What Is Echo And Alexa?
This article is about the American brand of smart speakers developed by Amazon. For the acoustic phenomenon, see Echo,
| Developer | Amazon |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Amazon |
| Type | Smart speaker |
| Release date | November 6, 2014 ; 8 years ago |
| Operating system | Fire OS |
| Input | Voice commands |
| Website | Amazon Echo (US) Amazon Echo (UK) Amazon Echo (Ger) Amazon Echo (India) Amazon Echo (France) |
Amazon Echo, often shortened to Echo, is an American brand of smart speakers developed by Amazon, Echo devices connect to the voice-controlled intelligent personal assistant service Alexa, which will respond when a user says “Alexa”. Users may change this wake word to “Amazon”, “Echo”, ” Computer “, as well as some other options.
- The features of the device include voice interaction, music playback, making to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, and playing audiobooks, in addition to providing weather, traffic and other real-time information.
- It can also control several smart devices, acting as a home automation hub.
Amazon started developing Echo devices inside its Lab126 offices in Silicon Valley and in Cambridge, Massachusetts as early as 2010. The device represented one of its first attempts to expand its device portfolio beyond the Kindle e-reader, Amazon initially limited the first-generation Echo to Amazon Prime members or just by invitation, but it became widely available in the United States in mid 2015, and subsequently in other countries.
What is Echo Alexa used for?
Amazon Echo is a product line of hands-free speaker and virtual assistant devices that interact with an end user via the Amazon Alexa cloud-based voice service. Echo devices connect to the Alexa service via the internet. Using artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning technology, Alexa enables an Echo device to “listen” for user commands to perform a multitude of tasks, including playing music, answering questions, creating and editing to-do lists and setting a timer or alarm.
- Amazon released its first-generation Echo in 2015; the 9.3-inch-tall, cylindrical speaker included seven microphones.
- Amazon’s second-generation Echo speaker came in a slightly smaller cylindrical design.
- The Amazon Echo product line now includes a number of devices, including the Echo Dot, Echo Plus and Echo Tap.
Three other Echo devices – Amazon Echo Show, Amazon Echo Spot and Amazon Echo Look – add video display capabilities to the baseline Echo features.
Is Amazon Echo called Alexa?
For the defunct subsidiary company of Amazon, see Alexa Internet,
| Developer(s) | Amazon |
|---|---|
| Initial release | November 6, 2014 ; 8 years ago |
| Operating system | Fire OS 5.0 or later, iOS 11.0 or later Android 4.4 or later |
| Platform | Amazon Echo Fire OS iOS Android Linux Windows |
| Available in | English French German Japanese Italian Spanish Portuguese Hindi Arabic |
| Type | Intelligent personal assistant, cloud-based voice service |
| Website | developer,amazon,com /alexa |
Amazon Alexa, also known simply as Alexa, is a virtual assistant technology largely based on a Polish speech synthesiser named Ivona, bought by Amazon in 2013. It was first used in the Amazon Echo smart speaker and the Echo Dot, Echo Studio and Amazon Tap speakers developed by Amazon Lab126,
It is capable of voice interaction, music playback, making to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, playing audiobooks, and providing weather, traffic, sports, and other real-time information, such as news, Alexa can also control several smart devices using itself as a home automation system.
Users are able to extend the Alexa capabilities by installing “skills” (additional functionality developed by third-party vendors, in other settings more commonly called apps ) such as weather programs and audio features. It uses automatic speech recognition, natural language processing, and other forms of weak AI to perform these tasks.
Most devices with Alexa allow users to activate the device using a wake-word (such as Alexa or Amazon ); other devices (such as the Amazon mobile app on iOS or Android and Amazon Dash Wand) require the user to click a button to activate Alexa’s listening mode, although, some phones also allow a user to say a command, such as “Alexa” or “Alexa wake”.
As of November 2018, Amazon had more than 10,000 employees working on Alexa and related products. In January 2019, Amazon’s devices team announced that they had sold over 100 million Alexa-enabled devices. In September 2019, Amazon launched many new devices achieving many records while competing with the world’s smart home industry.
Do I need Wi-Fi for Alexa?
Does Alexa Need WiFi? – Alexa devices need a WiFi connection to function properly. When you ask Alexa a question or use a voice command, an audio recording is sent to Amazon’s cloud over your WiFi network. Then it is processed and sent back to your device over WiFi so Alexa can answer your question or fulfill your request.
Is Echo a Wi-Fi?
Echo devices connect to dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz / 5 GHz) networks that use the 802.11a / b / g / n standard. Echo devices can’t connect to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) networks. Open the Alexa App. Select Devices.
Is Echo also a speaker?
The living guide to Alexa Use Your Echo Device as a Bluetooth Speaker Amazon’s Echo smart speakers are best known for the Alexa voice assistant that powers them, but they can also function like any other Bluetooth speaker to play music, podcasts and other audio programming from your smartphone, tablet and other Bluetooth-enabled devices.
- Not only does this bolster the quality of your audio, but it also allows you to source services that remain inaccessible by Alexa, including Apple Music and popular podcast apps.
- The Echo Tap does not support Bluetooth pairing.
- Not all Echo smart speakers offer superior sound quality, however.
- The is best for engaging with Alexa and receiving spoken audio updates rather than listening to music.
The second-generation can supply quality sound to a small or medium-sized room. And the is quite robust for any room. Echo speakers can be synced to boost volume collectively, but Multi-Room Audio is not supported for Bluetooth connections. This is due to limitations of Bluetooth technology rather than a shortcoming of Amazon.
Is Echo Alexa or Google?
Amazon Alexa: Pros – As mentioned above, the key selling point for Alexa is its huge number of smart home integrations. On the speaker side of things, Amazon has a big range of products that can sync up to your other gear. For speakers, there’s the Echo series, which goes from the small Dot all the way up to the powerful Echo Studio, and includes models with screens so you can view your security camera feeds.
Alexa is compatible with a number of Amazon-owned brands, including Ring and Blink doorbells and security cameras and Fire TV sticks, but also works with loads of third-party options, including TP-Link plugs, cameras and mesh wifi systems, iRobot and Eufy robot vacuums and Philips Hue lights, We’d also say that Alexa is the best option for shopping and package tracking, given how it’s connected to your Amazon account.
You can also program custom skills for it so that it’ll work exactly how you want it to. Amazon’s devices are simple to set up and offer top-quality audio and great interconnectivity. Interact with them by saying “Alexa” and then give your request, whether that’s to set a timer for an hour, dim the lights at 8pm, or shuffle your playlist.
Is Alexa the same as Echo Dot?
• Categorized under Communication, Entertainment, Gadgets, Hardware, internet, Technology | Difference between Amazon Echo and Echo Dot Both the devices are really smart when it comes to functionality and are pretty good at playing music and doing whatever you ask them to do, especially taking control over your smart-home devices. Well, this is where the Amazon’s very own personal voice assistant comes to the picture – Alexa, the brains behind the entire Echo lineup.
What Alexa Echo is best?
Closing Thoughts – Well, that brings us to the end of this particular Echo buying guide. We think the Amazon Echo (4th gen) is good enough for most users out there. It’s a great-sounding speaker that can fill your room with good music, and it also supports Alexa to control your smart home devices.
If you’re new to the world of smart speakers, however, then we think the Echo Dot (5th gen) is a solid speaker to kick things off with. We suggest you pick up a couple of smart home products like smart bulbs and start playing with the idea of controlling your devices with an Echo before upgrading to a bigger, more expensive speaker.
We’ve also added a couple of other products to the list, so be sure to check them out. Lastly, if you want to check out smart speaker options that are available on the market, then be sure to stop by our collection of the best smart speakers to see all the available items.