The world’s most domesticated voice-recognition and intelligent speaker system has been unleashed!
Amazon has resoundingly increased the reach and where-with-all of its Echo voice-activated technology by introducing two new models to the product line. The new hardware isn’t about more RAM but more rooms, and more room to roam.
Amazon Echo Tap is a battery powered, totable, “take-it-with-you” device that takes input with just the tap of a finger. The Echo Dot is a small, hockey puck size Echo that can dot the landscape of your home bringing voice input access to the Cloud to more of your locations for less than half the previous Echo price tag.
We’ve written about how the voice of Alexa is the most natural and human sounding of any virtual assistant, speaking in the dulcet tones of Scarlett Johansson’s Samantha (aka OS1), as voiced in the movie Her. Once you become invested in the relationship with Alexa and the Echo’s organizational skills (not to mention the dozens of playlists that Pandora, Spotify, iHeart Radio, TuneIn and Prime Music make available), the question is all about the where, not the wares — where to place the device in your personal infosystem to optimize access— the living room, the bedroom, the kitchen, the car, or the backyard.
Both devices make concessions when compared to the flagship Echo. By itself, the Dot lacks the sonic reproduction quality of a bookshelf speaker while the Tap trades out the “always listening” feature of the original Echo in exchange for portability and battery life.
But by “connecting your Dots,” through a mini-plug line-out to an external speaker system, you can regain the fidelity you give up in the smaller form factor. Place an array of dots around your household and each one acts as an uplink to the Cloud. Add items to your shopping or to-do lists, order items from Amazon e-tail, the Echo Dot is your local area intercom for reaching Alexa.
The Echo Tap is the first generation of Echo unleashed and runs for up to nine hours on a single charge. It liberates your Echo experience to go anywhere you can connect via Wi-Fi. which, with your smartphone, could simply be your personal hotspot. Multicolored Tap “Sling Cover” cases let you saddle up the Tap to a bicycle or a backpack.
Microsoft enabled an always listening mode for Cortana with the release of Windows 10. Apple requires a click and a “wake word.” Overall, PC’s, tablets and laptops lack the range and acoustical reach of Echo and Echo Tap. Why other tech OEMs are not rushing to compete with Amazon is a mystery. Until they do, Amazon’s Echo line is a category killer! [24×7]
