All articles tagged with #alexa
Amazon has begun automatically upgrading Prime members’ Echo devices to Alexa Plus. The upgrade isn’t opt-in, but users can revert to the original Alexa; there’s no option to opt out of getting upgraded. Alexa Plus is an AI-powered overhaul aimed at competing with Gemini, with some users reporting ads or slower responses after the change.
At CES 2026, Amazon unveiled a range of innovative products and updates, including a faster Fire TV interface, expanded Alexa+ capabilities across web and devices, new Ring security features like Fire Watch and Sensors, a lifestyle 4K QLED TV called Amazon Ember Artline, and the evolution of its wearable AI, Bee, into a proactive personal assistant with new features for productivity and health tracking.
Amazon has launched a web browser version of its Alexa+ assistant, positioning it as a competitor to ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, which has positively impacted its stock, now up nearly 3%. The new Alexa.com offers various functionalities like answering questions, content creation, and task management, but is currently available only to early access users. Amazon's stock performance and future outlook remain strong, with analysts optimistic about its AI infrastructure and overall growth prospects.
Amazon's Alexa+ update, which automatically changed the device's voice to a more conversational and teenage girl-like tone, has frustrated many users who did not consent to the change. Users find the new voice overly chatty and intrusive, with some considering switching to other brands. However, the update can be reverted through the Alexa app or voice command, though many are unhappy with the forced nature of the update.
Amazon's head of devices, Panay, predicts a shift away from screen-based social media towards ambient intelligence, where technology seamlessly integrates into daily life through new hardware and improved AI like the updated Alexa Plus, emphasizing security and a cultural move away from doom scrolling.
Amazon has launched a new Alexa.com web portal that allows users to interact with Alexa via keyboard and mouse, enhancing control over reminders, files, and smart home devices, and bridging the gap between voice and typed interactions. This development extends Alexa's functionality to desktop browsers, making it more useful for family and personal management, although its adoption may be limited by existing AI routines and preferences. The portal represents a significant step in Amazon's AI strategy, with potential for further integration of smart home features.
A reviewer’s husband took advantage of a Cyber Monday deal to buy Amazon Echo Frames smart glasses for $115, which include hands-free calling and Alexa features, along with a free Echo Spot smart alarm clock, making it an attractive and affordable smart wearable option compared to pricier alternatives.
After three months of using Alexa+, the upgraded AI assistant from Amazon, the author highlights its more natural, conversational interactions, improved smart-home controls, a redesigned Echo Show interface, better management of lists and reminders, and new visual recognition capabilities, though it still falls short in fully autonomous actions. Overall, Alexa+ shows significant progress but remains a work in progress for complete automation.
Amazon has released the new Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio with advanced AI features powered by Alexa+, offering more natural conversations and smarter home integration. The Dot Max is a compact, affordable speaker with impressive sound for its size, while the Studio provides richer audio and spatial sound but lacks an auxiliary input. Alexa+ enhances the assistant's capabilities, making routines and interactions more seamless, though it is still in early access with some reported issues. Overall, the new devices mark a significant upgrade in Amazon's smart speaker lineup, emphasizing AI-driven features.
A major AWS outage is causing widespread disruptions to online services including Amazon, Alexa, Snapchat, Fortnite, and others, affecting multiple regions globally. The cause is currently unknown, and service restoration times are unclear.
Amazon has launched a $20 battery-powered Smart Dimmer Switch that allows users to control smart home devices, run routines, and control music with four programmable buttons, offering a convenient alternative to voice commands and enhancing smart home automation.
The article reviews Amazon's Alexa+ feature, available through new Echo devices and early access, highlighting its improved conversational abilities, personalized reminders, playlist creation, news briefing, and upcoming features like Omnisense sensors and expanded smart home integration, making it a promising upgrade for smart home enthusiasts and Alexa users.
Amazon has announced new Echo Show devices with improved design, display, and audio quality, supporting the latest Alexa+ AI. Meanwhile, Apple is rumored to be working on a HomePod Touch, a smart home control panel with a display, expected to launch sometime next year, possibly with enhanced Siri features.
Amazon announced new Echo devices featuring its AI, Alexa+, with improved hardware, custom AI chips, and expanded capabilities including natural language conversations, smart home integration, and partnerships for personalized health and wellness features.
Amazon announced the rollout of Alexa+ to its new Fire TV devices, enhancing user experience with advanced AI capabilities such as complex questions, tailored recommendations, scene search, and live sports updates. The company also introduced new Fire TV hardware, including the Fire TV 2-Series, 4-Series, Omni QLED TVs, and the Fire TV 4K Select stick, all featuring improvements like auto-brightness, clearer dialogue, and faster performance.