A Smarter Voice Emerges
Amazon dropped a tech gem on Wednesday, unveiling Alexa+, an AI-charged upgrade to its trusty voice assistant. Set to roll out next month, this isn’t just Alexa with a new haircut—it’s a full-on glow-up. Think contextual smarts, sharper smart home control, and a knack for tailoring itself to your quirks. After teasing an AI-powered assistant back in 2023, Amazon’s finally delivering, shrugging off earlier rumors of stumbles in June 2024. Panos Panay, Amazon’s Devices & Services SVP (and ex-Microsoft Surface guru), calls it “conversational, smarter, and personalised”—and it’s hard to argue.
What Can It Do?
Alexa+ isn’t here to mess around. It’ll book your brunch spot, tame your smart lights with complex commands, or hunt down that vaguely described tune across Amazon Music, Spotify, or Apple Music. Need groceries or a repair guy for your busted oven? It’ll scour the web, handle the details, and report back—no babysitting required. Oh, and it’s got eyes now—upload a photo or doc, and it’ll dissect it, summarize it, or chat about it like a brainy sidekick.
Personal Touches and Prime Perks
This assistant’s got memory. It’ll peek at your Amazon habits—shipping prefs, payment methods, binge-watch history—and weave that into its responses. Tell it your birthday or that you’re Team Vegan, and it’ll file it away for later. Pricing? It’s $19.99 monthly (about Rs. 1,740) as a standalone, but Prime members snag it free with their existing sub. Starting in the U.S. via early access on Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21, it’ll soon spread to more gadgets, with a fresh app and website to keep chats flowing across devices.
Tech Under the Hood
Built on Amazon’s Nova model, Alexa+ isn’t picky—it taps third-party AI via Bedrock, including Anthropic’s language prowess, to flex its skills. It’ll ping you when the doorbell cam spots a delivery or execute delayed tasks like a dutiful butler. Panay promises it’ll land wherever Alexa already lives, leveling up the voice game with a dash of futuristic flair. Next month, it’s showtime—get ready for an assistant that’s less “yes, master” and more “I’ve got this.”
