Amazon has entered the virtual personal-assistant race with Echo
Amazon announced on Tuesday the public launch of Echo, a voice-controlled speaker with a built-in virtual assistant named Alexia. The device was previously offered by invitation only, but consumers can now purchase the device from Amazon for $179.99. The device will start shipping on July 14.
Just like Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s Cortana, Echo accepts verbal commands and will connect to the Internet to provide relevant information. For instance, Echo owners can get the latest traffic conditions, check the weather, and play music stored in Amazon Music simply by using a voice command. Amazon Echo can even control Belkin WeMo and Philips Hue devices, allowing users to switch on lights or adjust a thermostat without lifting a finger.
Amazon Echo features seven microphones mounted under the light ring. These microphones use beam-forming technology so that Amazon Echo can hear the user from any direction. The device also features noise cancellation so that it can receive the user’s commands while performing other tasks like playing music.
“Echo uses on-device keyword spotting to detect the wake word,” the press release explains. “When Echo detects the wake word, it lights up and streams audio to the cloud, where it leverages the power of Amazon Web Services to recognize and respond to your request.”
Amazon’s Echo consists of a volume ring, a reflex port for enhancing the woofer’s output, a 2.5-inch woofer, and a 2-inch tweeter. The device stands 9.25 inches tall, weighs 26.9 ounces, and includes a dual-band/dual-antenna Wireless N component for connecting Echo to the local network, and Bluetooth connectivity. To connect the device to the local network, customers can use the companion app (Android, iOS, Fire OS) or a web browser.
According to the product page, a number of features have been added since the Echo closed beta was launched back in November including the ability to play Audible audiobooks, connect to Google Calendar, hands-free shopping of previously-purchased items, getting traffic conditions and sports scores and schedules, and listening to Pandora.
In addition to Pandora, Amazon’s device is capable of playing music from different sources such as Tunein, iHeartRadio, and more.The Echo can also pull information from Wikipedia to answer questions, and provide “up-to-the-minute” weather and news from a handful of different services. There are also voice-controlled to-do lists, shopping lists, alarms, timers, and so on.
Amazon Echo is designed to be always on, but customers can shut off the microphones by tapping a button on the top of the device. There’s also an “Action” button that wakes up the device if there’s no wake word set, if it can’t hear the wake word because of noise or the microphones are turned off.
For more information on how Amazon Echo works, there’s an FAQ located here that explains how Amazon Echo will improve over time, how the device works, and more.
From maximumpc
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