The digital assistant wars are in full swing , and with Google just latterly notching the latest triumph by finishingQ2 with the top - trade smart loudspeaker system in the human race , Amazon is revamp its Alexa - power roster in a very self-aggrandizing elbow room .
At the start of its presentation , Amazon ’s devices head David Limp set the tone by say the company had around 70 new devices to talk about , and only an 60 minutes to do it . Limp then launched into talking about Amazon ’s recent upgrade to Alexa , which in the U.S. includes realise Alexa both more opinionative and more accessible for children and grownup .
Now , Alexa will know when to whisper a response back , for those situations when you ’re trying not to disturb others , and embark on today , Amazon is sum routines to the Echo Dot Kids Edition to help parent create custom Alexa commands for their child .
The new Dot looks like a mashup between the old model and a Google Home Mini.Photo: Alex Cranz (Gizmodo)
But the vainglorious reveal for Amazon are all the newfangled Echo devices , headline by an all - new Echo Dot . While the new Dot is retain its affordable $ 50 price tag , it sports a new , rounded fabric - covered body with “ louder and clearer ” sound and both Bluetooth and stock - out connectivity .
To facilitate append the Dot , Amazon also created the even cheaper ( and flimsy ) Echo Input , which lacks speakers and is instead mean to be plugged straight off into existing home base audio solution like to Google ’s Chromecast Audio . Not coincidentally , the Echo Input be $ 35 , the same as a Chromecast Audio .
And for those who require to augment their speaker setups with a picayune more thump , Amazon also herald the $ 130 Echo Sub , which can be used for multi - elbow room audio recording and synced with a duet of standard Echoes to create your own 2.1 organization .
Photo: Alex Cranz (Gizmodo)
Of course , the audio rabbit pickle pass much deeper than just speakers and subs , so Amazon pass and made the $ 200 Echo Link and $ 300 Echo Link Amp . Neither of these are meant to be standalone products and they do n’t include a microphone . Instead , they tie to other Echo speaker unit and admit a dial to avail control and all right melodic phrase your audio , or in the case of the Echo Link Amp , help boost your sound quality .
But we ’re still not done yet , because in an apparent move to better vie against the HomePod and the Google Home Max , Amazon also announced the $ 150 Echo Plus , which looks vaguely like a HomePod with a blue light mob up top and a built - in smart abode hub inside .
On top of featuring good compatibility for bright nursing home gadgets , the Echo Plus has what Amazon is calling Local Voice Control , which mean that commands made to devices in your planetary house no longer need to be sent to the cloud before take in something happen .
Photo: Alex Cranz (Gizmodo)
But what about all your existing “ dumb ” gadgets , you say ? Well , Amazon consider it has a result for that too with the new $ 25 Amazon Smart Plug , which plugs into a traditional outlet and lets you turn gimmick on and off plainly by expect Alexa . And to make certain set all of these gadget up is as hassle - free as possible , Amazon is blow a wide-eyed setup process that lets you rename a gimmick with your voice during your initial install .
That tell , as utile as voguish plugs can be , they are really good at enhance simple thing like lamps or fans . So Amazon says it also mould with society including Kenmore , Moen , and Netgear to create a newfangled smart home plate API that will allow society to integrate Alexa into pretty much everything . Think cascade , ovens , refrigerators , and more .
This is where affair started to go off the rails , if they had n’t already , as Amazon proceeded to announce a Modern $ 60 Amazon Basics Microwave , which of form , has Alexa establish in . Yes , you still have to put the Zea mays everta in the box yourself , but if you ’re too lazy to hit one button , you’re able to ask Alexa to get the pop started .
Photo: Alex Cranz (Gizmodo)
Then , the microwave was followed by the $ 30 Echo Wall Clock , which looks like something you might see in a schoolroom or cafeteria , and Alexa Guard , which is a home certificate organization that works withRing and ADTto send alert to off centers . Amazon also showed the $ 180 Ring Stick Up Cam , which is a bulwark - mounted surety photographic camera .
Things returned to a illusion of normality with the declaration of an all - new $ 230 Echo Show , which has been redesigned with a significantly slender pillow slip , small bezels , and a much heavy 10 - inch screen . Like the Echo Plus , the Echo Show has build up - in smart home hub functionality , and as part of the party ’s on-going partnership with Microsoft , Amazon announced Skype would be the first app to feature Alexa integrating for vox calls .
There ’s still no official backing for YouTube , but now that Amazon has added Firefox and its Silk connection web browser to the Show , it should n’t be too difficult to forge around the Google / Amazon slap - fight . If you require more streaming media options , Amazon says the Show will also support watching stuff and nonsense from Hulu , Food internet , Fox Sports , and others .
Photo: Alex Cranz (Gizmodo)
At this full point it seemed like Amazon was doing its best impersonation of the announcer from “ The Price Is Right , ” as it continued on with an announcement of the Fire TV Recast , which set aside you to digitally record two to four show at a time and them pullulate those show to the fresh Echo Show or anything in your business firm connected to a Fire TV .
But wait , there ’s more ! Because Amazon is n’t just trying to take over your theater ; they require Alexa in the car , too . So now there ’s the unexampled $ 25 Echo Auto , which is a small box about the size of a deck of cards that sits on your dah and connects to your phone over Bluetooth so you could talk to Alexa in the car .
Whew , that ’s it for now . With the mountain of Alexa material announce today , it ’s unmortgaged that Amazon ’s scheme to take over the world is to only overwhelm us in as many Alexa - powered devices as possible . By my enumeration , this is at least 12 new Amazon devices . passably soon , Alexa - power gadgets might grow sentient and just take the air into your house and throw all your old , dumb gadgets out themselves . I hope you ’re set up .
The new Echo show is much sleeker than before, even though it features a much larger 10-inch display.Photo: Alex Cranz (Gizmodo)
AlexaAmazonAmazon Echodigital assistants
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