voice along with one of Amazon's smart speakers. Logitech has provided us with just such a pair -- a Logitech Harmony Elite and Amazon Echo -- so that one lucky reader can have total home control with minimal effort. You'll still need to head down to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning, but that counts as exercise, right?
Now Amazon Echo can access your Outlook.com calendar
As a part of Amazon's ongoing quest to make Alexa and its Echo devices deeply embedded within our lives, this week it added support for Microsoft Calendar accounts. If your account ends in Outlock.com, Live.com or Hotmail.com, then it should be accessible with no problem, however, according to the FAQ, corporate Exchange accounts are probably a no-go. Alexa already supports Google Calendar, but that's it. There's no iCloud access either, however, Geekwire points out a Redditor's project on Github that might help.
Amazon Echo and Google Home want to be your new house phone
Right now, you can order a pizza, manage your to-do list and call an Uber on Amazon Echo and Google Home. The latest development from the smart speakers would give us yet another reason to leave our phones in our pocket. The Wall Street Journal reports that Amazon and Google are considering adding telephone functionality to their devices, but it won't be easy.
Glympse brings its location sharing to connected home devices
The Internet of Things is set to expand in a big way if all the voice-controlled and Alexa-equipped tech we saw at CES last week is any indication. Glympse has been offering handy location sharing from its apps for quite some time, but now the company is diving into the connected home. With FamilyMap, Glympse allows a group of people to privately share location details not only through an app, but with the help of connect devices like smart appliances, smart TVs or a home assistant like Alexa.
Samsung's robotic vacuum takes Amazon Echo voice commands
Samsung has revealed Powerbot VR7000, a robotic vacuum you can control with your Amazon Echo. The company says that, in fact, all of its WiFi-enabled Powerbot vacuums will work with Alexa, including, presumably, current connected models like the Powerbot WiFi. It didn't say what you can command your bots to do, but the Neato Botvac (which beat Samsung to the punch by adding an Alexa "Skill" last month) basically just lets you start and stop cleaning.
Police seek Amazon Echo data in murder case (updated)
Amazon's Echo devices and its virtual assistant are meant to help find answers by listening for your voice commands. However, police in Arkansas want to know if one of the gadgets overheard something that can help with a murder case. According to The Information, authorities in Bentonville issued a warrant for Amazon to hand over any audio or records from an Echo belonging to James Andrew Bates. Bates is set to go to trial for first-degree murder for the death of Victor Collins next year.
If you ask Alexa, Tim Curry will read you 'A Christmas Carol'
The Amazon Echo might be sold out everywhere this holiday season, but those who've picked one of the smart speakers up prior have a treat in store. From now through January 3rd, saying "Alexa, read A Christmas Carol from Audible" will do exactly as the command suggests -- for free. And not only that, the Dickens classic is read by none other than Tim Curry -- the dastardly hotel manager from Home Alone 2 and voice of Ebeneezer Scrooge in the animated version of the story, from 1997. Pair this with the Eye of Sauron yule log, a glass of (boozy) egg nog and you'll be all ready for the big day.
IFTTT makes Amazon's Echo the center of UK smart homes
Now that the Amazon Echo is available in the UK, lots of brands and services have been working on introducing their own Alexa Skills. Owners can ask the intelligent digital assistant for news updates, to hail an Uber and even re-order their favourite takeaway, but one important feature has been missing: IFTTT integration. US owners have enjoyed IFTTT integration for over a year, but the recipe-based service has finally confirmed the launch of its Alexa channel in the UK.
Amazon Echo comes to every room in Wynn's Las Vegas hotel
Since launching it in 2015, Amazon has been improving its voice-controlled home assistant Echo, from adding thousands of recipe walkthroughs to releasing its hockey puck-sized sibling, the Dot. But soon the device will be moving in to hotel rooms, too. The Wynn Las Vegas will begin outfitting all 4,748 guest rooms with an Echo this month, allowing visitors to control environmental conditions with vocal commands.
Amazon Music Unlimited now available in the UK from £8 a month
After months of rumours and teasing, Amazon finally launched its own unlimited music streaming service in October. Access was initially reserved access for US customers, but today the retailer is expanding to the UK. Music Unlimited -- Amazon's answer to Spotify and Apple Music -- offers over 40 million tracks and starts at £7.99 per month or £79 per year if you're a Prime member (£9.99 for everyone else) and comes with an discounted "For Echo" plan that costs £3.99 each month.
Amazon Echo's UK owners can now shop just by talking
Now that the Amazon Echo has reached the UK, thousands of Brits are getting to grips with the cylindrical speaker's smart assistant, Alexa. Companies like Just Eat and Sky have created app-like "Skills" for the Echo, allowing owners to re-order their last takeaway and receive news updates, but Amazon's own integrations have been lacking compared to those available in the US. To celebrate availability of the Echo Dot, the retailer today confirmed that a number of new features are available on UK Echos, including Alexa voice shopping and ESP (Echo Spatial Perception).
Save items to your Todoist lists with the Amazon Echo
Todoist is one of the more full-featured to-do services out there, and it's available on nearly every platform out there. Whether you use Mac or Windows, iOS or Android, Todoist has you covered. Today, they're adding yet another option to the mix by integrating with the Amazon Echo.
