Quote:
Originally Posted by Shane R
Tell me more about there being 'nothing like it' and it being a 'gateway to wonders', please.
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Well, check these articles, for starters:
http://www.aftvnews.com/?s=Alexa&submit=Go
If you ever read SF stories about computer controlled houses (or starships), that is what the Alexa does, among other things. You speak and the Alexa service turns your orders into computer commands.
The way it works is that Alexa is a cloud-based voice recognition service and the Echo devices (as well as the Fire TV devices and compatible third party devices) use Alexa to run scripts or send commands to internet services or devices. Lots of hardware companies are busy creating proprietary hardware ecosystems for home automation. Amazon isn't. Instead, they built a front end that can talk to everybody's devices. So it doesn't matter if your smart light bulbs are from Phillips or GE or whoever, Alexa can in theory control them. And increasing, that theory is reality.
As a result, you can say:
"Alexa, turn on the basement light", "Alexa, set the thermostat to 70 degrees", "Alexa, tell me a joke" (young kids love that one), "Alexa, what are the sports scores", "Alexa, open Domino’s and place my Easy Order”, "Alexa read me GENTLEMAN JOLE AND THE RED QUEEN". Of course, Amazon being Amazon, you can say, "Alexa, order an Echo Dot". Or "Alexa, re-order cat food."
The service has well over 200 "skills" so far and more are coming every week, most independently of Amazon. Alexa is an open service: if you have some programming background you can use the online IFTTT service to create your own or if you're a good enough programmer, use the Alexa SDK to create your own software that uses Alexa as a front end.
The fun is just starting.
Here's one review:
http://www.cnet.com/products/amazon-echo-review/#!
Of note is that the Echo Dot lets you plug in your choice of speakers or feed audio to your home theater receiverso the complaint about audio quality becomes moot.
Check these two for what Amazon is up to, the sneaky devils:
http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/7/107...ver-smart-home
http://www.zdnet.com/article/ces-201...ot-even-there/