Articles about Amazon Echo

If you haven't yet tried out the Amazon Echo then you're in for a wild, and sometimes interesting, ride. There's an increasing amount of things the device can do, from telling you the weather and traffic to playing your music, even controlling home automation gear.

Out of the box Alexa can give you sports scores or tell you who your team plays next, but now it has a new feature -- actual news about your teams. You'll need to set it up first, as smart as it seems to be, it doesn't know your team.

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It's been two months since I acquired Amazon Echo, the voice controlled device that can do a surprising amount of things. That feature list is always growing as well, with an increasing amount of partnerships and developers writing "skills".

Has the novelty worn off? Well, somewhat, but I still use it every day. It has become a tool that works for me and there are many features that come in handy.

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Since Amazon released the Echo last year (November 6, 2014 if you ask it when it was born), the device has been learning some new tricks. It can control multiple home automation devices, though setup can be mind numbing to accomplish.

Now Amazon is adding two more devices. The retail giant is announcing the addition of support for both HiFi company Musaic and sprinkler system Rachio.

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If you haven't yet tried out Amazon Echo then you're in for an... ah... experience. It works quite well most of the time. Response speed is amazing. It can become temperamental when you branch out into other aspects like home automation, although to be fair I think that's the fault of the hub more so than Echo.

You'll also need to get past the fact that Amazon is listening to what you say, not to mention that you look a bit like a crazy person talking to an imaginary friend.

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Home automation has become the wave of the future, for better or worse. Not everyone trusts it, but many others embrace it. However it seems to be here to stay now, with websites and podcasts dedicated to it, as well as an ever growing number of products hitting the market, including some rather odd ones.

However most people jump into this endeavor with lights. They seem to be the drug that gets people hooked. And now you can incorporate Amazon Echo into this, as it is quite capable of controlling a growing number of such products.

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Since receiving Amazon Echo, Alexa, the name Amazon gives these devices, and I have grown to know one another. We mostly get along, but occasionally argue. It (she?) has learned my habits, but began playing the news the other night while I was watching TV, rather annoyingly. I'm looking forward to testing its home automation features with Nest thermostat and GE Link bulb in the near future. Hopefully Alexa won't decide I no longer need heat or lights!

But what can't Echo do? That's an open-ended question with many answers, depending on what the user wants. However, I'm only asking for one small thing, at least for now.

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There's no reason to give you a full review of Amazon's Echo, my colleagues have already said plenty on that score. Instead I wanted to explain what living with Echo is like after one day. Yes, that's how long I've had the device, so this is a "first impressions" in the truest sense, and they run all over the place.

First, Echo has very solid build quality; it's a hefty device and it's very easy to set up -- plug it in, download the Android app and you're on your way. The app walks you through the process and there isn't a whole lot to it.

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As someone who was one of the chosen to buy the Amazon Echo early (now available to all), I have had extensive time playing with the technological oddity. While it is a welcome addition to my home -- my family uses it for weather, traffic, spelling and math -- I have been a bit underwhelmed by the overall usefulness.

I've been hesitant to truly embrace Amazon's assistant, as I wasn't sure it had a future. The reason? The lack of a clear plan or path for developers made me wonder if it could truly compete with more open and focused technologies. Today, my hesitation is quelled, as Amazon lays out an impressive plan for developers. This is much bigger than Echo, however.

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Amazon announced the Echo a few months ago, but it's been a long time coming. The Bluetooth- and WiFi-enabled speaker sits in your home and answers your questions or commands. It does so simply upon voice activation, and it answers with its own vocal rendering.

Well, the device is finally coming to market, as Amazon announces the ability to order for all customers. It does a lot more than answer your questions, though. There's home automation, music and many other features it can control.

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You just gotta love Amazon. This morning, at long last, I received my invitation for Echo, the sizzlingly voice-controled streaming speaker that I raved about just two months ago. As a Prime member, I pay half-price, just $99. What a deal! Since then, I jealously waited while reading what others blogged about how much they enjoyed their Echoes. The device fits squarely where I contend is the next iteration in user interfaces: voice. Touch is just so passé.

In retail, customer impressions are everything. My first reaction was excitement, but the second turned it to dust. This thing won't ship until sometime between May and July? Seriously? It's like a bad Consumer Electronics Show joke, where the hottest tech device in this solar system debuts in January, but sales don't start until November. Don't sell me something I can't get for at least five fraking months!

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I so requested to buy Amazon Echo, which promises to bring Star Trek-like responsive computing to the home. The cylindrical device, announced today, is a Bluetooth- and WiFi-enabled speaker that responds to users' questions. Just say "Alexa" and ask something. "What's the weather?" "What is the largest dinosaur?" This is how search information should be, assuming Echo resounds as strongly as Amazon's product information and demo video claim.

Touchless interaction is by no means new. Apple got the jump with personal assistant Siri, which responds to requests and commands on iOS devices. Google Now, available on multiple platforms, is far superior, and Windows Phone now has Cortana. All three cloud-based touchless-response systems make your voice the primary user interface. But Echo, like the Moto X smartphone, is always listening, such that the interaction is almost completely hands-free. That's the difference.

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