It took Amazon a while to release the Echo in the market but it’s almost here a few weeks after pre-orders were accepted. The Siri and Google Now competitor is now listed on Amazon for $179.99, now ready for shipping. The Amazon Echo is one revolutionary product for the home. You can probably get the same service from other Android devices but it’s a dedicated voice controlled virtual personal assistant for the home.
You can say it’s a robot because it can do a number of things for you like play music, answer your questions, wake you up in the morning, and more. You can give it any name but “Alexa” is the default assistant. It’s cloud-based so you need Internet connection.
Amazon has been adding support for different apps and services to the Echo and connect to your own digital eco-system at home. A few months ago, support for Belkin’s WeMo and Philips’ Hue lighting system were added. This time, more lightning products from GE, Lutron, and Leviton that are compatible with Wink can bow be controlled by the Echo. Alexa can look up for new devices via the Wink app. You need to set names first for each product before connecting them. Link your Wink account to Echo by going to the Echo mobile app.
Once your Wink devices are recognized, you can ask Alexa to do anything like turn on or off the lights. You need to integrate first your smart home products with the Amazon Echo to start living a truly, digital, and futuristic home experience. Expect more good news from Amazon in the coming days like more products being supported.
