This week, Amazon rolled out three major updates to its artificially intelligent speaker. You can now order a Domino’s pizza and stream music from Spotify all by yelling commands at your Amazon Echo.
With seven microphones and beam-forming technology, Amazon Echo is designed around your voice. It’s hands-free, connected to the cloud, and always getting smarter.
What is Amazon Echo?
Echo connects to Alexa, a cloud-based voice service, to provide information, answer questions, play music, read the news, check sports scores or the weather, and more—instantly. When Echo detects the wake word, it lights up and streams audio to the cloud to recognize and respond to your request.
Far-field voice recognition
Tucked under the light ring on Echo is an array of seven microphones. These sensors use beam-forming technology to hear you from any direction. With enhanced noise cancellation, Echo can hear you ask a question even while it’s playing music.
Always getting smarter
Because Alexa is built in the cloud, it’s always getting smarter. The more you use Echo, the more it adapts to your speech patterns, vocabulary and personal preferences. And since Echo is always connected, it updates automatically. Echo is always adding new capabilities such as control of connected devices, Google Calendar access, streaming music, audiobooks, Amazon.com reordering and more.
Advanced audio design and capabilities
Echo has been fine-tuned to deliver crisp vocals with dynamic bass response. Its dual downward-firing speakers produce 360° omni-directional audio to fill the room with immersive sound.
Plus, Echo provides hands-free voice control for Amazon Music, Prime Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn. Plus, Echo is Bluetooth-enabled so you can stream other popular music services like Spotify and iTunes from your phone or tablet.
Connect your home or office
Use Echo to turn off the lights for a presentation in the office, or turn on the heater from your favorite reading chair at home — all without lifting a finger, or even raising your voice.