Amazon launches Echo: a 360-degree speaker that also offers Siri functionality for your home

Amazon already knows how to get its foot in door – now it wants to stay inside

James Vincent
Thursday 06 November 2014 13:37 EST
Comments
Amazon Echo
Amazon Echo (Youtube)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Amazon has announced a new product designed to sit like a speaker in your house, but that also offers similar internet-connected abilities to Siri, Apple’s personal digital assistant.

Echo, which is currently on sale by invitation only in the US for $199 ($99 for Amazon Prime Customers), responds to a variety of vocal commands, with users able to request news updates, set alarms, play music and have simple questions (dates and figures mainly) answered via information from Wikipedia.

Although Amazon is launching the product as a piece of hardware, the key is the company’s new digital assistant, apparently nicknamed ‘Alexa’.

Alexa won’t just live in Echo, but will also be available to access via apps on desktop computers, Android and iOS, letting user “easily manage [their] alarms, music, shopping lists, and more”.

Echo itself connects to a home’s Wi-Fi and has a 360-degree array of both microphones and speakers, with a 2.5-inch woofer that Amazon claims can “fill any room with immersive sound”.

It seems like a canny move from Amazon. Although we've gotten used to the idea of ‘personal assistants’ on mobiles, they’re often most useful in environments when we're happy to shout aloud at our phones.

If Amazon can make 'Alexa' the go to helper in the kitchen and living room, then users won't just use voice commands to check the news and play music - they'll probably do some shopping too.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in