Alexa and Echo – Making your Life Convenient

Alexa is Amazon’s cloud-based voice controlled personal assistant available on more than 100 million devices from Amazon and several third-party device manufacturers. The Amazon Echo is a range of hands-free speakers and devices from Amazon that can be controlled with your voice. Alexa and Echo cannot be separated.

Alexa, the brain behind the Echo devices is a highly polished voice assistant available today. Using Alexa is as simple as asking a question—just ask and Alexa will respond. Alexa updates through the cloud automatically and is continually learning, adding new functionality and skills.

Here are some of the ways Alexa can make your life easier and more fun. These are just a few examples, Alexa is smart enough to understand things in a lot of different ways.

• Music and Entertainment
  Alexa, play the latest pop music or play songs by XYZ artist or anything like, play me songs I haven’t heard in a while, etc.
• News and Information
  Alexa, read today news in brief or what will be weather tomorrow? or what is India’s score?, etc.
• Communication
  Alexa, call Mom or make a skype call, etc.
• Help around the House
  Alexa, remind me to call XYZ at 7 in the evening or set an alarm for 7AM, etc.
• Smart Home
  Alexa, turn on the AC or turn off the heater in 10 minutes, etc.
• Shopping
  Alexa, add tissues to my cart or reorder dish wash gel or you can ask what’s in my shopping cart. You can ask something like where’s my order?, etc.
• Question & Answers
  Alexa, who was the fifth president of India or how high is Burj Khalifa?, etc.
• Fun Stuff
  Alexa, beatbox for me, tell me a joke, or roll a dice, etc.
• Alexa Skills
  Alexa, help me meditate or help me lose weight, etc.

Another highlight is that Alexa can now also talk to you in the voice of legendary Amitabh Bachchan. Alexa now understands Hindi as well. it is so much improved that you can ask her any way and she will smartly get the context and execute the request. Example: Alexa, xyz gaana sunao, or xyz bajao, or xyx play kar do, all of these will play the requested xyz song on your device.

You don’t necessarily need the Amazon Echo devices, you can experience Alexa on your mobile devices or laptops. It works on both Android as well as iOS. You can even replace your already existing smart voice assistant with Alexa.

In my experience, I haven’t felt as if I was missing out on any features while using Alexa on my iPad. Paired with Echo Buds, it has been a great experience. Now that I mentioned about me using the Amazon Echo Buds, I also have an Echo Speaker setup in my home.

Let’s briefly check all the Echo devices currently available on Amazon:

‣ Smart speaker with loud sound, balanced bass, crisp vocals and Alexa.
‣ Stylish design that blends into any decor.
‣ Available in 4 exciting colors (Black, White, Green, Purple (I like the purple color)).
‣ Voice control smart lights, ACs, TVs, geysers. Extend the experience to non-smart appliances using smart plugs.
‣ Use as a standalone speaker or pair your phone to use as a Bluetooth speaker.
‣ Built with multiple layers of privacy controls, including a mic off button.

‣ 5th (Latest) Generation Echo Dot with Alexa-The best sounding Echo Dot yet! With deeper bass and clearer vocals than all previous generations.
‣ Automatically turn on light when you enter the room or switch on the AC when it gets hot using in-built motion detection and temperature sensor. Set these experiences using routines feature in Alexa app.
‣ Use as a standalone speaker or pair your phone to use it as a Bluetooth speaker.

‣ Echo Dot (4th Gen) has a new spherical design and improved bass performance compared to Echo Dot (3rd Gen).
‣ Versatile usage: use Echo Dot as a standalone speaker or connect it to other speakers/headphones to enjoy audio on your favorite devices. Or simply pair your phone with Echo Dot and use it as a Bluetooth speaker

‣ The all-new Echo delivers premium sound (powered by Dolby) and delivers clear highs, dynamic mids, and deep bass for rich, detailed sound that adapts to any room.

‣ Immersive sound – 5 speakers produce powerful bass, dynamic midrange, and crisp highs. Dolby Atmos technology adds space, clarity, and depth, making Echo Studio the best-sounding Echo device.
‣ Adapts to any room – Automatically senses the acoustics of your space, fine-tuning playback to deliver optimal sound.
‣ Built-in smart home hub – Set up your smart lights and plugs from Philips Hue and Anchor without a separate hub – just ask “Alexa, discover my devices”. Also control other compatible smart devices from Oakter, Syska, TP-Link, Wipro, and more.

‣ Echo Show 5 is a smart speaker with 5.5” screen and Alexa that can be operated by voice and can fit on your bedside or coffee table.
‣ Your personal entertainment corner: Watch your favorite movies and TV shows from Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.
‣ Monitor your home remotely: Activate the built-in camera remotely to securely monitor your home using the Alexa app.
‣ Get started with Smart home: Setup smart lights, plugs or cameras with Echo Show 5 and control your appliances using just voice.
‣ Improved 2MP camera: Use the 2 MP camera to call friends and family who have the Alexa app or Echo Show devices. Use drop-in feature to check on your kids or parents – just like an intercom.

‣ Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) with Alexa is an upgrade of our best-selling smart speaker with screen and comes with an improved 13 MP camera which you can use to make video calls to contacts having the Alexa app or Echo Show devices. You can control Echo Show 8 using only your voice. Alexa speaks English and Hindi.
‣ Your personal entertainment corner: Watch your favourite movies and TV shows from Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.
‣ Monitor your home remotely: Activate the built-in camera remotely to securely monitor your home on your Alexa app or on other Echo Show devices.
‣ Get started with Smart home: It is simple to make your home smart with Alexa and use voice to control lights, ACs, security cameras, TVs, geysers and more.
‣ Stay in frame during video calls: Make video calls with the upgraded 13 MP camera that pans and zooms automatically to keep you in frame. Simply ask Alexa to call your friends and family who have the Alexa app or Echo Show devices. Use drop-in feature to check on your kids or parents – just like an intercom.

‣ Echo Show 10 is the best smart speaker we have ever created with a revolutionary 10.1” screen that moves automatically to face you! The 10W speaker delivers loud and clear sound.
‣ Monitor your home remotely: Activate the built-in 13MP camera remotely to securely monitor your home using the Alexa app. You can look around the room through pan and zoom functionality. Use drop-in feature to check on your kids or parents – just like an intercom.
‣ Get started with Smart home: Setup smart lights, plugs or cameras with Echo Show 10 and control your appliances using just voice.
‣ Stay in frame: Make video calls with the upgraded 13 MP camera that frames and centers automatically. Simply ask Alexa to call your friends and family who have the Alexa app or Echo Show devices.

‣ Upgrade your stereo system with high-fidelity streaming music and Alexa.
‣ Voice control music selection and playback with your compatible Echo device or the Alexa app.
‣ Connect Echo Link to your stereo and group with other supported Echo devices to play music throughout your home.
‣ Multiple digital and analog inputs and outputs provide compatibility with your existing stereo equipment.