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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Manufacturers these days see the tremendous potential in the consumer IoT market, with giants like Microsoft, Apple, Samsung and more investing heavily in the new concept. Amazon becomes the latest to jump onto the IoT bandwagon, as the company today made three major announcements. The online retailing giant today made its voice-activated personal assistant – Amazon Alexa, into a platform encouraging third-party developers to easily create and develop apps for the platform.
Announced in November last year, Alexa was limited to a select few users along with members of Amazon Prime. Much like Siri and Cortana, Amazon Echo answers a user’s query, play’s music via Amazon’s music library can read audiobooks and voice control smart devices. It also lets users place orders from Amazon and control connected bulbs and smart switches. It comes with a companion mobile app that integrates Echo to a WiFi access point, and can also hook up with other smart devices, for instance, the Philips Hue bulbs.
Amazon also announced its SDK developers kit, which is essentially a cloud-based voice service. To top it up, the e-commerce giant also announced a $100 million fund to lure third party developers and start-ups to develop apps for Echo. Dubbed as ASK (Alexa Skills Kit), it’ll be the SDK for developers to create third-party voice-driven applications. Alexa has now been unbundled from Echo, implying its wider availability could be seen in connected alarm clocks, smart bulbs and more. Also, we can see it onboard Amazon’s range of products including smartphones, tablets and e-readers in the coming future.
“We’re making the Alexa Skills Kit available to any developer, maker, or general hobbyist that wants to invent on behalf of customers, creating new skills and capabilities,” said Greg Hart vice president for Echo and Alexa voice services at Amazon
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- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
In the coming future when connected devices and smart homes will become more mainstream, they can be hooked up via Amazon Echo that would turn it into a smart hub for home automation. It can then voice control a plethora of devices include gaming consoles, TV sets, air conditioners and more. Amazon Echo is heavily backed by Alexa Voice Service, which will soon be available with Independent Hardware Vendors (IHV) so they can integrate their services with Alexa – a search and analytics service.
Amazon announces Kindles Books instant previews sharing using mobile apps on Android
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Amazon Echo Dot (newest model) - Vibrant sounding speaker, Designed for Alexa+, Great for bedrooms, dining rooms and offices, Glacier White
- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
As already mentioned, the third major announcement was the $100 million in the form of Alexa Fund, aimed at attracting third party developers and startups to create voice enhanced applications and devices based on Alexa. The announcements today are a clear indication that Amazon is indeed taking its voice-powered computing seriously, go head on against rivals Microsoft and Apple.
Amazon Echo and ASK are available for developers starting today while Alexa Voice Search is expected anytime soon.
Quick Recap
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- MEET ECHO SPOT - A sleek smart alarm clock with Alexa and big vibrant sound. Ready to help you wake up, wind down, and so much more.
- CUSTOMIZABLE SMART CLOCK - See time, weather, and song titles at a glance, control smart home devices, and more. Personalize your display with your favorite clock face and fun colors.
- BIG VIBRANT SOUND - Enjoy rich sound with clear vocals and deep bass. Just ask Alexa to play music, podcasts, and audiobooks. See song titles and touch to control your music.
- EASE INTO THE DAY - Set up an Alexa routine that gently wakes you with music and gradual light. Glance at the time, check reminders, or ask Alexa for weather updates.
- KEEP YOUR HOME COMFORTABLE - Control compatible smart home devices. Just ask Alexa to turn on lights or touch the screen to dim. Create routines that use motion detection to turn down the thermostat as you head out or open the blinds when you walk into a room.
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- Your favorite music and content – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
- Alexa is happy to help – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
- Do more with device pairing – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, or create a home theatre system with Fire TV.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
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- Meet Echo Dot Max: Experience rich room-filling sound that automatically adapts to your space and fine-tunes playback. Features a built-in smart home hub and Omnisense technology for highly personalized experiences.
- Music to your ears: With nearly 3x the bass versus Echo Dot (2022 release), it fits beautifully in any space, delivering your personal sound stage with deep bass and enhanced clarity. Listen to streaming services, such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, and SiriusXM. Encore!
- Do more with device pairing: Connect compatible Echo smart speakers and smart displays in different rooms, or pair with a second Echo Dot Max to enjoy even richer sound. Pair your Echo Dot Max with compatible Fire TV devices to create a home theater system that brings scenes to life.
- Simple smart home control: Set routines, pair and control lights, locks, and thousands of smart home devices that work with Alexa without needing a separate smart home hub. With Omnisense technology, you can activate routines via temperature or presence detection.
- Say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering - With eero Built-in, Echo Dot Max doubles as a mesh wifi extender, adding up to 1,000 sq. ft. of wifi coverage to your existing eero network.
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