Researching new products for my tech blog this week I decided to invest time (and money) in Amazon’s Echo smart bluetooth speaker? voice command device? Smart Control center? A.I. ? Call it what you will… I want one!
I have found so much information while researching the Echo, I decided to purchase one and try it out! So, this post, will turn into an on-going series. I have decided to limit myself to four posts.
First, lets start with what you need to do! Buy the Echo from amazon.com $179.99, then download the Alexa app. It is available for an IOS device or Android. The Alexa app is how you will customize the Echo. The Echo is always… ALWAYS listening to you, waiting for a command, or questions. Alexa is always listening, recording, but in a sleep mode until she hears her wake-up word. You can set the wake-up word to “Alexa”, “Amazon”, or “Echo” currently.
Alexa can play games, turn on and off connected smart home devices, play music, or read you a book. She can tell you a joke or help you learn your multiplication table. She can set a timer for cooking, provide you with a recipe, or wake you up every morning with an alarm or your favorite song. She can provide you with the weather, the scores from your favorite team or Alexa can now order you a Domino’s pizza, all you have to do is ask!
The point is, more and more devices and apps are integrating with Alexa. Echo began as a Artificial Intelligence assistant in November of 2014. Echo was available only by invitation and has grown to be #1 best seller on Amazon’s website in home audio speakers category. The Echo has almost 35,000 customer reviews and a 4.5 star rating. The Echo has recently expanded it’s family to include the “Tap” and the “Dot”. The Tap is a portable version of the Echo. You have to “tap” the speaker and Alexa will listen to your commands, she also has a battery, to be on the go! The original Echo does not have a battery! 🙁 The “Dot” is smaller, a much smaller version of the Echo. It is always listening like the Echo and with a power supply like the Echo.
