Alexa can now set sleep timers to simulate a sunrise using your smart lights
If you have Alexa-compatible smart lights and live in the U.S., you just got some new features that will be rolling out this week. You can set up wake-up lights or sleep timers and create new Alexa Routines to dim or brighten over a certain stretch of time, just like sunsets and sunrises.
You may be able to ask Amazon Alexa about your bills soon
Amazon announced that they will be partnering with the payment network Paymentus to make keeping track of bills easier with a new Alexa feature. While you won't be able to pay your bills with Alexa, you can use the new skill to ask about the status of your bills, such as whether they are past due.
The Marshall Stanmore II is the best-sounding Alexa speaker, and it’s on sale
Marshall amplifiers have been the go-to standard for decades, but you don’t need to own a guitar to have one of these iconic speakers in your home: The retro-styled Marshall Stanmore II could just be the best-sounding Alexa speaker on the market today, and it’s on sale right now for $100 off.
Anker Nebula Soundbar Fire TV Edition packs 4K, HDR, and Alexa in a $230 speaker
The first soundbar to include the Amazon Fire TV platform is the $230 Anker Nebula Soundbar -- Fire TV Edition, and it's now available for pre-order with deliveries starting on November 19. The 2.1 channel 100-watt speaker features 4K and Dolby Vision HDR and has Alexa built in for smart home control.
Hey Alexa, inspire me — Adobe launches new skill aimed at sparking creativity
Are you in a creative rut? The new Adobe Inspiration Engine allows Alexa to be your muse. The Alexa skill allows the virtual assistant to offer inspirational quotes or images, or to walk you through a creative exercise. The free Alexa skill is available beginning October 21.
Habla Español? Yes! Amazon Alexa can now speak in Spanish
Those who speak Spanish can now talk to Alexa in their native language, or two languages at once through multilingual mode, on supported Alexa devices like the Echo. The assistant is getting a new voice and Amazon has also beefed up Alexa's knowledge base with hundreds of new skills for Spanish speakers.
Don’t be surprised that Amazon workers are watching footage from the Cloud Cam
After the public outcry against the practice of using human reviewers on voice and video recordings, Amazon gave users the ability to opt out of human review, but it's important to understand what the review is for. Human reviewers improve an A.I.'s ability to understand and respond to users.
You can now apply for a job at McDonald’s via Google Home or Amazon Alexa
Apply Thru is a voice skill from McDonald's that lets Amazon Alexa and Google Home users start the job application process from their couch. McDonald's hopes that by making applying for a job easier, more people will be encouraged to look for work without worrying about a long online application form.
Amazon slashes prices on Ring Alarm Systems and throws in a Free Echo Dot
Amazon is getting a fast start with smart home device deals this fall. Amazon and Walmart know they can't save all the best bargains till the end of the season. Continuing to cut prices on smart home security devices, Amazon just slashed prices on Ring Alarm Systems bundled with free Echo Dots.
Opinion: Amazon is pushing us toward a screenless future, and I kinda love it
Amazon seems to be steering us toward a world that isn’t so dominated by glowing, blinking, attention-stealing screens -- and that’s something I think we can all get behind.
The Discovery Channel is uniting The Food Network and Alexa
The Food Network is one of the Discovery Channel's stars and now the company is making a major investment in merging the recipe-and-show channel into the Amazon Alexa ecosphere with access to 80,000 recipes.
Amazon’s new Echo Frames smartglasses have Alexa, but that’s about it
Amazon announced new Alexa-enabled smart glasses during Wednesday’s Amazon Devices Event. The Echo Frames look like normal glasses and can be tailored to your individual prescription, but unlike other smart frames, they don’t have a camera or display within the frames -- just Alexa capabilities.
Amazon’s new smart oven can air-fry, bake, and microwave your meals
Today at the Amazon 2019 event the company unveiled its newest smart cooking appliance, the Amazon Smart Oven. It's described as a combination of a microwave, convection oven, air fryer, and food warmer. All of that cooking versatility can be controlled via Alexa-enabled devices and voice commands.
The Amazon Echo Loop is a smart ring that puts Alexa at your fingertips
Amazon announced the Echo Loop smart ring at its Devices Event on Wednesday, which essentially puts Alexa at your fingertips when you're on the go. The Echo Loop has two microphones you can activate with a button tap, as well as the smallest speaker ever installed in an Echo device.
Amazon wants your kids to use Alexa and its new Echo Glow night-light
Amazon announced a slew of new Alexa features geared towards kids during the Amazon Devices Event, including the new Echo Glow, a a multicolor smart lamp that pairs with Alexa, the Alexa Education Skill API pairs up with programs like Canvas, Kickboard, and Coursera, and a new FreeTime feature.
Amazon announces new $59 Echo Dot with a bright LED clock
Amazon announced a new Echo Dot at its Devices Event that looks just about the same as previous models -- except it's got a clock. The new $59.99 Echo Dot with Clock has the same look and function as previous models with one major exception: it now boasts a large, bright LED clock on the side.
Amazon makes Alexa more transparent with ‘Tell me what you heard’ feature
Amazon announced privacy improvements for its Alexa assistant during the Amazon Devices Event on Wednesday, September 25. Updates include the addition of “Alexa, tell me what you heard,” which rolls out today, and “Alexa, why did you do that?” which comes later this year.
Amazon is working on Alexa wireless earbuds with a built-in fitness tracker
Amazon is working on wireless earbuds that have built-in fitness tracking. The earbuds, code-named Puget, will have an accelerometer to measure running pace, run distance, and calories burned. They'll also have Alexa built-in, meaning you'll be able to access her anywhere.
You’ll soon be able to have Alexa make a donation to your favorite candidate
Starting next month, users will be able to tell Alexa to make a donation to their favorite presidential candidate. This is just one of a host of planned features for the upcoming 2020 election. Alexa can already answer questions about which candidates are in the lead and who has endorsed them.
How to order pizza with your smart speaker
Any day you're craving some pizza pie, getting it fast is a must. If you have Alexa or Google Assistant, ordering from favorites like Pizza Hut, Domino's or Papa John's is just a few voice commands away. Here's how to order pizza using just your voice and a smart speaker like Google Home or Amazon Echo.
5 ways that future A.I. assistants will take voice tech to the next level
Since Siri debuted on the iPhone 4s, voice assistants have gone from sci-fi gimmick to the basis for smart speaker technology found in one in six American homes. But what will it take to drive these A.I. assistants to the next level? Here are 5 challenges just waiting to be solved.
Alexa will start to crowdsource answers to fill in knowledge gaps
Amazon is now crowdsourcing answers for Alexa through the new Alexa Answers program. Average Joes and Janes can provide answers to Alexa questions that don't have answers. These questions cover a wide range of categories including History, Science, Literature and Music. Answers are vetted by other users.
The iDevices Instinct is a smart switch with built-in Alexa functionality
The iDevices Instinct is a smart light switch that combines the functionality you'd expect with Amazon Alexa, packing all the power and utility of an Echo into a small space. Targeted toward people who want to save space without sacrificing utility, the Instinct is available for purchase now.
Here’s how to track Amazon orders with Alexa
You may already know you can order and reorder household goods just by asking Alexa, but you can also find out if the items have shipped and when they will arrive at your home. You can track Amazon orders, and purchases elsewhere, with the app, Echo Plus, Echo Dot or any other Alexa enabled device.
Make heading off to college easier with Alexa
While Alexa has tons of uses at home, don't leave her behind when you head off to college. There are many Alexa skills that are specific to making your dorm life better, including helping you with dorm laundromats, studying for exams, tracking your sports team, keep track of campus events, and more.
Alexa’s Custom Interfaces hope to augment gadgets, games, and smart toys
Amazon has sunk a ton of time, money and resources into its Alexa-powered products like the Echo so it makes sense that it's continuing to push its evolution, the latest innovation being a new feature for developers called Custom Interfaces, designed to enable interactivity between speakers and users.
The results are in: Alexa is legitimately dumber than Siri and Google Assistant
If you’ve always thought Alexa was dumber than the other voice assistants in your house or on your phone, a new test performed by Loup Ventures might prove your theory correct. Amazon Alexa scored last in an IQ test against Google Assistant and Siri.
Amazon customers are getting emails with someone else’s order information
Some Amazon customers say they’re receiving emails from Amazon about orders placed by other people. Those emails contain personal information like the person's address and what they purchased on Amazon. One Amazon customer service rep said the problem is common
Amazon’s Alexa can help you donate school supplies to a child in need
If navigating a charity’s website or writing out a check is just too much hassle when it comes to making a donation, there's always Alexa. Amazon has just launched a $25 back-to-school charity initiative where you can ask the digital assistant to donate a backpack full of school supplies to a student in need.
Apple contractors will no longer be able to listen to your Siri recordings
Last week, it was revealed that Apple uses human contractors to review Siri recordings, contractors that often end up hearing everything from drug deals to sexual encounters as a result. Now Apple says it has suspended the use of those contractors and is reviewing the program
You can now ask Alexa for your bank balance, and she just might tell you
The Amazon Echo can now check your balance, make payments, and provide information on recent transactions thanks to compatible Alexa Skills. However, the number of banks with compatible skills is still limited. Only the most popular banks and services, like PayPal, are compatible at the moment.
Amazon wants Alexa embedded in every vehicle to connect with smart homes
Amazon is following up on Alexa's successful penetration into smart homes with an incursion to embed the voice assistant in cars. There are plenty of third-party Alexa-compatible automotive aftermarket products and Echo Auto promises full Alexa functionality. But the greatest focus in vehicle software systems.
Here’s every Alexa Built-in phone that can access Amazon’s assistant on the move
If you've got your Amazon Echo, Echo Show, and Fire TV set up, then you might want a phone that complements your Amazon-based A.I. network. Thankfully, Amazon has worked with a number of phone manufacturers to provide phones with built-in Alexa support. Here's every Alexa Built-in smartphone you can buy.
Amazon has plans for an Echo for music lovers — and a voice-controlled robot?
A Bloomberg report suggests that Amazon may have plans to release a new Amazon Echo unit with improved audio quality, perhaps as a tie-in with a new and improved Amazon Music service. In addition, rumors hint that the retail giant has increased the number of people working on a "home robot" called Vesta.