Amazon's 'Echo' is a standalone Siri-like virtual assistant for the home
In a surprise announcement on Thursday, Amazon revealed a new first-party hardware product class in "Echo," an Internet-connected virtual assistant stuffed into a tubular standalone speaker.
Amazon Echo's feature list includes more than a few similarities with Apple's Siri, Microsoft's Cortana and Google Now, including support for online queries, voice-activated ask-and-answer functions and extensibility into mobile apps. But unlike competing virtual assistants, Echo is a purpose-built, stationary device meant to be used in the home.
Activated by a user-assignable key word, which apparently is set to "Alexa" by default, Echo can fetch information from the Web, play music, set alarms and conduct basic PDA functions like updating a to-do list.
Echo's AI lives in the cloud and meshes with Amazon's AWS network to bring live updates and advanced capabilities like adapting to a user's speech patterns.
On the hardware side, Amazon baked in far-field microphone technology that uses seven beam-forming sensors and noise cancellation to detect commands from across the room. The system is smart enough to parse out sound from its own speaker to listen for user input while playing music.
The speaker setup is a 360-degree sound design with a 2-inch tweeter situated in Echo's base, a 2.5-inch woofer just above and a bass reflex port. Volume is controlled via a ring at the top of the pedestal.
As for music, Echo connects with Amazon Music, Prime Music, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn accounts and supports Bluetooth audio streaming from mobile devices.
For now, at least, Amazon is keeping mum on the prospect of integrating Echo with its huge e-commerce business, but the step would be a short one if and when that day comes. As seen in the explainer video, Echo can already add items to a virtual shopping list on the Echo app for FireOS and Android. Users of Apple devices can access Echo functions through a browser-based UI.
Amazon is taking requests for invitations to buy Echo at a price of $199, or $99 for Amazon Prime members. A release date has not yet been announced, but the reservation site says invitations are slated to go out in the "coming weeks."
Amazon Echo's feature list includes more than a few similarities with Apple's Siri, Microsoft's Cortana and Google Now, including support for online queries, voice-activated ask-and-answer functions and extensibility into mobile apps. But unlike competing virtual assistants, Echo is a purpose-built, stationary device meant to be used in the home.
Activated by a user-assignable key word, which apparently is set to "Alexa" by default, Echo can fetch information from the Web, play music, set alarms and conduct basic PDA functions like updating a to-do list.
Echo's AI lives in the cloud and meshes with Amazon's AWS network to bring live updates and advanced capabilities like adapting to a user's speech patterns.
On the hardware side, Amazon baked in far-field microphone technology that uses seven beam-forming sensors and noise cancellation to detect commands from across the room. The system is smart enough to parse out sound from its own speaker to listen for user input while playing music.
The speaker setup is a 360-degree sound design with a 2-inch tweeter situated in Echo's base, a 2.5-inch woofer just above and a bass reflex port. Volume is controlled via a ring at the top of the pedestal.
As for music, Echo connects with Amazon Music, Prime Music, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn accounts and supports Bluetooth audio streaming from mobile devices.
For now, at least, Amazon is keeping mum on the prospect of integrating Echo with its huge e-commerce business, but the step would be a short one if and when that day comes. As seen in the explainer video, Echo can already add items to a virtual shopping list on the Echo app for FireOS and Android. Users of Apple devices can access Echo functions through a browser-based UI.
Amazon is taking requests for invitations to buy Echo at a price of $199, or $99 for Amazon Prime members. A release date has not yet been announced, but the reservation site says invitations are slated to go out in the "coming weeks."
Comments
Amazon have done some nice hardware. Fire TV is a nice piece of kit for the money, Fire Phone while not an iPhone competitor really was nicely built and if iterated nicely could become a really nice device (and the build quality of it is really nice).
"Hahahahahaha. Go home Amazon, you're drunk."
It looks interesting, perhaps even practical and useful. Not $200 (or even $100) useful to me, but YMMV.
AppleTV might have some similar features in the future. That this is a standalone product is neat though.
The problem is I don't use Siri at home... I use Siri in the car.
http://techcrunch.com/2014/11/06/lets-call-the-amazon-echo-what-it-is/
Actually I like it.
From TechCrunch: Let's call the Echo what it is
http://techcrunch.com/2014/11/06/lets-call-the-amazon-echo-what-it-is/
Actually I like it.
Yes, another revenue stream for Amazon. Upside for Amazon Fresh?
I mean, if I'm going to order something from Amazon, I want to research it first and at least see a photo of it. However, I don't need to research russet potatoes on Amazon before adding it to my cart.
That said, I can't wait for Apple to do their box that includes the same functionality.
Ask it to read the news and it does. All it to call someone, to make an appointment, and it does. It's the future.
I asked for an invite. At $99 I think it's worth a shot.
Same here actually. I think it would be nifty to have it in the kitchen for playing music and setting alarms for food and such. Not sure why Google or Apple hadn't considered this type of product.
Device is a little odd, it will be interesting to see how useful it is.
The killer app is that Amazon will be airing TV and radio ads that not only demonstrate the Echo but simultaneously order a bunch of unwanted stuff through existing owners' units that are within listening range of the TV and radio. Watch your credit card bills, people!
If nothing else it might be a dang nice sounding speaker for the price. The other stuff is a bonus.
If nothing else it might be a dang nice sounding speaker for the price. The other stuff is a bonus.
I was thinking along the same lines.
Things are about to get weird. Really weird.