Do you want to buy a voice assistant and want to learn more about it? On this occasion we will give you our opinions on Alexa, the functions, advantages and disadvantages of this service Amazon.
The smart home concept has become increasingly important in recent years, especially with the addition of new equipment. That's why we want to give our opinions about Alexa and your Echo speakers. After all, it is a key piece to start enjoying all the innovations that this voice assistant has for contemporary homes.
What is Amazon Alexa?
At this point in the game, it seems that it is not necessary to explain the importance of the voice assistant Alexa. However, it is quite a new item for some parts of the world. A clear example of this is Spain, where the amazon products, as an alternative to companies like Google or Apple.
In general aspects, Alexa is a voice assistant created in 2014 for the line of echo speakers, from Amazon. The idea is to activate functions by means of voice commands pronounced by the user, to the device. This includes questions, orders, Internet searches, or time or weather inquiries, just to name a few.
To learn more, this time we will give our opinions about Alexa and its functions, compared to other voice assistants.
Variety of devices
Initially, this was one of the weaknesses of the Amazon assistant, since Alexa was only compatible with the smart speakers. Some of the most recent and well-known are:
- Echo Show 10
- Echo Show 5
- Echo Dot (3rd and 4th generation)
- Echo Studio
- Auto Echo
However, after its release the software development kit (SDK), so other businesses can incorporate Alexa into their articles. Since then, all kinds of devices compatible with the Amazon assistant have come to light, such as: Clocks, light bulbs, chargers, televisions, cleaning robots, cameras, plugs, thermostats and many more.
In this sense, our opinions about Alexa they are quite positive. Although at first it remained in the shadow of other voice assistants, today, more than an alternative, it is an option that we can choose over other giants with much more time on the market.
Available functions
One of the most important aspects in this career of voice assistants revolves around the available functions. That is, the more voice commands and actions our device can perform, the better it is. The truth is that with alexa assistant you can do almost everything and here are some examples:
- Play, pause and change music.
- Take voice notes.
- Play messages.
- Make calls.
- Turn on, off, and configure other Alexa-connected devices.
- Receive and read the latest news.
- Check the weather and climate.
- Do internet searches.
- Receive Amazon offers, search for products, put them in the cart and make purchases.
Many opinions about Alexa for home control are positive, while its ability as a browser has some shortcomings. This is because it competes against Google within its territory. It is not that Alexa is not useful for searching the Internet, but that it is an aspect in which its competitor stands out more.
Connectivity
One of the frequently asked questions about alexa it's about your reliance on Wi-Fi, to leverage yourself as a voice assistant. The first thing we should know is that Amazon speakers have two connections: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. With internet access, Alexa can connect to Amazon's servers for natural language processing (NPL), vital for responding to user commands.
If we are in a place without an available Wi-Fi network, we can continue using the Amazon speakers to play music. However, voice assistance features will not be available. our opinions about Alexa in this aspect they are negative, if we compare them with the increasingly developed functionality of Google in offline mode. However, it is a matter of time before Amazon overcomes this obstacle.
sound reception
Many negative opinions about Alexa they are due to inconveniences that have occurred because of a misinterpreted command. Unintentionally or unknowingly making calls, inability to interpret other orders due to background noise or loudspeaker noise, or many other situations. This is due to poorly worked sound reception.
Although this was present in the first versions of Alexa, it is an aspect in which it has improved significantly. Even now we have access to the popular “Skills” which, in addition to simplifying specific commands, serve as an alternative to misinterpreted commands.
This advance has also improved the quality of calls made from Amazon speakers. Searching for a contact in the phonebook and having the device attached to your ear is a thing of the past. The opinions about Alexa Regarding calls, they are quite encouraging, since it is one of the few functions that only requires a Bluetooth connection.
Price
One of the most attractive points of Alexa consists of its affordable price. While the competition offers speakers from 40 euros and up to 80 euros, as is the case with Apple, Amazon offers cheap devices. It is true that devices like the Amazon Echo Dot They can cost up to 60 euros, this is due to the great functions it offers.
In fact, you can get a Echo device for up to 30 euros. Taking into account that even the low range offers interesting and complete functions. In addition, Amazon's constant promotions for its products make it available to all users.
Some negative opinions of Alexa
Of course, not everything is rosy for the trajectory of Amazon's voice assistant. some of our opinions about Alexa they are also negative, compared to other alternatives. We already mentioned one of these and that is, Alexa still does not compare with Google when it comes to looking for information or answering questions.
Sound quality is another weak aspect of the echo speakers. That is, its sound is not above average, as long as you play at a moderate volume. Already at maximum volume levels, we begin to appreciate how the device suffers.
We can also highlight the lack of privacy of the devices, there being rumors of espionage even when we do not issue an order. This can affect the opinions about Alexa, turning away consumers. However, we cannot make invisible all the incredible functions and positive points that this new voice assistant can offer us.